Today, DIGITALEUROPE unveiled the shortlisted companies competing for the 2025 Future Unicorn Award, which showcases Europe’s most promising tech firms every year.
For the first time ever, the 15 shortlisted businesses are split into two categories: future unicorn, recognising their growth potential to become Europe’s next tech unicorn, and dual-use technology, distinguishing the use of cutting-edge technologies for both civilian and military applications.
The 2025 contenders come from 11 different European countries and are already at the forefront of technologies like AI, quantum computing, green tech, health tech, or cybersecurity. They are also leading the way in digital innovations for dual use: from drones and robotics to machine learning and bionics.
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, said:
“Today, only 14% of the world’s unicorns are from Europe. This is far from enough, especially at a time when Europe seeks to boost its economic and security resilience in an increasingly tense geopolitical context.
Europe’s competitiveness lies in its capacity to champion and empower its innovators. Our 2025 Future Unicorn Award nominees are a testament to Europe’s potential to reclaim its leadership on a global scale and win the tech race. From digital health and cybersecurity solutions to green tech and defense tech, our 2025 future unicorn cohort stands out with solutions needed to solve the most burning challenges Europe is facing. From healthcare shortages to climate change, cyber threats, and modern warfare.
This year, I am particularly excited to be adding a new category to our award: dual-use technologies. These are crucial for Europe’s competitiveness and security, and it’s about time we recognised the immense untapped potential and the great work being done by European companies on this front. It’s no surprise that we have 4 shortlisted companies from Ukraine; we have so much to learn from them to protect Europe through digital technologies.
Europe’s greatest asset is its own innovators. But to keep them here, they need the right business conditions to scale up. Our 3-step gameplan: cut, simplify, incentivise offers concrete ideas on how to get there.”
The 15 contenders for the 2025 Future Unicorn Award
Future Unicorn Award category
Dual-use technologies category
About the Future Unicorn Award
The Future Unicorn Award is a collaboration between the 41 national trade associations affiliated with DIGITALEUROPE. Participants must be nominated by these associations and be European tech companies in the scale-up phase, having grown by over 20% per year for at least three years
The winner will be announced by Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, at DIGITALEUROPE’s flagship annual conference Masters of Digital in Brussels, on 19-20 February.
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