18 Hottest Unicorn Startups in Europe Now Hiring 🦄
All the hottest unicorn startups in Europe are hiring top talent like you. So let’s add these billion-dollar companies to your startup job search now:
Are the hottest unicorn startups in Europe giving Silicon Valley a run for its cryptocurrency?
Though the US gave rise to 340 new unicorns in 2021, a growth rate of 124% from 2020, the EU experienced a 400% growth rate during the same time. Unicorn startups in Europe now number 130+, with 84 new unicorns added in 2021 alone [*].
This is no easy feat. To reach the coveted unicorn status, startups must be privately held, VC-backed companies valued at $1 billion or more.
Klarna, Sweden’s online payment service, once led the pack with a $37.5B valuation. However, it raised another $800M in July 2022 on a $6.7B valuation, an 85% drop.
Checkout.com turned heads as it secured $1B on a Series D round, boosting its valuation to $40B in January 2022.
But not all members of the billion-dollar-valuation club fall in the fintech, banking, or payment category.
Food and grocery delivery services blew up thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. And cryptocurrency exchange platforms continue to rise and fall as its main commodity ebbs and flows in value.
So in today’s post, we’re highlighting a few unicorn startups in Europe that put people, the environment, and advancing technologies at the heart of their missions.
Keep these unicorn startups on your radar, whether you’re hoping to work for one or learn valuable tips from their founders.
3 Unicorn Startups In Europe Dominating the Virtual Space
These startups believe the future of human interactions takes place in the metaverse:
1. GoStudent
Vienna-based GoStudent is a virtual learning platform connecting students with teachers and tutors around the world. This unicorn has 19k+ tutors in 30+ subjects. GoStudent raised a staggering $669M in series B, C, and D rounds in 2021. Now it’s valued at $3.5B.
2. Hopin
Hopin is an all-in-one live virtual event management platform. Their virtual venue tech creates immersive attendee experiences where people can organize, learn, and network with professionals worldwide. The London-based startup has hosted more than 48k events so far and is valued at $7.75B.
3. Improbable
Improbable is a British metaverse technology company pioneering new ways to connect, play, create, and build value across AI-powered virtual worlds. Their team has 5k+ years of game dev experience, and they’ve had over 10k users interacting in high-fidelity, lag-free environments at the same time and in the same place.
Improbable earned $600M in investment funding and is valued at $2B.
6 Green Unicorn Startups In Europe
These environmentally-conscious startups in Europe are striving to reduce landfill waste, provide clean energy, slash air pollution, and more:
1. InFarm
The Berlin-based InFarm founders believe “the vegetables you eat every day shouldn’t have more air miles than you do.” They build efficient vertical farms throughout cities, giving urban dwellers access to local fresh produce. InFarm produce is grown on demand and arrives alive (roots and all!).
InFarm’s “climate machines” and “farmer in the cloud” tech picks up real-time data to improve growing while drastically reducing natural resource use.
With food scarcity woes on everyone’s mind, it’s no wonder InFarm’s innovative approach earned $605M in funding and a valuation well north of $1B.
2. Vinted
Vinted is the largest online international C2C second-hand fashion marketplace in Europe. Its 65M users buy, sell, swap, and gift pre-loved clothing, accessories, and home goods to keep these treasures out of landfills. Hailing from Lithuania, Vinted now boasts a $4.53B valuation.
3. Back Market
The dizzying speed at which technology becomes obsolete has created tons of tech waste. Back Market is an eCommerce marketplace for refurbished gadgets to earn their second life. The French unicorn is valued at $5.7B.
4. Northvolt
Northvolt manufactures lithium-ion batteries, a renewable power storage option vital to the mission for clean energy. The Swedish company says they have “the blueprint for the world’s greenest battery,” inspiring investors like BMW Group, Volkswagen Group, and Goldman Sachs to back their mission. Northvolt now boasts a $12B valuation.
5. Bolt
The Bolt ride-hailing platform connects users with shared transportation like cars, motorcycles, e-bikes, and scooters. They describe themselves as “the first European mobility super-app” to take more personal vehicles off the road and reduce emissions.
Bolt acquired over 100M users across 45 countries. And in January 2022, the Estonia-born company picked up $355M in Series E funding on an $11B valuation.
6. BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar is the world’s leading community-based travel network, enabling over 100M members to share a ride and trip costs across 22 markets. BlaBlaCar leverages technology to fill empty seats on the road, connecting members looking to carpool or travel by bus, making travel more affordable, sociable, and convenient.
BlaBlaCar’s environmentally- and human-friendly mobility network saves 1.6M tons of CO2 and empowers 120M human connections every year. The French startup is valued at $2B.
đź’ˇ Read next: How Startups are Changing the World for the Better
5 Unicorn Tech Startups In Europe
From advancements in artificial intelligence to fantasy football NFTs, these unicorn startups in Europe are leveraging new tech discoveries to drive progress:
1. Graphcore
Graphcore created the Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU), a completely new processor specifically designed for machine intelligence. The IPU’s unique architecture lets AI researchers undertake entirely new types of work, not possible using current technologies, to advance and enhance human potential.
With investors like Microsoft Ventures, Dell Technologies Capital, and the Samsung Catalyst Fund, the UK unicorn received $682M in funding, valuing the startup at $2.8B.
2. CMR Surgical
CMR Surgical is pioneering robotic technology to allow surgeons to perform less invasive, minimal access operations. Its next-generation surgical robot has been used to perform 5k procedures with greater precision so far. The startup out of Cambridge received $986M in funding and is now valued at $3B.
3. MindMaze
MindMaze says they’re pioneering digital neurotherapeutics and building a universal platform for brain health and recovery. With their 70+ utility patents, the team combines digital neuroscience therapeutics with the best-in-class motion analytics, AI, and cloud technologies.
Used by more than 75 hospitals and clinics, MindMaze has helped over 10k patients to date. The Switzerland-born startup raised $341M in funding and sits on a $1.5B valuation.
4. Exotec
Exotec creates fleets of mobile robots for warehouse management and order prep systems. This unicorn startup out of France has already deployed over 3k robots, which use up to 80% less energy than traditional automated solutions. Exotec raised $335M in their last funding round on a $2B valuation.
5. Sorare
Sorare is a global fantasy sports game where users can buy, trade, and play with official limited edition digital collectible cards. The Paris-based startup raised $729M in Series A and B funding on a $4.3B valuation.
4 People-First Unicorn Startups In Europe
These unicorn startups based in Europe aim to make life better for small business owners, employees, and pet parents:
1. Workhuman
In the wake of The Great Resignation, employers are increasingly focused on employee retention and recruiting. The Dublin-born startup Workhuman hopes to “create a more human-centered workplace.”
Their platform streamlines employee recognition, rewards team members, and boosts performance, motivation, and job satisfaction. It’s no surprise why top companies like LinkedIn, Cisco, and Merck use Workhuman to lower employee turnover and engage more meaningfully.
Workhuman scored a $1.2B valuation to become Ireland’s first unicorn company.
2. Swile
The Swile founders believe the right employee benefits encourage people to smile at work. Their digital solutions for employee engagement include a feedback app and an all-in-one smartcard loaded with meal vouchers, gift cards, holiday vouchers, and sustainable transportation stipends for teams.
The French startup collected $328M in funding and is valued somewhere over $1B.
3. Ankorstore
Ankorstore is the first marketplace that connects brands and creators with small neighborhood shops all over Europe. The Ankorstore ecosystem includes over 250k independent retailers and brands across 33 countries.
The Paris-based startup received $365M funding in just two years from investors who want to help small businesses sell authentic products that eCommerce giants like Amazon can’t offer. Now they’re valued at $2.26B.
4. ManyPets
The London-bred ManyPets offers award-winning pet insurance to help pet parents care for their best friends. ManyPets covers over 500k pets worldwide. Their owners enjoy 24/7 access to registered vet consultations and up to $15K in covered vet fees. ManyPets scored $477M in funding on a $2.4B valuation.
đź’ˇ Read next: 10 UK Startups that are Changing the World
Want To Work For One of The Hottest Unicorn Startups In Europe? 🔥
Unicorn Hunt is the #1 destination for startup jobs in Europe. And the unicorns on today’s list are all hiring!
So if you’re ready to work at a startup skyrocketing to greatness, it’s time to get your resume in order and learn what it takes to stand out.
PS: Unicorn Hunt also has startup jobs posted by soonicorns on the verge of earning their billion-dollar club status. Check back often because they go quick!
