Europe should be known for BottleCap AI, not bottle cap memes. With its tongue-in-cheek name, this Prague-based AI startup is one of the teams venture capitalists think you should know about.
It’s not that European startups never cut through the noise. Gentle and Mistral AI They are proof of this. But there are many more who do not have nine figures in annual recurring revenue still and those connoisseurs still follow it very closely.
That’s where this list comes into play. Over the past few weeks, we asked investors at some of Europe’s best-known venture funds to recommend two startups each: one from their portfolio (because they liked the startup enough to invest) and one outside of it (because they are experts in startups but can’t invest in all of them). We also included some selections of our own.
From pre-launch to unicornThese startups are at different stages of their journey and from different sectors. Due to our methodology, they may not reflect where the most popular centers are in the region, but they do reflect how deep tech talent could help Europe play its own cards in the AI race.
High Ares
Recommended by Julien Codorniou, General Partner at 20VC.
What are you doing: High Ares develops AI-powered counter-drone systems.
Why it’s worth watching: Defense technology has gone from pariah to trend, particularly in Europe, where the war in Ukraine was a wake-up call for armies to modernize. Alta Ares interceptors respond to the need for more economical solutions to detect and combat drone incursions.
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Apron
Recommended by Jan Hammer, Partner at Index Ventures (investor).
What are you doing: Apron provides Invoice management for small business owners..
Why it’s worth watching: SMEs can be a lucrative segment for fintech companies; Business owners are willing to spend at least some money to save time, and there are millions of them.
botify
Recommended by Claire Houry, General Partner, Ventech (investor).
What are you doing: botify helps brands increase their visibility in AI searches.
Why it’s worth watching: Companies are still struggling to replace SEO with generative engine optimization (GEO), but this Disrupt NY 2016 Alumnus has already adopted the change. botify You have competitors in your new field, such as Otterly.AI and Deepbut also big clients, from Macy’s to The New York Times.
bottle cap AI
Recommended by Julien Codorniou, General Partner at 20VC (investor).
What are you doing: bottle cap AI develops fundamental applications and LLMs focused on efficiency.
Why it’s worth watching: With a founding trio that includes an entrepreneur who sold his previous company to Meta and two AI researchers, BottleCap took a dual approach. The startup is building its own models and launching applications built on top of them, including Legumesa news application based on artificial intelligence.
Cailabs
Recommended by Flavia Levi, investment manager at Join Capital.
What are you doing: Cailabs develops photonics for aerospace, defense and industrial applications.
Why it’s worth watching: Cailabs is based on advanced research in the science of light, which is now applied to faster and more robust data transmission. Backed by public and private investorsplans to deploy 50 optical ground stations to support growing demand for laser communications with satellites.
creek
Recommended by Anna Heim of TechCrunch.
What are you doing: Knowledge graph for AI agents.
Why it’s worth watching: creek plans to build the layer of knowledge that AI agents are missing. Its founder is Elisenda Bou-Balust, a prominent Spanish entrepreneur and AI expert who sold his previous company vilynx apple in 2020.
Flower
Recommended by Pär-Jörgen Pärson, Northzone Partner (Investor).
What are you doing: Renewable energy management.
Why it’s worth watching: Wind and solar energy are inherently variable. Flower It takes advantage of artificial intelligence and battery energy storage systems to make its use more predictable. This Swedish company also recently raised about 60 million dollars in bonds to continue climbing.
Fundamental
Recommended by Jonathan Userovici, General Partner, Headline (Investor).
What are you doing: AI Foundation for big data analysis.
Why it’s worth watching: FundamentalThe basic Nexus model focuses on Help companies extract insights from their data. The company just came out of stealth in February, but is already valued at $1.4 billion after a $255 million Series A.
Qualification
Recommended by Jonathan Userovici, General Partner, Headline.
What are you doing: AI voice models.
Why it’s worth watching: QualificationAI models can be used for real-time text-to-speech, giving AI agents voice in multiple languages. A spin-off of French AI lab Kyutai, this ElevenLabs challenger raised a seed round of $70 million own.
happyrobot
Recommended by Pablo Ventura, General Partner, Kfund.
What are you doing: AI agents for complex use cases.
Why it’s worth watching: happyrobota startup endorsed by a16z and Y Combinator, is one of many AI agents they are creating, but their goal is to ensure they can be implemented and generate ROI. It is based in the US, but its three co-founders and part of its team are Spanish.
pin
Recommended by Claire Houry, General Partner at Ventech.
What are you doing: Physical AI for factories.
Why it’s worth watching: Mixing AI and robotics, pin improves and expands automation in manufacturing, from the automotive and electronics industries to household goods production lines. The startup says it is already active in more than 70 factories.
Legora
Recommended by Pär-Jörgen Pärson, Northzone Partner.
What are you doing: AI platform for lawyers.
Why it’s worth watching: With increased competition from traditional LLMs, legal technology will also be about marketing. Grab the popcorn Harvey vs. Legora after Legora surpassed his rival by recruiting Jude Law Be the face of your brand. This is a point for the Swedish startup, which is now based in New York but it’s still one of Rising AI stars in Stockholm.
Big data labs
Recommended by Floriane de Maupeou, Director of Serena Data Ventures.
What are you doing: AI training data infrastructure.
Why it’s worth watching: “Every solid model starts with excellent data” Big data labs it states on its home page “coming soon.” But the startup won’t generate that data; Its upcoming platform will provide other companies with tools to create robust training data sets.
Multiverse computing
Recommended by Julie Bort of TechCrunch.
What are you doing: It offers compressed versions of open weight models such as OpenAI, Meta, DeepSeek and Mistral AI.
Why it’s worth watching: Multiverse computingThe technology takes a proven model and makes it smaller and less expensive to operate, especially on the company’s own hardware. Co-founded by CTO Román Orús, professor at the International Physics Center of Donostia, the Spanish startup has raised 250 million dollars.
Optics11
Recommended by Flavia Levi, investment manager, Join Capital (investor).
What are you doing: Fiber optic detection systems.
Why it’s worth watching: Optics11The technology allows equipment to be monitored underwater and in equally harsh conditions. Its potential to prevent disruptions to underwater infrastructure and energy networks helped the startup obtain venture debt from the European Investment Bank.
Penny Lane
Recommended by Jan Hammer, Partner at Index Ventures.
What are you doing: Financial management platform for SMEs.
Why it’s worth watching: Penny Lane began with accountingbut he has bigger plans. Like many other fintechs in the growth stage, this french unicorn has expanded its scope, with the ambition of building a unified financial operating system for SMEs in Europe.
PLD Space
Recommended by Anna Heim of TechCrunch.
What are you doing: Launch rockets.
Why it’s worth watching: PLD Space It is part of Europe’s push for spatial autonomy. After successfully launch a suborbital rocket in 2023It is currently developing a reusable orbital launcher for small satellites. Last month, the Spanish company achieved a Series C round of $209 million led by Mitsubishi Electric, which raised its financing to more than 350 million dollars.
Upcoming Fusion
Recommended by Daria Saharova, General Partner of the Global Fund.
What are you doing: Nuclear fusion.
Why it’s worth watching: The race for an alternative to nuclear fission has begun and Upcoming Fusion It is one of the ones in Europe strongest contenders. The VC-backed company recently obtained 460 million dollars from the state of Bavaria to support its plans to build a fusion power plant in Europe, starting with a demo starrer near Munich.
roof line
Recommended by Floriane de Maupeou, Director, Serena Data Ventures (investor).
What are you doing: Software for implementing AI models on advanced chips.
Why it’s worth watching: College Spinout roof line bridges the gap between AI and an increasingly fragmented hardware layer with software that allows users to efficiently deploy models on different types of chips.
space forge
Recommended by Daria Saharova, General Partner, Global Fund (investor).
What are you doing: space forge manufactures semiconductor components in space.
Why it’s worth watching: In space manufacturing is increasing, for pharmaceutical applications and for chips, which are The Space Forge Approach. With additional tailwinds coming from geopolitics, the startup is already moving forward: recently plasma generated in low Earth orbit.
Theker
Recommended by Pablo Ventura, general partner, Kfund (investor).
What are you doing: Robots as a service.
Why it’s worth watching: Theker is one of several startups backed by Inditex, owner of Zara, through a dedicated fund managed by Mundi Ventures. Theker’s AI-enabled robots could help the retail giant improve its logistics, but the startup is also looking for use cases in waste management and food and beverage production.
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