Europe Picks Seven Tech Scale-Up Finalists for DIGITALEUROPE’s 2026 Future Unicorn Awards
DIGITALEUROPE, the continent’s largest digital industry association, has named seven finalist companies for the 2026 Future Unicorn Awards across Future Unicorn and Dual-Use Technology categories. The winners will be revealed at the Masters of Digital 2026 conference in Brussels on 25-26 February.
BRUSSELS — DIGITALEUROPE has unveiled the seven finalists competing for this year’s Future Unicorn Awards, spotlighting European tech firms with the potential to scale into global leaders and contribute to both commercial and defence innovation. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 25-26 February at the Masters of Digital 2026 conference in Brussels.
In the Future Unicorn category, three companies were selected:
• Finland’s Canatu, which produces advanced carbon nanotube materials and reactors with applications in semiconductors, automotive and diagnostics;
• France’s Quandela, a developer of quantum computing systems aimed at data centre deployment and cloud access;
• Denmark’s Sparrow Quantum, focused on photonic quantum chips to enable quantum computing, communication and next-generation networks.
In the Dual-Use Technology category, four technology scale-ups made the shortlist:
• Ukraine’s Farsight Vision, advancing real-time 3D awareness systems that combine AI with collaborative robotics;
• Ireland’s Mbryonics Ltd., building high-speed, secure optical communications for satellite networks;
• Ukrainian-based Ratel, producing autonomous unmanned ground vehicles for logistics and evacuation with a supply chain rooted in Ukraine-EU cooperation;
• Spain’s Sateliot, which is deploying a 5G standard low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation to extend connectivity from space.
The Future Unicorn Awards programme highlights scale-ups nominated by national digital associations across Europe and reviewed by a panel of investors and institutional experts. The Dual-Use Technology category, now in its second year, is co-delivered with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, reinforcing the strategic importance of technologies that serve both civilian and defence uses.
Previous winners include companies such as German aerospace and defence scale-up Quantum Systems, underlining the link between commercial success and contributions to European and NATO-aligned security capabilities. The 2026 winners will be announced during Masters of Digital, with participation from European Commission and industry leaders.
