Celebrating the next big European tech scale-ups.

2023 Highlights

European scale-ups continue to flourish, demonstrating resilience and dynamism during a challenging period.

• United Kingdom (20) has the highest number of companies in the Top 100 list, followed by France (19) and Germany (17)
• The top 3 sectors represented were SaaS (38), Fintech (16) and Digital Media (16)
• The average funds raised by the Top 100 was €166m
• The startup Ecovadis, listed in the 2022 Top 100 list, is now a Unicorn
• Since 2019, 36% of the scale-ups identified by the Top 100 Next Unicorn Awards have gone on to become Unicorns, including companies such as Mano Mano, Content Square, Back Market, and Alan

The list was compiled by Viva Technology, the biggest startup and tech event in Europe, in partnership with GP Bullhound, with the support of White & Case, with contributions from five of the world’s most reputable investment funds: Accel, Balderton, Eurazeo, NorthZone, and Partech.

François Bitouzet, Managing Director of Viva Technology, said: “Yet again this year, our selection of the Top 100 scale-ups shows the strength of European technology; strength that is quite impressive given the challenges facing our tech ecosystem today. These digital pioneers represent huge potential, asserting Europe as an innovation leader. We must continue to support scaling startups to reach the highest levels of success and to make a positive impact on our world.” 

Manish Madhvani, Managing Partner at GP Bullhound, commented: “Despite the economic and geopolitical challenges of 2022, this year’s Top 100 list shows that the fundamentals of the European tech ecosystem remain strong. As conditions stabilise, European tech companies are well placed to seize the opportunity, continuing to scale, and maturing into the “Titans” of European tech.”

Next Unicorn Awards 2023

The most promising scale-ups will be awarded on stage at VivaTech, held on 14-17 June in Paris, as part of the “Next Unicorn Awards 2023”. The judging panel will consist of senior representatives from Unicorns, venture capital firms, key ecosystem players, and VivaTech founding partners. They will select winners in the following categories: Fintech, Marketplaces, Enterprise SaaS, Digital Media, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Tech & Big Data, and the Coup de Coeur Prize. Previous winners include Vinted, OpenClassrooms, Sorare, and Tessian, among others.

As part of the event in June, GP Bullhound will publish the 2023 edition of its annual “Titans of Tech” report, in partnership with Viva Technology. For the tenth consecutive year, the report analyses the growth of the major European technology companies, highlighting several key players in its ecosystem with the potential to achieve the status of “Titan” – a valuation of more than $50bn. For more information about the 2023 Top 100 contenders, please visit https://vivatechnology.com/next-unicorn-awards.  

About Viva Technology

VivaTech is the biggest tech and startup event in Europe. It is an innovation accelerator that brings together thousands of startups, technology leaders, investors, large companies, organisations, researchers, media, and visionary talent. Their global community gathers entrepreneurs who are changing the rules, creating an ecosystem conducive to business and innovation, to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. The seventh edition of VivaTech is taking place on 14-17 June 2023 at Porte de Versailles in Paris. For more information about VivaTech, please visit https://vivatechnology.com/media and @VivaTech.  

About GP Bullhound

GP Bullhound is a leading technology advisory and investment firm, providing transaction advice and capital to the world’s best entrepreneurs and founders. Founded in 1999 in London and Menlo Park, the firm today has 13 offices spanning Europe, the US and Asia. For more information, please visit www.gpbullhound.com.