The CEE Report 2025, produced in collaboration with Cogito Capital Partners, SHAPE Capital Partners and Vestbee, shows that over the past decade, the combined value of the CEE startup ecosystem has grown 15x – more than double Europe’s 7x growth rate.
Private startups in CEE have now reached an all-time high combined value of €163B.
But despite this momentum, CEE’s potential remains vastly untapped.
📉The funding gap is real – Breakout and late-stage VC investment is lacking, putting a promising pipeline of 275+ scaleups at risk.
💡SaaS has led the way, but the next chapter of CEE’s growth will look very different, requiring significant capital.
⚡New frontiers are emerging – Capital-intensive sectors like Energy, Mobility, and Dual-use Tech are finally taking off, but will need massive investment to compete on a global scale.
✈️Global ambition is key – Nearly 50% of scaleups relocate, mostly to the US and UK, to access capital and markets.
🚀Future unicorns are emerging – AI, Climate Tech, and Fintech are driving the next wave of growth.
CEE is an innovation powerhouse. The challenge is ensuring capital and support to keep pace with its ambition.
Download the full report here:
https://dealroom.co/reports/central-and-eastern-european-startups-2025
