DIGITALEUROPE unveils the 3 finalists for the Future Unicorn Award 2023

DIGITALEUROPE – Europe’s largest trade association representing digitally transforming industries – has unveiled the 3 finalist companies for its annual “Future Unicorn Award”. The winner will be announced at Masters of Digital 2023 on 8 March by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

The three finalists are:

• Red Points, from Spain: Over 1,000 companies rely on Red Points to fight fakes, piracy impersonations and credential reselling
• Plan A, from Germany: A leading corporate carbon accounting, decarbonisation, and ESG reporting software provider
• Easee, from Norway: they develop innovative solutions for charging and power management technology – and is one of the world’s largest developers of smart EV-chargers

Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, said: 

“Today, only 12 per cent of the world’s unicorns are European. This is far from enough, at a time when Europe seeks to assert its global competitive edge. This year’s award finalists are promising European innovators in the field of green tech and cybersecurity. They clearly reflect Europe’s most burning challenges and the power of European innovators to deliver solutions. 

Yet, the road to a truly empowering innovation ecosystem remains very bumpy. While the US and China invest over 3.58% and 1.34% of GDP respectively in scale-ups, Europe’s 0.53% is obviously not enough. In addition, many European innovators suffer from barriers between EU countries, which stop them from scaling quickly enough. This should be top of mind as we celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the EU’s single market next year.”

About the Future Unicorn Award

The Future Unicorn Award is a collaboration between national trade associations affiliated with DIGITALEUROPE. Each association nominates one small company from their country that has the potential to become Europe’s next tech giant. The winner will be announced at Masters of Digital, DIGITALEUROPE’s flagship annual conference, on 8 and 9 March 2023 in Brussels.

The award is now being held for the sixth year in a row and is a testimony of the vital importance of small and medium companies (SMEs) in Europe and the wider digital ecosystem. The 2023 edition features a 5-member jury made of innovation experts:

• Hilary Mine: VP Strategy & Technology, Nokia
• Kadi Silde: Chief of Staff, Head of the Transition, DIANA, NATO
• Eric de Montgolfier: Chief Executive Officer, Invest Europe
• Stephane Ouaki: Head of Department, European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
• Andrea Bauer Vaugan: Co-Founder and General Manager, European Champions Alliance

The event also features top EU leaders as confirmed speakers, including Věra Jourová, EU Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency; Margaritis Schinas, EU Commission Vice President for Promoting our European Way of Life; and Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

Why European unicorns matter

Scale-ups – tech companies with more than $1 million funding raised – are essential to Europe’s prosperity. More than just an engine for innovation, scale-ups are businesses that keep on hiring highly skilled workers, raise Europe’s productivity, and champion European values across the world.

Supporting scale-ups is not only Europe’s best chance at producing home-grown tech giants, but it is also a critical choice for digital and energy resilience. This may be truer than ever in the context of the ongoing energy and security crisis caused by the devastating effects of the war in Ukraine.