Several EIC Scaling Club companies are moving closer to unicorn status – a privately held company valued at €1 billion or more. In this article, ‘soonicorn’ refers to a privately held, high-growth company with a recent estimated valuation of approximately €100 million to €1 billion.
One company originally identified among the Club’s ‘soonicorns’ recently crossed that threshold: Multiverse Computing joined Europe’s unicorn ranks in July 2026, reaching a €1.5 billion pre-money valuation as it announced a Series C fundraising round targeting up to €500 million.
Spanning fields such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, space technology and renewable energy, read on to discover what they do, what sets them apart and why they are among the EIC Scaling Club companies to watch on the path to unicorn status.
The figures presented in this article are based on data from the EIC Scaling Club Impact Report, which is continuously updated using data sourced from Dealroom. They reflect the information available on the platform at the time of publication and should therefore be considered indicative.
1. Axelera AI
Country of origin: The Netherlands
Year established: 2021
Estimated enterprise value: €909m—1.4bn (Feb 2026)
EIC SC market group: Next-Gen Computing
Axelera AI develops energy-efficient processors and software for running computer vision and generative artificial intelligence at the edge, reducing dependence on costly, power-intensive cloud infrastructure. Its Metis platform combines proprietary digital in-memory computing, RISC-V technology and the Voyager software development kit, allowing customers to deploy models across industrial, retail, robotics, security and aerospace applications.
In February 2026, Axelera AI raised €211 million, the largest investment announced by an EU artificial-intelligence semiconductor company. It had shipped products to more than 500 customers and reported over €380 million in cumulative equity, grants and venture debt.
Its strongest unicorn arguments are demonstrated global customer adoption and differentiated performance within strict power and cooling limits. Axelera AI joined the EIC Scaling Club’s Next-Gen Computing group in April 2024.
Total funding: 425m
Before joining the club: 64m
After joining the club (April 2024): 361m
Funding growth: 461.86%
Read more about the company here.
2. PLD Space
Country of origin: Spain
Year established: 2011
Estimated enterprise value: €720m-1.1bn (Mar 2026)
EIC SC market group: New Space
PLD Space develops launch services for commercial and institutional satellite operators. Its vertically integrated MIURA 5 is a two-stage, partially reusable rocket offering dedicated and rideshare missions for small payloads, reducing customers’ dependence on schedules set by larger launch vehicles.
The October 2023 flight of its recoverable MIURA 1 demonstrator made PLD Space the first private European company to launch a rocket. MIURA 5’s first orbital test remains scheduled for 2026; several launch slots are reserved, including a 2027 dedicated mission for Sateliot. Production is intended to reach 32 rockets annually by 2030.
PLD Space announced a €180 million Series C in March 2026 and secured €30 million in European Investment Bank venture debt in April. Its strongest unicorn arguments are scarce European sovereign-launch capacity and a vertically integrated, scalable production model. It joined the EIC Scaling Club’s New Space group in October 2024.
Total funding: 435m
Before joining the club: 179m
After joining the club (October 2024): 256m
Funding growth: 43.30%
Read more about the company here.
3. Focused Energy
Country of origin: Germany
Year established: 2021
Estimated enterprise value: €909m (May 2026)
EIC SC market group: Renewable Energies
Focused Energy develops direct-drive laser fusion systems intended to provide dispatchable, low-carbon electricity. Its LightHouse architecture uses modular laser arrays to compress millimetre-scale fuel targets, building on the only fusion approach to have demonstrated scientific net energy gain. The same laser technology supports industrial non-destructive testing through compact neutron and X-ray sources.
In May 2026, Focused Energy secured a Series A worth approximately €206 million, backed by RWE, SPRIND, the EIC Fund and Prime Movers Lab. The funding will support its planned Biblis fusion campus, targeting a first power plant by the mid-2030s.
Its strongest unicorn arguments are access to proven laser-fusion science and a strategic partnership with major utility RWE. Focused Energy joined the EIC Scaling Club’s Clean Fuels & Hydrogen group in October 2024.
Total funding: 306m
Before joining the club: 77m
After joining the club (April 2024): 229m
Funding growth: 198.32%
Read more about the company here.
4. EnduroSat
Country of origin: Bulgaria
Year established: 2015
Estimated enterprise value: €378-567m (Oct 2025)
EIC SC market group: New Space
EnduroSat designs, manufactures and operates standardised satellites, giving customers fixed-cost access to mission design, payload integration, launch and in-orbit operations. Its software-defined FRAME platform replaces bespoke spacecraft development with modular, configurable satellites, reducing deployment time and data costs.
By July 2026, EnduroSat had deployed more than 100 satellites and placed over 3,500 modules in orbit. Its new Sofia Space Centre is designed to support industrial production of ESPA-class spacecraft, strengthening its ability to serve commercial and institutional constellations internationally.
In October 2025, EnduroSat raised €89.9 million to expand production. Its strongest unicorn arguments are proven in-orbit deployment at scale and a repeatable satellite-and-service model for growing Earth-observation, communications and security markets. EnduroSat joined the EIC Scaling Club’s New Space group on 21 October 2024.
Total funding: 167m
Before joining the club: 24m
After joining the club: 143m
Funding growth: 485.91%
Read more about the company here.
5. Quobly
Country of origin: France
Year established: 2022
Estimated enterprise value: €460-690m (Oct 2025)
EIC SC market group: Next-Gen Computing
Quobly develops silicon spin-qubit quantum computers designed for industrial-scale manufacturing. Its QSOI technology turns transistor-like structures made on 300 mm fully depleted silicon-on-insulator wafers into qubits, addressing the difficulty of producing the millions needed for fault-tolerant computing. Partnerships with STMicroelectronics, Soitec, Air Liquide and Orano differentiate its semiconductor-led approach from less manufacturing-ready architectures.
In June 2026, Quobly raised a €115 million Series A to launch its first Alloy quantum computer through the cloud by the end of 2026, followed by high-performance computing deployments in 2027.
Its strongest unicorn arguments are compatibility with established chipmaking infrastructure and backing from major industrial and sovereign investors. Quobly joined the EIC Scaling Club’s Next-Gen Computing group in April 2024.
Total funding: 151m
Before joining the club: 19m
After joining the club: 132m
Funding growth: 596.52%
Read more about the company here.
6. CorPower Ocean
Country of origin: Sweden
Year established: 2012
Estimated enterprise value: €160m (May 2025)
EIC SC market group: Renewable Energies
CorPower Ocean supplies turnkey wave-energy systems that generate predictable electricity and complement variable wind and solar power. Its C4 converter uses a patented, heart-inspired pneumatic system and adaptive WaveSpring control to maximise energy capture in normal seas while reducing loads during storms. The company says this produces over five times more electricity per tonne of equipment than previous state-of-the-art systems.
Its strongest technical milestone came in July 2026, when the C4 received the first DNV Prototype Certificate for a wave-energy converter after operating in Atlantic storms with waves up to 18.5 metres. CorPower is advancing industrial wave farms in Portugal and Scotland.
With its €53 million Series B having closed in 2025, certification, utility partnerships and modular 10–30 MW arrays provide the clearest routes towards commercial scale. CorPower joined the EIC Scaling Club’s Renewable Energies group in April 2024.
Total funding: 114m
Before joining the club: 37m
After joining the club: 77m
Funding growth: 107.86%
Read more about the company here.
7. Manna
Country of origin: Ireland
Year established: 2019
Estimated enterprise value: €182—273m (Mar 2026)
EIC SC market group: Smart Mobility
Manna operates an autonomous ‘delivery-as-a-service’ platform for food, groceries and medicines, replacing short suburban car journeys with all-electric drones. Its vertically integrated aircraft, flight software and logistics platform allow one operator to supervise up to 20 drones, with typical deliveries completed in under three minutes.
By April 2026, Manna reported more than 250,000 regulated commercial flights and partnerships with Uber, Deliveroo, Just Eat and DoorDash. It raised approximately €43.1 million in a Series B on 1 April 2026, taking total funding to around €94.9 million.
Its strongest unicorn arguments are proven high-volume operations with claimed positive unit economics, and a platform that can be replicated through local delivery bases. Manna joined the EIC Scaling Club’s Smart Mobility group in April 2024.
Total funding: 102m
Before joining the club: 28m
After joining the club: 74m
Funding growth: 163.62%
Read more about the company here.
8. Aerones
Country of origin: Latvia
Year established: 2015
Estimated enterprise value: €225—338m (Jun 2025)
EIC SC market group: Renewable Energies
Aerones provides robotic inspection, cleaning and repair services that reduce wind-turbine downtime and reliance on hazardous rope-access work. Its patented robotic platforms perform blade inspections, lightning-protection tests, leading-edge repairs and coatings, supported by artificial intelligence-driven analytics for predictive maintenance.
The company reports servicing 10,000 turbines and 30,000 blades across 27 countries, with customers including GE Vernova, Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Enel and NextEra. Its robots can complete projects up to four times faster than conventional methods, supporting international expansion through repeatable service teams, increased robot production and its Dallas hub.
In June 2025, Aerones raised approximately €54.5 million after nearly tripling annual revenue. Its strongest unicorn arguments are demonstrated adoption by major wind operators and a scalable robotics-and-data platform addressing technician shortages. Aerones joined the EIC Scaling Club’s Renewable Energies group in April 2024.
Total funding: 114m
Before joining the club: 56m
After joining the club: 58m
Funding growth: 3.41%
Read more about the company here.
9. Cailabs
Country of origin: France
Year established: 2013
Estimated enterprise value: €80—120m (Sep 2025)
EIC SC market group: New Space
Cailabs develops photonic systems that make high-capacity laser communications operational for space, defence and industrial users. Its main products are turnkey optical ground stations, using proprietary atmospheric-turbulence compensation to deliver secure, low-latency links at 10+ Gbps, upgradeable to 100 Gbps. Unlike component suppliers, Cailabs designs, manufactures, deploys and supports complete ground infrastructure.
Commercial traction includes more than 10 stations under contract across three continents. In September 2025, it secured €57 million in structured financing and announced plans to reach annual production capacity of 50 stations by 2027-2028.
Its strongest unicorn arguments are growing demand for secure, spectrum-independent satellite links and defensible technology already moving into repeatable production. Cailabs joined the EIC Scaling Club’s New Space group in October 2024.
Total funding: 102m
Before joining the club: 45m
After joining the club: 57m
Funding growth: 26.29%
Read more about the company here.
About the EIC Scaling Club
The EIC Scaling Club is a curated community where 120 European deep tech scale-ups with the potential to build world-class businesses and solve major global challenges come together with investors, corporate innovators and other industry stakeholders to spur growth.
The top 120 European deep tech companies have been carefully selected from a pool of high-growth scale-ups that have benefitted from EIC financial schemes, other European and national innovation programmes, and beyond.
The EIC Scaling Club is an EIC-funded initiative run in partnership by Tech Tour, Bpifrance (EuroQuity), Hello Tomorrow, Tech.eu (Webrazzi), EurA and IESE Business School.
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