A new season of the “Champions League of Tech” has begun with the return of Tech5 – Europe's hottest ScaleUp competition.
Over the next five months, Tech5 will showcase the continent's future stars. The competition will come to a head June 19-20 when the 2025 winners will be announced on the TNW Conference Main Stage.
Applications for the tournament opened this week. Promising scale-ups from across the continent were invited to submit their entries Here.
A range of prizes are at stake, from media coverage to VIP passes to the TNW conference. However, companies need to act quickly – the application window closes on February 28th.
The next big thing? Could be you…
The TNW conference is here to support startups and scale-ups to become the next big thing. Be part of the journey.
The selected participants will join an illustrious list of Tech5 graduates. Previous winners include Starling Bank, Wise, Too good to goPicnic and Animal – and a host of other industry leaders.
A total of 588 companies are Tech5 alumni. Since the start of the competition, they have achieved tremendous success. Revolut, for example, became Europe's Europe most valuable Private technology company. Deliveroo was now enjoying it largest flotation on the London Stock Exchange for a decade. In total, Tech5 finalists have raised over 10 billion euros.
Arbo Robotics, a pioneer in automotive radar, is one of many winners that have picked up big investments. Just this month, Arbo announced plans to raise a fresh $29 million through a stock offering – which would bring its total funding to one Estimated at $251 million.
Shlomit Hacohen, Arbo's chief marketing officer, credited Tech5 with accelerating the company's rise.
“Being named a top five company in TNW's Tech5 rating in 2019 gave us valuable exposure in Europe and the US in the early stages of our growth,” she said.
“TNWs Tech5 is exceptional at identifying companies with the potential for market success. Since the competition, Arbe has gone public and established itself as a leading developer of radar technology in the automotive industry. “
This year's nominees will compete in a revamped competition. Like the Champions League of Football, the tournament rules have been tweaked to improve results.
The competitors are evaluated according to improved criteria. In addition to company and team growth, judges will now evaluate a new metric: impact. The change aligns with broader trends in the ecosystem.
Tech5 in 2025
Across the tech sector, growth alone is no longer perceived as the only marker of success. Companies are now increasingly being judged on their impact and solutions to major problems. This isn't just wishful thinking – just look at the strategic shifts being made by companies, investors and policymakers.
A mix of economic instability, environmental concerns and socially conscious consumption has fueled support for technology with real-world impacts.
The most important funds are now flowing to scaleups that address important problems. Last year, research firm Brainy Insights appreciated That the impact investing market will grow from $3 trillion to $7.78 trillion by 2033.
Government regulations encourage dynamism. The EU has taken a global lead in the charge, introducing new rules that drive sustainable innovation from AI to EVs.
Tech5 plans to further stimulate progress. Yeni Joseph, TNWs Head of Ecosystem Strategy and Partnershipsexpects this year's edition to deliver a powerful boost.
“For TNW, identifying and showcasing the fastest and most impactful scale-ups in Europe is core to our mission to drive innovation and foster connections in the tech ecosystem,” she said.
“By showcasing these companies, we not only celebrate their success, but also create opportunities for collaboration, investment and growth that stimulate the future of technology in Europe.”
The spotlight will shine in a number of locations. For this year's edition, Tech5 covers ScaleUps in the following regions:
- Benelux: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
- Great Britain & Ireland
- Nordics: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
- Roof: Germany, AustriaPresent Switzerland
- Southern Europe: Andorra, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain
- France
- Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Do you want to represent your region and show your vision to the world? Then apply to enter Tech5 via This link.
Comments are closed.