CEE Tech Valuation Hits 128 Billion USD Amidst Relocation Exodus

The latest Digital Champions CEE report reveals a maturing ecosystem that is transitioning from consumer-facing platforms toward deeptech, space exploration, and defense-related innovation. While e-commerce and fintech remain the backbone of the regional economy, the 'other' category—encompassing robotics, cybersecurity, and Earth observation—surged by 87.59% over the past year. This strategic shift underscores a move toward technologies aimed at enhancing European resilience and digital sovereignty.

Despite this growth, the report highlights a significant 'relocation dilemma.' Nearly half of the region’s scaleups have moved their headquarters abroad, primarily to access deeper capital markets. Analysts estimate that if companies like ElevenLabs, Grammarly, and ICEYE had remained within the regional index, the total valuation would exceed 170 billion USD. Piotr Mieczkowski, managing director at the Digital Poland Foundation, noted that Europe risks becoming a research and development hub for American firms, where ideas are incubated locally but scaled and captured by foreign capital.

Poland continues to anchor the region, representing over 37% of the total value, while the Baltic states lead in capitalisation intensity per capita. The ecosystem also shows signs of increasing professionalization, recording 81 venture capital-backed exits in 2025—a stark contrast to the 31 exits seen a decade ago. This maturation suggests that while the region is successfully producing global-ready champions, it faces a structural challenge in retaining the high-value firms that define its economic future.