Achieving unicorn status is not an overnight success. According to the Stanford Graduate School of Business Venture Capital Initiative, the journey typically spans 6.6 years on average but can be much longer for some companies (up to 25 years in extreme cases).
Venture capital plays a substantial role in the overall journey to unicorn status, as investors typically spot potential early. In 2025, Recursive surveyed 24 CEE VCs to uncover the unicorn potential of regional players.
Check out the list below (in alphabetical order)!
BibleChat
Founded by Laurențiu-Victor Bălașa, BibleChat is an AI-powered application that offers guided spirituality and Bible assistance through chat and games. The app provides personalized prayers, answers to religion-related questions, and interactive features to engage users in their spiritual journey.
As of December 2024, BibleChat had over 7 million downloads, with 6 million from the U.S., and had raised $14 million in funding from investors such as Silicon Gardens and Underline Ventures.
Bitrise
Founded in 2014, Bitrise is headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. It specializes in providing a mobile continuous integration and delivery platform that streamlines the build, test, and deployment processes for mobile applications. Over the years, Bitrise has expanded its presence globally, including establishing an office in London, United Kingdom.
After receiving a $60 million series C investment in 2021, Y Combinator placed the company among the top 150 companies by value.
Carebot
Carebot is a Czech startup specializing in artificial intelligence solutions for healthcare. Founded in 2021, the company develops AI tools to assist doctors in diagnosing diseases through various imaging methods, including X-rays, CT scans, mammograms, and MRIs. Their platform utilizes deep learning algorithms to identify and highlight potential findings in medical images, aiming to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency.
Druid AI
DRUID AI is a conversational AI platform that enables enterprises to automate processes and enhance customer and employee experiences through AI agents and intelligent applications. Founded in 2018, DRUID AI offers a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to various industries, including customer support, human resources, banking, insurance, retail, healthcare, and education.
Inobat
InoBat is a Slovakian company specializing in researching, developing, and manufacturing electric vehicle batteries. Founded in 2019, InoBat focuses on creating custom-designed batteries tailored to the specific needs of global original equipment manufacturers across various sectors, including automotive, commercial vehicles, motorsport, and aerospace.
Upheal
Founded in 2021, the Czech-US Upheal is the first AI-powered mental health platform for clinicians. It allows them to save time by taking notes and transcribing sessions, securely video calling, and organizing data into summaries, highlights, and other analytics.
In November 2024, Upheal announced that they raised a €9.52 million Series A round. This round brings the funding to a total of €13.65 million.
