21 Startups and Scaleups to Watch in 2024

1. Opyn (London, UK): Opyn is revolutionizing DeFi (Decentralized Finance) by providing options trading and structured products on the blockchain. Democratizing access to financial instruments previously limited to institutional investors.
2. Klarna (Stockholm, Sweden): A leading European payments company offering buy-now-pay-later solutions and innovative financial services. Challenging the dominance of traditional credit cards and banks.
3. Checkout.com (London, UK): A global payment processing platform powering online businesses with secure and scalable payment solutions. They aim to disrupt the traditional payment processing landscape.
4. Bunq (Amsterdam, Netherlands): A mobile-first challenger bank known for its user-friendly interface, sustainable practices, and focus on transparency. They offer an alternative to established financial institutions.

E-commerce & Retail (Innovating the Shopping Experience):

5. Ocado (London, UK): A pioneer in online grocery shopping, offering robotic warehouses and efficient delivery partnerships, disrupting traditional brick-and-mortar grocery chains.
6. Farfetch (London, UK): A global luxury e-commerce platform connecting customers with leading fashion brands and boutiques, challenging established luxury department stores.
7. Depop (London, UK): A social commerce platform for buying and selling pre-loved fashion, fostering a sustainable and community-driven shopping experience, redefining the concept of retail ownership.
8. Flink (Berlin, Germany): Flink is Europe’s answer to grocery delivery giants, offering ultra-fast delivery of groceries and everyday essentials within minutes of the order being placed, disrupting traditional grocery delivery services.

Health & Wellness (Promoting Accessible and Preventative Care):

9. Doctolib (Paris, France): A leading online appointment booking platform for healthcare professionals across Europe. Doctolib helps patients find and schedule appointments with doctors, dentists, and other specialists. Their innovative platform streamlines access to healthcare and reduces wait times.
10. Livi (Stockholm, Sweden): A leading virtual healthcare provider offering video consultations with doctors and specialists, facilitating convenient and accessible healthcare. They challenge traditional healthcare models.
11. Eliot (Paris, France): Eliot is a leading provider of AI-powered mental health chatbots, offering accessible and personalized support for individuals seeking mental well-being, addressing the growing need for mental health services.

Sustainability & Climate Tech (Combating Climate Change):

12. Sunfire (Potsdam, Germany): Sunfire is developing revolutionary technologies to produce synthetic fuels from renewable energy sources, aiming to decarbonize the transportation sector and challenge reliance on fossil fuels.
13. Too Good To Go (Copenhagen, Denmark): Too Good To Go tackles food waste by connecting restaurants and retailers with consumers looking for discounted surplus food, promoting sustainability and reducing waste, disrupting traditional food distribution models.

Software & Technology (Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation):

14. DeepMind (London, UK): A Google-owned AI research lab making significant advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. They push the boundaries of technological innovation.
15. Aiven (Helsinki, Finland): A cloud platform for open-source databases, simplifying database management and scaling for businesses. Disrupting the traditional database management landscape.
16. Graphcore (Bristol, UK): Developing specialized AI hardware for machine learning applications, aiming to accelerate AI processing power. They challenge established players in the chipmaking industry.

Cybersecurity (Protecting the Digital World):

17. Darktrace (Cambridge, UK): A leader in AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, providing autonomous threat detection and response capabilities. They offer a new level of network security.
18. Aikido (Ghent, Belgium): This Ghent-based startup is the get-it-done security platform for developers, providing automated security code reviews and vulnerability scanning solutions, helping developers write secure code from the get-go.

Logistics & Delivery (Revolutionizing How We Get Things):

19. Sennder (Berlin, Germany): This freight forwarding startup is shaking up the traditional trucking industry by offering a digital platform that connects shippers with carriers. Sennder uses technology to optimize routes, reduce empty miles, and improve efficiency in long-haul transportation.

Education Technology (EdTech):

20. Learnlight (Paris, France): This French startup is a leader in corporate learning solutions. They utilize microlearning, artificial intelligence, and gamification techniques to create engaging and effective training programs for businesses. Learnlight is helping companies address the growing need for efficient and personalized employee training in a rapidly changing world.
21. Lepaya (Amsterdam, Netherlands): Lepaya is a leading European EdTech platform offering a comprehensive upskilling and reskilling solution for businesses. They combine online, offline, and virtual reality training methods to deliver engaging and effective learning experiences for employees. Lepaya focuses on aligning employee skill development with company goals, boosting employee performance and promoting organizational growth. Their use of AI personalizes learning content for individual learners, ensuring a targeted and effective upskilling experience.