German tech has long been the leader in continental Europe. The country already has dozens of VC-backed unicorns — companies valued at over $1bn — including the likes of Personio, Celonis, Gorillas, and Flink. But there’s also a notable fleet of fast-growing new players.
We’ve ranked the startups we think will be making moves in 2022.
Note: if there is anyone missing from this list, or something needs updating, please let us know by email at rankings@sifted.eu
For in-depth early-stage analysis of all sectors and ecosystems, check out our Pro briefings.
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series C
€200m
€332m
Dresden, Germany
2010
Series D
€86m
€234m
Hamburg, Germany
2021
Series A
€200m
€210m
Holzgerlingen, Germany
2018
Growth Equity VC
€200m
€200m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series C
€30m
€184m
Berlin, Germany
2020
Series C
€100m
€175m
Berlin, Germany
2015
Late VC
€50m
€174.9m
Ottobrunn, Germany
2018
Series B
€68.2m
€170.7m
Berlin, Germany
2011
Series B
€27.3m
€169.7m
Germering, Germany
2016
Series C
€140.9m
€167.3m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series B
€100m
€166m
Berlin, Germany
2012
Growth Equity VC
€104.5m
€156.2m
Berlin, Germany
2014
Series C
€118.2m
€136.8m
Berlin, Germany
2020
Early VC
€136.4m
€136.4m
Berlin, Germany
2017
Series C
€91m
€135m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series B
€85m
€135m
Berlin, Germany
2019
Series B
€75m
€130m
Berlin, Germany
2013
Growth Equity VC
€88m
€125.5m
Munich, Germany
2015
Late VC
€40m
€125m
Munich, Germany
2016
Series C
€70m
€125m
Dresden, Germany
2017
Series C
€84m
€122m
Munich, Germany
2014
Series C
€72.7m
€120.8m
Munich, Germany
2021
Series A
€103m
€113m
Munich, Germany
2007
Series D
€63.6m
€112.4m
Heidelberg, Germany
2015
Series B
€57.3m
€109.5m
Bonn, Germany
2012
Series D
€72.7m
€109m
Berlin, Germany
2012
Series D
€80m
€105m
Martinsried/ Munich, Germany
2016
Series B
€65m
€105m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Late VC
€20m
€104m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series B
€86.4m
€98.7m
Berlin, Germany
2015
Late VC
€45.5m
€95.7m
Munich, Germany
2015
Series C
€92.5m
€95.4m
Berlin, Germany
2020
Late VC
€90.9m
€90.9m
Germany
2016
Series C
€18.2m
€90.5m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series B
€66m
€89m
Munich, Germany
2020
Series B
€50m
€88.5m
Augsburg, Germany
2008
Series B
€68m
€87m
Duisburg, Germany
2019
Series A
€87m
€87m
Hanover, Germany
2016
Series B
€69.1m
€85.1m
Berlin, Germany
2010
-
€63.6m
€81.8m
Munich, Germany
2012
Series C
€25m
€77m
Cologne, Germany
2018
Series B
€73m
€76m
Berlin, Germany
2015
Series B
€55m
€76m
Hamburg, Germany
2016
Series B
€57m
€75m
Berlin, Germany
2014
Series B
-
€72.6m
Stuttgart, Germany
2014
Series C
€63.6m
€70.1m
Berlin, Germany
2013
Late VC
€57m
€69.7m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series B
€54.5m
€69.5m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series B
€36m
€67m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series A
€38m
€62m
Düsseldorf, Germany
2016
Series B
€15m
€62m
Berlin, Germany
2017
Series B
€41m
€62m
Munich, Germany
2018
Late VC
€40m
€60.3m
Berlin, Germany
2017
Series A
€60m
€60m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series D
€40m
€60m
Düsseldorf, Germany
2018
Series B
€45.5m
€58m
Gütersloh, Germany
2018
Series A
€45.5m
€55.8m
Berlin, Germany
2015
Series A
€11.8m
€53.8m
Berlin, Germany
2014
Series B
€50m
€52.3m
Berlin, Germany
2019
Late VC
€25.2m
€50.2m
Munich, Germany
2017
Early VC
€50m
€50m
Munich, Germany
2018
Series B
€35m
€49.5m
Berlin, Germany
2019
Series A
€45.5m
€49.5m
Berlin, Germany
2014
Series B
€35m
€49m
Berlin, Germany
2021
Series A
€30.9m
€44.5m
Berlin, Germany
2015
Late VC
€9m
€43.4m
Berlin, Germany
2013
Late VC
€16m
€43.4m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series B
€27.3m
€40.9m
Munich, Germany
2017
Debt
€13.7m
€39.1m
Ludwigsburg, Germany
2018
Series B
€29m
€38.5m
Berlin, Germany
2020
Series A
€30.9m
€37.5m
Berlin, Germany
2017
Late VC
-
€37m
Berlin, Germany
2021
Series A
€29.1m
€35.5m
Berlin, Germany
2019
Series A
€30m
€35m
Munich, Germany
2019
Series A
€35m
€35m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Early VC
€14m
€34.5m
Berlin, Germany
2020
Series A
€31m
€34m
Bremen, Germany
2012
Late VC
€31.8m
€31.8m
Stuttgart, Germany
2018
Series A
€27.3m
€30.9m
Berlin, Germany
2019
Series A
€23.5m
€30.5m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series A
€30m
€30m
Munich, Germany
2020
Series A
€27.3m
€27.3m
Berlin, Germany
2018
Series A
€20.9m
€26.4m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series A
€18.2m
€24.9m
Munich, Germany
2021
Series A
€18.2m
€24.3m
Weiterstadt, Germany
2017
Late VC
-
€21.9m
Munich, Germany
2015
Series A
€20.4m
€20.4m
Potsdam, Germany
2018
Series A
€18.2m
€19.1m
Berlin, Germany
2014
Series B
€12.2m
€16.9m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series A
€4m
€16m
Berlin, Germany
2017
Series A
€9.8m
€14.7m
Karlsruhe, Germany
2017
Series A
€12m
€14.3m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series B
€35m
€14m
Berlin, Germany
2019
Series A
€11.5m
€13m
Planegg/Martinsried, Germany
2021
Seed
€12m
€12m
Berlin, Germany
2021
Seed
€90m
€11.4m
Munich, Germany
2017
Series A
€7.3m
€9.6m
Berlin, Germany
2016
Series A
€7.3m
€8.8m