A new season of the “Champions League of Tech” has started with the return of TECHNICAL 5 — Europe’s hottest ladder contest.
Over the next five months, TECH5 will showcase the continent’s upcoming stars. The competition culminates June 19-20, when the 2025 winners are announced on the main stage of the TNW Conference.
Applications for the tournament opened this week. Promising graduates from across the continent have been invited to submit their applications here.
A variety of prizes are at stake, from media coverage to VIP passes to the TNW Conference. However, companies must act quickly – the application window closes on February 28.
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Selected participants will join an outstanding list of TECH5 alumni. Previous winners include Starling Bank, Wise, Very good to goPicnic and Tier – and a host of other industry leaders.
A total of 588 companies are TECH5 alumni. Since entering the competition, they have experienced tremendous success. Revolut, for example, continued to become Europe’s more valuable private technology firm. Deliveroo, meanwhile, enjoyed it the largest flotation on the London Stock Exchange for a decade. Together, the TECH5 finalists have raised over €10 billion.
Arbo Robotics, a pioneer in automotive radars, is one of the many winners that has attracted major investment. Just this month, Arbo announced plans to raise a new $29 million through a stock offering — which would bring its total funding to a estimated at 251 million dollars.
Shlomit Hacohen, Arbo’s Chief Marketing Officer, credited TECH5 with accelerating the company’s growth.
“Being named in the top five companies in TNW’s TECH5 review in 2019 gave us valuable exposure in Europe and the US during the early stages of our growth,” she said.
“TNW’s TECH5 is exceptional at identifying companies with the potential for market success. Since the competition, Arbe has gone public and established itself as the leading developer of radar technology in the automotive industry.”
This year’s nominees will enter a revamped competition. Like soccer’s Champions League, the rules of the tournament have been modified to improve results.
Candidates will be evaluated according to the improved criteria. In addition to company and team growth, judges will now evaluate a new metric: the influence. The change is consistent with broader trends in the ecosystem.
TECH5 in 2025
Across the technology sector, growth alone is no longer perceived as the sole indicator of success. Companies are now increasingly judged by their impacts and solutions to big problems. This is not just wishful thinking – just look at the strategic shifts of businesses, investors and policy makers.
A mix of economic instability, environmental concerns and socially conscious consumption has fueled support for technology with real-world impacts.
Big funds are now flowing to scales that address important issues. Last year, research firm Brainy Insights evaluated that the impact investing market will grow from $3 trillion to $7.78 trillion by 2033.
Government regulations are encouraging momentum. The EU has taken a global lead in the charge, introducing new rules that drive sustainable innovation in everything from AI to EVs.
TECH5 plans to further stimulate progress. Yeni Joseph, TNW’s Head of Ecosystem Strategy and Partnershipsexpects this year’s edition to provide a powerful boost.
“For TNW, identifying and showcasing Europe’s fastest-growing and most impactful startups is at the core of our mission to drive innovation and foster connections in the tech ecosystem,” she said.
“By spotlighting these companies, we not only celebrate their success, but also create opportunities for collaboration, investment and growth that fuel the future of technology in Europe.”
The spotlight will shine in a variety of locations. For this year’s edition, TECH5 is covering the rankings in the following regions:
- Benelux: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
- Great Britain and Ireland
- Nordics: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
- DACH: Germany, Austria, 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 the world your vision? Then apply to access TECH5 via this connection.