CEE Startups Secure Major Funding in Early 2026
Ten startups from Central and Eastern Europe raised significant venture capital in early 2026, with rounds led by defence tech firm Frankenburg
Frankenburg Technologies, an Estonian defence tech startup, raised €30 million in Series A funding in February 2026. Lithuanian consumer food platform Saltz secured €20 million in Series A funding the following month.
These are two of the ten standout funding rounds from Central and Eastern Europe in the first quarter of 2026. The report highlights a focus on deep technology and specialised infrastructure.
Defence and AI Lead Major Rounds
The largest single round went to Frankenburg Technologies. Founded in 2024, the company develops missile defence and rapid response systems. Its February 2026 Series A brought total funding to approximately €35.5 million. The capital is for developing advanced defence capabilities for contested environments.
In the artificial intelligence sector, Prague-based BottleCap AI raised €6.38 million in Seed funding in January. The startup, founded in 2025, is developing efficient large language models. Warsaw's Rainbow Weather also raised €4.68 million in Seed funding that same month for its AI-powered forecasting technology.
Robotics and Manufacturing Innovation
Two robotics companies secured pre-Seed and venture funding. Budapest-based Allonic raised €6 million in February 2026. The 2025-founded startup is developing a new manufacturing platform for creating robotic bodies using 3D Tissue Braiding technology.
Estonia's Rollo Robotics raised €3.7 million in pre-Seed funding in January 2026. The company, founded in 2025, develops autonomous monowheel security robots using gyroscopic stabilisation.
Hungarian drone specialist ABZ Innovation raised €7 million in venture funding in January 2026. The 2021-founded company will use the capital to accelerate development of its drone platforms and accessories.
Funding for Digital Infrastructure and Biotech
Several rounds targeted digital infrastructure and services. Lithuanian cybersecurity firm Copla raised €6 million in Series A funding in February 2026. The company provides cybersecurity-as-a-service solutions to businesses.
Also in Vilnius, Axiology raised €5 million in Seed funding in February. The company is building regulated distributed ledger technology infrastructure for tokenised securities.
The biotech sector saw Pioneera Biosciences secure €4.5 million in Seed funding in February 2026. The Vilnius-based company, founded in 2024, is developing immune orchestration platforms to improve access to cell and gene therapies.
The report links this funding activity to the upcoming MeOut Summit in Budapest in November 2026. The event is set to bring together over 1,000 founders, investors, and corporate leaders.
