> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.therecursive.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# CEE Startup & Tech Weekly: New Croatian-Founded Unicorn
- URL: https://www.therecursive.com/cee-startup-tech-weekly-new-croatian-founded-unicorn/
- Published: 2026-10-23T14:59:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T14:59:18.000Z
- Description: The Recursive’s weekly roundup aims to cover key tech developments across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the growing impact of CEE-born founders on the global stage. Take a look at the latest news in funding, startup milestones, and emerging trends tied to the region’s innovation potential.
- Author: The Recursive
- Tags: News, Deals, CEE Weekly

## News & deals

**Croatian-American startup Daytona** has secured a $60 (€85)[ Series B funding round](https://www.therecursive.com/daytona-series-b-valuation-croatias-third-unicorn/), pushing its valuation to $1B. With this milestone, the company officially cements its status as Croatia's third unicorn as it builds the infrastructure for an impending wave of AI agents. This brings the **total amount Daytona has raised** to date to around €85M.

**Aikido Security**, the Belgian cybersecurity company that became a unicorn earlier this year, [has acquired](https://www.therecursive.com/polish-cyberly-backed-by-revolut-co-founder-acquired-by-belgian-unicorn-aikido/) **Cyberly, a Warsaw-based startup** that trains employees to recognise AI-powered attacks. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Warsaw will be one of Noon’s development hubs. All four Cyberly co-founders are staying on to build the platform, and Aikido plans to gradually grow the team in Poland.

**Mika Games**, the Cyprus gaming investment company founded by Wargaming co-founder Nick Katselapov, [raised $10M (€8.92M)](https://www.therecursive.com/wargaming-co-founders-mika-games-raises-10m-to-fund-mobile-studios-from-soft-launch-to-scale/) to help mobile studios bridge the gap between soft launch and large-scale paid marketing. The round was led by Flint Capital, with several new and existing investors.

**FRESH 32**, the Slovenian oral-care startup replacing nylon toothbrush bristles with flexible TPU, [raised €1.2M](https://www.therecursive.com/slovenias-fresh-32-raises-eur1-2m-to-challenge-nylon-toothbrush-bristles/) led by AYMO Ventures to scale production and enter the UK; a rare CEE win for a physical consumer product in a region fixated on AI and SaaS. Participating investors include Tivoli Partners, Business Angels of Slovenia and SMOK Angels CEE.

**Zowie**, a Polish company that takes AI agents for customer service into production for telecoms, insurers, banks, logistics companies and retailers, is expanding beyond its home market in CEE, starting with Romania. Funding for the new office and future CEE expansion is secured by the company revenue and prior funding rounds of $20M (€18M) in total from partners like Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI fund), Tiger Global, Alt Capital (Jack and Sam Altman), and Inovo, among others.

## Across Europe

**Pan-European Smart Networks** and **Services Joint Undertaking** (SNS JU) has awarded €22M in grant funding across five selected proposals (6G-AID, HEMES-6G, EUNICON-6G, EU-INDIA-6G-BRIDGE, and SNS IMPACT). The public-private partnership brings together European industry players, telecom operators, research organizations, universities, and SMEs to advance AI-native 6G infrastructure, multi-country large-scale experimentation platforms, and connected device ecosystems. 

The capital will fund data foundations for AI-powered networks, an 8-site EU testing platform, strategic EU-India cooperation, and a coordinated European roadmap for 6G connected devices beyond smartphones.