Every January, millions take on Dry January, a ritual of restraint and resetting after the holiday season. If that’s the benchmark for kicking off the year with moderation, Europe’s startup ecosystem clearly didn’t get the memo.  In the opening weeks of 2026, the region saw five startups join the unicorn club, crossing the $1 billion valuation mark across sectors as varied as cybersecurity, cloud optimisation, defence tech, ESG software, and education technology.  January was anything but dry for European companies. This burst of activity signals more than a funding spike; it invites a deeper look at what Europe’s innovation identity…

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