Transatlantic Dual-Use Unicorn Award launched to find the dual-use companies ready to strengthen security across Europe, the US and Ukraine

Washington, D.C., 29 September 2026 – DIGITALEUROPE today launched the Transatlantic Dual-Use Unicorn Award, a new competition to find and scale the most promising security and dual-use technology companies from Europe, the United States and Ukraine. The award is organised in partnership with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Ukraine House and Cerberus. 

The Transatlantic Dual-Use Unicorn Award will identify dual-use companies with the technology, ambition and transatlantic reach to strengthen security across Europe, the United States and Ukraine. It will connect them with the capital, customers and deployment partners needed to scale across civilian and defence markets.  

Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, said: 

“Europe, the United States and Ukraine have the technology. The challenge is turning it into companies that can attract serious investment, scale across borders and deploy where it is needed most. This award will connect the best dual-use innovators with the capital, customers and partners they need to become global champions.” 

Ambassador Oksana Markarova, Chair of Ukraine House and Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Reconstruction and Investments, said: 

“Ukraine has become one of the world’s most important centres of defence innovation. This award will connect Ukrainian talent with European and American capital, markets and partners, building relationships that will strengthen Ukraine now and during reconstruction.”⁠ 

Nathaniel Fick, Chief Strategy Officer for Equities and Senior Managing Director at Cerberus Capital Management, said: 

“The technologies shaping security are increasingly dual-use and commercially scalable. Cerberus is proud to support an award designed to identify exceptional companies and help them scale across the transatlantic market.”⁠ 

The award comes at a critical moment. World-class dual-use technologies are emerging across Europe, the United States and Ukraine, but investment, customers and deployment opportunities do not always connect across borders. The award will help bridge that gap. 

The first nominated candidates for the Transatlantic Dual-Use Unicorn Award will be announced over the coming month. 

A transatlantic jury 

The current jury brings together leaders from defence, investment, technology and policy, including: 

• Nathaniel Fick, Chief Strategy Officer for Equities and Senior Managing Director at Cerberus Capital Management 

• Mstyslav Banik, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine 

• Jillian Manus, Managing Partner, Shield Capital 

• Ambassador Oksana Markarova, Chair of Ukraine House and Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Reconstruction and Investments 

• Peter Weckesser, President of DIGITALEUROPE and Chief Digital Officer, Schneider Electric 

The jury will assess companies on their growth potential, transatlantic value, relevance to Ukraine and ability to deliver impact within two years. DIGITALEUROPE will manage eligibility screening, conflicts of interest and the independent selection process.⁠⁠ 

Ukraine’s defence innovation platform, Brave1, will nominate up to five Ukrainian companies for the award. 

A proven platform 

The award builds on DIGITALEUROPE’s Future Unicorn Awards programme. Since its launch in 2018, the programme has recognised around 200 companies from 29 countries, with a combined value exceeding €45 billion. Past winners include Quandela, Sateliot, Quantum Systems, Wolt, Veriff, Multiverse Computing and Swarmer.  

Recent awards have been presented by European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño and European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva.