About Auto sector in Europe
The Auto sector in Europe comprises 23K companies, including 1.98K funded companies having collectively raised $71.8B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 1.82K are Series A+ funded, and 8 have achieved unicorn status.
Auto sector in Europe has seen 1.42K acquisitions and 247 IPOs. This represents almost 7.2% of all such companies - which is higher than the 5.4% exit rate of tech companies in general.
Top Auto Companies in Europe
There are 22,953 Auto startups in Europe which include Marshmallow, RAC, Cazoo, KION Group, BMW Group. Out of these, 1,983 startups are funded, with 1,819 having secured Series A+ funding, and 8 achieving unicorn status.
Over the past 10 years, an average of 581 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and INSEAD.
Here is the list of top Auto startups in Europe
1. Marshmallow
App-based auto insurance platform for individuals. It offers a car insurance policy including car damage, accident coverage, windscreen damage, fire & theft protection, and more. It also offers claim assistance solutions. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms.
Key facts about Marshmallow
- Founded Year: 2017
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $206M
- Investors: Investec, Portage and 52 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Apr 15, 2025, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 79/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 115 Competitors
2. RAC
Online platform offering part and accessories for vehicles. It platform offers various products such as batteries, mats, motorcycle parts, maintenance, cleaning tools, chargers, boosters, car security products, electric vehicle parts, and more. Users can buy products by providing payment details, user details, and more.
Key facts about RAC
- Founded Year: 1897
- Location: Walsall (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $20.4M
- Investors: Silver Lake, Rothschild & Co and 2 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Conventional Debt, Nov 09, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 77/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 1,020 Competitors
3. Cazoo
Online dealer of second-hand cars. Their platform enables buyers to search for cars and view their specifications, photos, service history, price, and more. Buyers can purchase the car via the platform, as well as, have the cars delivered to their location. Their platform also provides car financing and servicing.
Key facts about Cazoo
- Founded Year: 2018
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $563M
- Investors: General Catalyst, Stride.vc and 35 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Feb 10, 2022, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 75/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 497 Competitors
4. KION Group
The KION Group sells forklift trucks, warehouse equipment and technology, and associated services from its seven brand companies around the world. Its Linde and STILL brands serve the premium segment worldwide, while Baoli focuses on the economy segment, Fenwick is the material-handling market leader in France, OM is a market leader in Italy while Voltas is one of the two market leaders in India and Egemin Automation is a leading Belgian logistics automation specialist. In 2022, the company recorded annual revenues of $11.63B and a net profit of $0.09B.
Key facts about KION Group
- Founded Year: 2006
- Location: Germany
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $587M
- Investors: Weichai Power, European Union and 1 Other
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, May 22, 2017, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 75/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 34 Competitors
5. BMW Group
BMW Group is an automotive manufacturing company with products across categories such as cars and motorcycles. It has its own brand such as BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. It has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2022, the company recorded annual revenues of $154.25B and a net profit of $11.67B.
Key facts about BMW Group
Companies founded year-on-year in the Auto sector in Europe
889 Auto startups in Europe were founded in 2018 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2025 | 8 |
2024 | 136 |
2023 | 457 |
2022 | 449 |
2021 | 699 |
2020 | 873 |
2019 | 852 |
2018 | 889 |
2017 | 773 |
2016 | 680 |
Stage-wise distribution of Auto sector companies in Europe
Out of the total 22,953 Auto companies in Europe, 1,983 have secured funding. Among them, 1,819 have reached Series A or higher, and 1,742 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 22,953
Funded - 1,983
Series A+ - 1,819
Series B+ - 1,742
Series C+ - 1,723
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 22,953 |
Funded | 1,983 |
Series A+ | 1,819 |
Series B+ | 1,742 |
Series C+ | 1,723 |
Let us walk you through our Sectors and other offerings
Designed with precision for VCs, PE, IBs, Incubators, M&A, Innovation more
Designed with precision for VCs, PE, IBs, Incubators, M&A, Innovation more
Funding Trends in the Auto sector in Europe
Total funding year-on-year in the Auto sector in Europe
The Auto sector in Europe saw a total funding of more than $57.7B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2018 at more than $14.9B.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2025 | $818M |
2024 | $7.97B |
2023 | $5.37B |
2022 | $3.18B |
2021 | $6.47B |
2020 | $4.97B |
2019 | $6.76B |
2018 | $14.9B |
2017 | $4.48B |
Recent Funding Rounds in Auto in Europe
In the year 2025, till May 2025, Auto companies in Europe have raised $114M in equity funding across 12 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till May 2024), Auto companies in Europe had raised $430M across 21 rounds.
So, 2025 has seen a 73.55% drop in funding in Auto companies in Europe as compared to 2024.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Auto companies in Europe:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | 4833 | May 27, 2025 | ||
Seed | 4055 | May 15, 2025 | ||
Series A | 9931 | May 06, 2025 | ||
Seed | 5735 | Apr 24, 2025 | - | |
Series C | 3564 | Apr 15, 2025 |
Top Investors in Auto in Europe
European Union is the top investor in Auto companies in Europe based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Auto companies in Europe:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Brussels (Belgium) | ||
Bratislava (Slovakia) | ||
Paris (France) | ||
Brussels (Belgium) |
M&A activity in Auto sector in Europe
In the year 2025, till June 2025, 54 acquisitions happened in Auto sector in Europe. Last year, in 2024, a total of 149 acquisitions happened in Auto sector in Europe.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Auto sector in Europe:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Jun 25, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jun 25, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jun 12, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jun 11, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jun 10, 2025 |
Acquisition trends in Auto sector in Europe
Here are the acquisition trends in Auto sector in Europe:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2025 | 54 |
2024 | 149 |
2023 | 151 |
2022 | 157 |
2021 | 147 |
2020 | 90 |
2019 | 118 |
2018 | 140 |
2017 | 101 |
2016 | 95 |
IPOs in Auto in Europe
In the year 2024, till October 2024, 2 IPOs happened in Auto sector in Europe.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Auto sector in Europe:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Oct 30, 2024 | Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA) | |
Oct 16, 2024 | Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA) | |
Nov 22, 2023 | Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) | |
Jun 09, 2023 | Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA) | |
Apr 20, 2023 | London Stock Exchange (LSE) |
Colleges which produce the most Auto companies in Europe
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Auto in Europe
Most number of Auto startups in Europe have been founded by alumni from University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and INSEAD.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
University of Cambridge | 12 |
University of Oxford | 7 |
INSEAD | 6 |
Harvard University | 5 |
Harvard Business School | 4 |
Imperial College London | 4 |
University College London | 4 |
University of Warwick | 4 |
Bocconi University | 2 |
Columbia University | 2 |
Total funding in Auto companies founded by alumni from top colleges in Europe
In the last 10 years, University College London graduates' Auto companies in Europe have raised the most funding among top colleges. University of Oxford alumni are second, and Harvard University alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
University College London | $1.47B |
University of Oxford | $687M |
Harvard University | $641M |
Harvard Business School | $621M |
London School of Economics and Political Science | $323M |
Carnegie Mellon University | $136M |
INSEAD | $92.5M |
University of Cambridge | $87.7M |
London Business School (LBS) | $79.5M |
University of Pennsylvania | $79.5M |
Top News in Auto in Europe
•
Digital Pitstops Boost F1 Driver Safety via Simulation, TeamViewerDataquest•Jul 11, 2025•Mercedes-AMG, TeamViewer
•
Verra Mobility and Sixt partner to offer electronic toll payment solution in ItalyPR Newswire•Jul 10, 2025•Verra Mobility, Sixt
•
•
•
•
McLaren's Circularity Platform Transforms F1 SustainabilityTechnologymagazine•Jul 10, 2025•McLaren, Deloitte
•
•
Auto Trader Launches Dealer ‘Highly Rated’ Programme for 2025Motor Trader•Jul 10, 2025•Autotrader, Vertu Motors
•
Norton Motorcycles Losses Pass £100M After Rescue as Global Expansion EyedCity A.M.•Jul 09, 2025•Norton Motorcycles
•
