Europe's top VCs pick out 19 hot startups that are challenging the status quo

Darktrace

Poppy Gustafsson, co-CEO of Darktrace.

• Innovation is essential to getting ahead in the competitive world of tech, be it getting the best talent, finding new ways of doing things, or taking unexpected decisions to stay on top of the pack.
• VCs spend much of their time working with companies promising the next big thing which makes standing out increasingly tricky.
• Here are the startups which have grabbed the attention of VCs the most in Europe this year.
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European tech has had a bumper year - seeing a record $5.3 billion investment from US venture capitalists into the region, amid $12.1 billion in overall investment in the first seven months of 2019, per Dealroom figures.

It's set to continue for the rest of 2019 as funds look to find startup gems at lower valuations than their counterparts in the US.

Business Insider asked VCs in Europe and the US which startups have been the most innovative in 2019, most of which come from within funds' own portfolios. Many have had big growth fundraisings in 2019 as they continue to expand. In no particular order, here are the 19 startups:

Read more: US investors have plowed a record $5.3 billion into European startups this year, and it's a sign they're getting priced out of Silicon Valley