Belgian cybersecurity unicorn Aikido Security tops latest Sifted ranking
Belgian cybersecurity unicorn Aikido Security tops latest Sifted ranking
https://sifted.eu/articles/belgian-cybersecurity-unicorn-aikido-security-tops-ranking
Publish Date: 2026-06-10 00:03:00
Source Domain: sifted.eu
Aikido Security, a Ghent-based security software developer, tops the third Sifted 100: France and Benelux Leaderboard — an annual ranking of the 100 fastest-growing companies in the region, in partnership with AI infrastructure company Nebius.
In second place is Paris-based Mister IA, which provides AI training for companies.
Third is Paris-based Inbolt, which provides software to enhance industrial robots that build cars and electronics.
The leaderboard ranks 100 companies with the strongest revenue growth over the past three financial years, calculated using a two-year revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Cofounded by Willem Delbare, Madeline Lawrence, Felix Garriau and Roeland Delrue in 2022, Aikido notched a 947.14% two-year revenue CAGR between 2023 and 2025.
As a Belgian cybersecurity company, standing out requires effort. “The biggest cyber firms typically come from the US or Tel Aviv,” says Delrue, the COO. “So we had our work cut out for us. There was a lot of reputation-building needed.”
The secret, Delrue says, is to keep things very simple. “We made it very easy for anyone who wanted to buy the product. Pricing was online, help docs were online,” he says. “Usually that information is nowhere to be found: you have to do maybe six sales calls before you get a demo.”
Martin Pavanello, cofounder and CEO of Mister IA, leads his company to a 558.28% CAGR; Inbolt, led by Rudy Cohen, hits a 508.28% two-year CAGR.
Paris, B2B triumphs
For the third year in a row, Paris remains the dominant hub with 64 startups — 5% more than last year. Amsterdam is home to eight and Antwerp and Brussels each host three.
B2B software is, once again, the top-performing vertical with 37 companies. Healthtech saw the biggest downturn, with only four companies, down from seven in 2025 and 10 in 2024.
Twenty-one of the companies on the ranking are AI-native, up from five last year.
Fifteen companies in the top 100 have already raised funding in 2026. Of those,…
