Vilnius is a credible base for early-stage technology companies, particularly in business software, fintech, cybersecurity, health tech and cloud infrastructure. StartupBlink ranks the city 66th globally in 2026, while Lithuania’s national startup facilitator reports renewed venture investment and a €16.4 billion national ecosystem value.
For an international founder, the decision usually turns on 4 questions: whether the local sector base fits the product, whether seed capital is accessible, whether the immigration route matches the founder’s situation, and whether the company structure will support future investment.
Is Vilnius a good place to launch a startup in 2026?
The Vilnius startup ecosystem combines a growing founder base, active seed funds, a large regulated fintech sector and a dedicated temporary residence route for approved non-EU startup founders. The city is strongest for companies that can build globally from a compact EU base and access later-stage capital outside Lithuania when needed.
Vilnius startup ecosystem at a glance
The StartupBlink 2026 index ranks Vilnius 66th globally. Its current city profile records 615 startups, more than $244 million in accumulated funding and 19.7% annual growth in the ecosystem score.
A separate Startup Lithuania review of 2025 reports that Lithuanian startups raised €220 million during 2025 and that the national ecosystem reached €16.4 billion in value. Vilnius remained the fastest-growing city in Central and Eastern Europe by startup-created value and ranked 3rd among regional capitals for venture capital attracted during the year.
| Indicator | Current figure | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Global city rank | #66 | StartupBlink 2026 city ranking |
| Tracked startups | 615 | StartupBlink database count; methodology differs from official company registers |
| Accumulated funding | $244.49M+ | Funding recorded for startups in StartupBlink’s city dataset |
| Annual ecosystem growth | +19.7% | Change in StartupBlink’s composite ecosystem score |
| Lithuanian VC in 2025 | €220M | National venture capital invested during 2025 |
| National ecosystem value | €16.4B | Combined value reported through Startup Lithuania and Dealroom |
These figures use different methodologies. Startup counts, annual investment and company value should be compared within the same database and reporting period.
Which sectors lead in Vilnius?
Business software and health tech attracted the largest amounts of Lithuanian venture capital in 2025. Fintech remains the country’s best-known regulated technology cluster, while cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and deep tech add breadth to the founder base.
Business software and cloud infrastructure
Business software received €160 million of Lithuanian venture investment in 2025. CAST AI’s large Series C round accounted for much of that total and gave the ecosystem a current example of a company reaching later-stage international financing.
Health tech and biotechnology
Health tech attracted €34.7 million in 2025. Vilnius benefits from university research, life-science facilities and public funding programmes, although product approval and clinical development timelines remain longer than in ordinary software.
Fintech and payments
Lithuania has a large electronic money and payment institution sector supervised by the Bank of Lithuania. Founders considering regulated financial services should treat licensing, safeguarding, governance and anti-money-laundering controls as core operating requirements from the first planning stage.
The Bank of Lithuania’s 2025/Q4 sector review provides the current official view of financial performance, supervision and regulatory developments in the EMI and payment institution market.
Cybersecurity
Nord Security and other Vilnius-based security companies have created a deep pool of engineering, product and commercial talent. Lithuania also placed strongly in recent cybersecurity rankings, giving founders access to specialist employees and regional customers.
Deep tech and defence
Energy, robotics and defence companies have gained more policy attention and grant support across the Baltic region. These companies often need longer research cycles, public-sector procurement knowledge and stronger intellectual-property planning than a conventional SaaS startup.
Notable startups and scaleups associated with Vilnius
Vilnius has produced several companies that reached billion-dollar private valuations, public-market value or major exits. Each source should define whether its count includes current private valuations, listed companies, acquisitions and earlier exits.
| Company | Sector | Why founders watch it |
|---|---|---|
| Vinted | Consumer marketplace | Founded in Vilnius and valued at €8B in a 2026 secondary transaction |
| Nord Security | Cybersecurity | Built a global security product group from Vilnius |
| CAST AI | Cloud infrastructure | Raised a major Series C round and joined Lithuania’s unicorn group |
| Baltic Classifieds Group | Online marketplaces | A large Baltic technology company with public-market visibility |
| TransferGo | Payments | A cross-border payments company with Lithuanian roots and international operations |
Funding and venture capital in Vilnius
Vilnius has a workable pre-seed and seed funding base. Larger Series B and growth rounds usually involve international investors, often alongside a Lithuanian or Baltic fund that supported the company earlier.
| Investor or route | Typical role | Founder fit |
|---|---|---|
| FIRSTPICK | Pre-seed and early-stage investment | Teams validating a technology product and first market |
| Practica Capital | Seed and early-stage venture capital | Baltic companies preparing for international expansion |
| Iron Wolf Capital | Seed investment | Technology companies with regional or global market plans |
| Coinvest Capital | Public co-investment with private investors | Companies that meet the fund’s co-investment conditions |
| Regional and international funds | Later seed through growth capital | Companies with proven traction and a larger funding requirement |
Fund mandates, cheque sizes and open programmes change. Founders should confirm the current investment thesis directly before treating any fund as a fit.
Accelerators, founder support and workspaces
Startup Lithuania is the national ecosystem facilitator. Its active resources include a pre-accelerator, funding information, open calls and founder events. Programme availability changes by cohort, so application dates should be checked on the organiser’s current pages.
- Startup Guide pre-accelerator: a free early-stage course for founders shaping a product, customer problem and first commercial plan.
- ICT Accelerator: a Startup Lithuania programme for early-stage ICT companies seeking mentorship, market access and investor preparation.
- EPIC-X: an EU-backed accelerator for women-led deep-tech startups in eligible countries.
- Startup Wise Guys: a regional accelerator and fund with programmes across B2B software, fintech, cybersecurity and other sectors.
- Founder hubs: Rockit, Vilnius Tech Park and Tech Zity host events, offices and community programmes in the city.
The Startup Lithuania Accelerator powered by Plug and Play completed its 2-year programme in February 2026. It should be described as a completed initiative unless a new cohort is announced.
Talent and day-to-day operating conditions
Vilnius gives technology companies access to Lithuanian engineering, product, compliance and commercial talent within one compact labour market. English is widely used inside international technology teams, although employment documents, payroll and public filings still need to follow Lithuanian requirements.
Hiring
Local hiring works well for software development, product management, customer support, finance and compliance. Specialist roles in life sciences, cybersecurity and regulated finance can take longer to fill, so founders should build recruitment time into the launch plan.
Employment and contractor planning
A founder should decide early which people will be employees, contractors or company officers. Lithuanian employment, payroll and social-insurance rules apply according to the real working relationship, and cross-border remote teams can create tax or permanent-establishment questions in more than one country.
Office and community access
Early teams can begin in a coworking hub and move into dedicated premises after headcount becomes predictable. Founder events, investor office hours and sector meetups are concentrated in Vilnius, which keeps introductions and follow-up meetings close together. International founders comparing Lithuania with other EU bases can also read Lawhill’s guide to starting a business in Europe as a foreigner.
Vilnius vs Tallinn startup ecosystem
Tallinn currently ranks above Vilnius in StartupBlink’s city index and has a longer list of widely known exits. Vilnius has a larger domestic population, a strong regulated fintech base and a growing business-software and health-tech funding profile.
| Factor | Vilnius | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| StartupBlink 2026 rank | #66 | #53 |
| Current city strength | Business software, fintech, cybersecurity, health tech | Software, mobility, fintech, cybersecurity |
| Founder immigration route | Startup Visa Lithuania and temporary residence permit | Estonian startup visa and residence routes |
| Remote company setup | Possible when signature, representation and document conditions are met | Strong international recognition through e-Residency |
| Later-stage capital | Usually combines Baltic and international investors | Usually combines Estonian, Nordic and international investors |
Founders should choose based on sector fit, investors, team location and regulatory needs. A company’s legal seat should also match its real management, tax and compliance position.
How Startup Visa Lithuania works
Startup Visa Lithuania is an entry route for approved non-EU founders who plan to develop a technology or innovation-led business in Lithuania. Approval from the programme allows the founder to apply for a temporary residence permit under the startup route.
The current process is set out in the official Startup Visa Lithuania guide. Company registration follows the programme evaluation and residence-permit application under the current process.
Process
- Submit the startup for programme evaluation and provide the requested information about the product, founders, market and growth potential.
- Receive Startup Visa Lithuania approval.
- Apply for a temporary residence permit through MIGRIS. Applicants abroad submit documents and biometric data through the designated external service provider for their country.
- Complete any document legalisation, apostille, translation and insurance requirements that apply to the applicant’s case.
- Establish the Lithuanian company within 120 days and notify the Startup Visa Lithuania team within 3 working days after registration.
Because immigration, company formation and document requirements are closely connected, many founders benefit from coordinating these steps from the outset. Lawhill assists international entrepreneurs with the legal aspects of establishing a Lithuanian business.
Processing time and fees
The official guide lists a 1-month general decision period and a 15-day urgent procedure for the temporary residence permit. Delivery time through an external service provider is additional. The guide lists state fees of €160 for the general procedure and €320 for the urgent procedure, plus a country-specific service fee when applying abroad.
Documents
The exact document set depends on the applicant and country of submission. Common items include a valid passport, programme approval, proof of funds, health insurance and a certificate concerning criminal convictions. Government-issued documents may need an apostille or legalisation, and documents outside Lithuanian or English may require certified translation.
Registering a startup company in Lithuania
A UAB, Lithuania’s private limited liability company, is the usual structure for a venture-backed startup because ownership is represented by shares. An MB can suit a smaller founder-owned business, but it has no shares and is less familiar to institutional investors. Lawhill’s guide to company types in Lithuania compares the UAB, MB and other available forms in more detail.
| Feature | UAB | MB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum starting capital | €1,000 | No statutory starting capital |
| Ownership | Shares | Members’ rights |
| Use for venture investment | Common structure | Usually less suitable |
| Legal address | Required | Required |
| Remote establishment | Possible when required signatures and documents are available | Possible when required signatures and documents are available |
For most venture-backed startups, the UAB is the clearest fit because it supports share ownership, investment rounds and formal governance. Lawhill’s UAB in Lithuania guide covers share capital, formation documents and ongoing governance.
Every Lithuanian company needs a registered address. Founders who do not yet maintain their own premises in Lithuania must arrange valid address consent and a reliable way to receive official correspondence.
Corporate income tax in 2026
The State Tax Inspectorate’s 2026 guidance sets the standard corporate income tax rate at 17% and the reduced rate at 7% for qualifying small entities. The 7% rate generally requires annual income of no more than €300,000 and compliance with related-entity rules. A 0% rate may apply during the first 2 tax periods when all statutory conditions are met. Lawhill’s guide to starting a business in Lithuania places these tax rules within the wider registration and compliance process.
Founders who need an existing entity may consider a ready-made company. Any existing bank account remains subject to the provider’s onboarding, ownership-change and compliance decisions, so banking access should never be treated as guaranteed.
When Vilnius is a good fit for a founder
Vilnius is a strong candidate when the company fits one of the city’s current technology clusters, can use an EU legal base and expects to raise early capital locally before approaching a wider European or US investor group.
- Sector fit: business software, cloud infrastructure, fintech, cybersecurity, health tech and selected deep-tech fields have the clearest local networks.
- Capital plan: seed funding is available, while larger rounds often require international investors.
- Immigration plan: non-EU founders should sequence programme approval, the temporary residence permit and company establishment correctly.
- Compliance plan: fintech, health tech and defence companies need specialist regulatory work earlier than ordinary software companies.
Conclusion
Vilnius has enough founder density, seed capital and specialist support to function as a serious European startup base. Its strongest current signals come from business software investment, a large fintech sector, cybersecurity talent and a founder immigration route with a defined legal process.
The best results come from matching the company structure, immigration sequence and funding plan before the founder commits to a timeline.
Founders considering Vilnius as their European base should align their company structure, immigration route and tax position early. Lawhill helps startups navigate the legal and practical steps of establishing and scaling a business in Lithuania.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vilnius a good city for startups?
Yes, especially for founders in business software, fintech, cybersecurity, health tech and cloud infrastructure. StartupBlink ranks Vilnius 66th globally in 2026, and Lithuania reported €220 million in venture investment during 2025.
How many startups are in Vilnius?
StartupBlink currently tracks 615 startups in Vilnius. This database count can differ from official registers and other ecosystem datasets because each source uses its own inclusion rules.
How many unicorns has Vilnius produced?
The answer depends on whether the source counts current private unicorns, public companies and billion-dollar exits. Vinted, Nord Security, CAST AI and Baltic Classifieds Group are commonly included in broader Vilnius billion-dollar company lists.
What are the strongest startup sectors in Vilnius?
Business software attracted the largest amount of Lithuanian venture investment in 2025. Health tech, fintech, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and deep tech also have active founder and investor networks.
Do I need a company before applying through Startup Visa Lithuania?
No. The current programme process allows an approved founder to apply for a temporary residence permit and then establish the Lithuanian company within 120 days. The founder must notify the programme team after registration.
What is the minimum capital for a UAB?
The minimum initial contribution for a Lithuanian UAB is €1,000. The company also needs a registered legal address and the required establishment documents.
Can a foreign founder register a Lithuanian company remotely?
Remote formation is possible when the founder can meet the electronic-signature, representation, identification and document requirements. Foreign documents may need an apostille, legalisation or certified translation.
How does Vilnius compare with Tallinn?
Tallinn ranks higher in StartupBlink’s current city index and has a longer record of well-known exits. Vilnius has a large fintech regulatory base and strong recent investment in business software and health tech. Sector fit and the founder’s legal needs should drive the decision.
