Romania

Romania is one of Europe's most underrated tech countries. UiPath, the automation company that reached the New York Stock Exchange, started in Bucharest. Bitdefender protects hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, and Cluj and Iași have grown into serious engineering hubs on the back of fast broadband and strong technical universities.

Industry holds its own. Dacia builds some of Europe's best-selling affordable cars, Hidroelectrica powers the grid, Banca Transilvania and eMAG dominate finance and retail at home, and Borsec water and Meze Audio headphones carry the flag abroad.