What pre-money valuation do founders in CEE ask for?
A median of €3.2 million at pre-seed and €5 million at seed. That is the pre-money valuation CEE founders asked for when they applied to BADideas in 2025 and 2026 so far and stated one. Half of those raising pre-seed asked for between €1.8 million and €5 million.
The figures
| Pre-money valuation asked, CEE, 2025 to 2026 (to date) | Bottom quarter up to | Median | Top quarter from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-seed | €1.8 million | €3.2 million | €5 million |
| Seed | €2.2 million | €5 million | €8.5 million |
In BADideas application data, about one in five founders who state a pre-seed valuation ask for €6 million or more. A valuation that high needs traction or a team that sets you apart.
What is changing
| CEE founders raising pre-seed | 2025 | 2026 (to date) |
|---|---|---|
| Median pre-money asked | €4 million | €2.8 million |
Few founders state a valuation, so the figures pool 2025 and 2026 and are not shown by quarter.
What it means for you
- Anchor on the median, then argue up. A valuation near €3.2 million needs little defence; one at €6 million needs evidence.
- Say what justifies it. Revenue, growth or a founder who has built before are what investors accept as reasons.
- Remember it is an ask. These are what founders asked for, not what they closed.
- Compare like with like. A valuation with revenue behind it is not comparable to one without.
Also answers
What is a typical seed valuation in CEE?
A median pre-money of €5 million among CEE founders raising seed who stated one.
How much does the valuation rise between pre-seed and seed?
About 1.6 times at the median pre-money, from €3.2 million to €5 million, while the median round grows from €400,000 to €1 million. The round grows faster than the valuation, so seed rounds sell a larger share.
Is a €6M pre-money normal at pre-seed?
It is at the top end: 20% of CEE founders raising pre-seed who stated a valuation asked for €6 million or more.
Did pre-seed valuations in CEE change in 2026?
The median ask was €4 million in 2025 and €2.8 million in 2026 so far. Few founders state a valuation, so treat the change with caution.
How we measured it
- Source: applications founders sent to BADideas, enriched with publicly available information where applicable.
- Limits: these are CEE only and early-stage companies.
- On this page: The valuation is the pre-money the founder asked for. Few founders state a valuation, so the figures pool two years and are not broken down by country.
- Updated: 27 September 2026.
BADideas.fund, "What pre-money valuation do founders in CEE ask for?", updated 27 September 2026. https://badideas.fund/answers/pre-seed-valuation-cee
Read next
- What valuation cap do founders in CEE ask for at pre-seed?
- How many startups raising in CEE are pre-revenue?
- How much equity do founders in CEE sell at pre-seed and seed?
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