How CEE AI Startups Can Win Global Markets with Smart GTM Strategies

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is rapidly becoming a fertile ground for AI innovation. In just the past four years, more than 1,000 AI startups have launched across the region, securing over €5 billion in funding. Known for technical excellence and a highly educated workforce, these companies have proven that global impact is well within reach—even when built far from Silicon Valley or London. Adding to that the lower operational costs, it’s clear that CEE startups can offer competitive pricing and faster iteration cycles. Moreover, startups here reach revenue milestones with 40% less capital than their Western European peers, thanks to efficient operations, strong product culture, and a growing ecosystem of support. 

But perhaps the most telling sign of the region’s ambition is where these startups are going next: the UK, US, and Canada.

These mature markets are sophisticated, highly competitive, and crowded with solutions. But they’re also opportunity-rich—especially for AI-driven products that can deliver measurable value to businesses and consumers. So, how do AI startups from CEE make the leap from local traction to global relevance?

It starts with a go-to-market (GTM) strategy that’s both strategic and scrappy, informed by experience but open to adaptation. And increasingly, founders in the region are building just that.

From Local Momentum to Global Movement

The momentum in CEE is real. In 2023 alone, startups in the region’s AI space raised over €850 million, with Poland taking the lead in 2024 with a record €171 million. Also, in 2024, AI accounted for 40% of all tech funding rounds in the region —a clear signal that this is a core pillar of the region’s tech future and not just a passing trend. 

The region’s founders are increasingly outward-looking. Nearly half of all CEE scaleups (48%) have relocated outside their home countries, a strategic move designed to tap into more sophisticated markets. The US is the most popular destination, hosting 56% of relocated companies, followed by other European countries, with the UK alone attracting nearly a quarter of them.

The logic behind this relocation is clear: bigger markets, stronger commercial infrastructure, and customers more willing to experiment with AI. But success in these arenas doesn’t come automatically. It takes careful preparation, a thoughtful GTM approach, and above all, a commitment to learning fast.

The GTM Playbook 

For most early-stage startups, go-to-market is a mix of art and science. It’s not only about launching a campaign or hiring a sales team, but rather about deeply understanding the customer, the timing, the message, and the problem being solved. Here’s how we see successful CEE startups approaching it.

Start Small, Then Iterate

One of the most consistent mistakes early-stage founders make is going too big, too fast. A large campaign might feel like the right way to break into a new market—but it often leads to poor ROI and little to show for it. Instead, founders in the know take a leaner approach: launch quietly, learn quickly, adapt continuously. The goal isn’t perfection out of the gate—it’s momentum, informed by data. Also, starting small means choosing the right market. This should be too big so it’s overwhelming, nor too small, so you can’t express your full potenial. 

In our work with over 40 companies in the region, we’ve seen a clear playbook emerge: many of the most successful startups don’t leap straight into the US. Instead, they validate in markets like the UK — a mature, regulation-aligned, and culturally accessible stepping stone. For example, FintechOS and Druid AI both established commercial traction in the UK before going all-in across the Atlantic. This hybrid scaling approach reduces risk, keeps burn in check, and helps sharpen GTM execution before tackling the highest-stakes markets. Another example we’ve seen was our portfolio company Veridion. In their case, they didn’t open a US office on day one — instead, they secured early clients through strong partners, validated their offering, and only then deployed more resources for the US. That level of sequencing can make the difference between fast learning and slow failure.

Get the Context Right

Every market has its own quirks—legal, cultural, economic. What works in Warsaw might flop in London. A pitch that lands in Bucharest may not move the needle in Toronto. That’s why GTM strategy starts with empathy and data. From privacy regulations to purchasing behavior, context matters. It’s not enough to translate content or tweak a tagline. Founders need to deeply understand the world their customers live in and adapt accordingly.

This is also why many of our companies begin with strategic commercial pilots in Eastern and Western Europe, before committing to full-scale expansion. These markets allow founders to test positioning, navigate regulatory nuances, and localize messaging without the cost and complexity of the US. It’s not about hesitating — it’s about being surgical.

Solve Real Pain, Not Hypotheticals

Before scaling anything, make sure the core product actually addresses a tangible problem. Too many startups fall into the trap of promoting features instead of value. Real traction begins when the product becomes indispensable to a specific audience. For AI startups, this often means focusing on verticals like enterprise software, fintech, or healthcare, where automation and data intelligence can deliver measurable improvements.

Community as a Growth Engine

A less obvious but increasingly powerful GTM tool is the community. In the early days of a startup, users aren’t just customers—they’re collaborators. Building a space where people care about the product and the problem it solves can accelerate feedback loops, build trust, and generate advocacy.

This is especially true for founders at the pre-revenue or MVP stage. Community-led growth starts with conversation—talking to potential users, engaging with early adopters, and being genuinely curious about their needs. Over time, this group can evolve into a passionate core of advocates who shape the product and spread the word.

We’ve seen this dynamic unfold with early-stage teams that build public waitlists, engage power users via Discord, or launch private betas with ICP-aligned users. Often, this community becomes the bedrock for a startup’s GTM motion — surfacing use cases, objections, and even early champions. It’s what we call “GTM in dialogue, not in broadcast.”

Proximity and Presence: Why Hybrid Models Work

Many of the region’s leading startups are now running dual setups: a commercial office in their target market, with R&D and operations still anchored in CEE. This hybrid structure offers the best of both worlds—local presence where it matters commercially, and operational efficiency where the team is strongest.

This model also allows for faster iteration. Teams in CEE can move quickly without the overhead of Western costs, while local market offices help with everything from sales conversations to partnerships and compliance.

It’s a structure that can be effective, but keep in mind that it also comes with a down side: working across several time zones can be exhausting. Be prepared for this and find your flow. 

The Metrics That Matter

Of course, none of this works without measurement. The most successful GTM strategies are grounded in data. But not just any data—founders need to track real signals of progress, from click-through rates to user activation and retention. Avoiding vanity metrics is key. What matters is whether the company is moving toward product-market fit, whether the messaging resonates, and whether the growth is repeatable.

In practice, we often see early-stage teams focus on surface-level indicators like website visits, social media followers, or app downloads—vanity metrics that rarely correlate with real traction. Instead, what truly matters is whether users are activating, returning, and converting. Clear signs of product-market fit include consistent usage from ICPs, referrals without paid prompts, and feedback that shifts from curiosity to dependency—when users start saying, “We can’t imagine working without this.”

Equally important is the repeatability of growth. If every new deal requires founder’s involvement or one-off discounts, it’s not scale—it’s survival. Instead, successful GTM motions rely on consistent acquisition channels, predictable conversion cycles, and defined sales processes. Ideally, 30–40% of new users should come from referrals or reliable, testable campaigns.

And finally, the quality of revenue matters as much as the quantity. Strong MRR means low churn (ideally under 5% monthly), increasing customer spend over time (NRR above 100%), and minimal reliance on a few large clients. When upgrades drive growth more than new signups or discounts, you know you’re building something durable.

These are the patterns we look for across our portfolio—and they often separate those ready to scale from those still finding their fit.

The Road Ahead

It’s a fact that CEE’s AI startups are building world-class products, competing in the most advanced markets, and doing it with a mindset rooted in resilience and adaptability. What they may lack in early brand recognition, they make up for in speed, creativity, and cost-effective execution.

Some of our fastest-scaling companies — like Veridion — proved that you can break into the US early, but only with the right product-market fit and cultural alignment. Their experience showed us that you don’t need to relocate to succeed globally. Strategic travel, strong channel partnerships, and customer obsession can make a Romania-based HQ into a global operating center.

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but the path is becoming clearer: Start small. Learn fast. Understand the market deeply. Build community. Solve real problems. And stay close to your early users.

For founders with global ambition, the message is simple: the leap from CEE to the world stage isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s happening—and the playbook is already being written.