The second quarter in startup tax statistics is usually distinctive: by mid-June, companies declare and pay the annual corporate income tax.
Therefore, it is appropriate to compare the results of this period with the same quarter of the previous year, rather than with the first quarter of this year.
“The business model of Lithuanian startups is unique in that the majority of their revenue is earned in international markets, and these funds in Lithuania turn into wages, taxes, and investments in further development. The significantly increased amount of taxes paid to the budget shows that the economic value created by the sector for Lithuania is rapidly growing,” says Gintarė Verbickaitė, head of the association “Unicorns Lithuania.”
The record quarterly result was driven by consistent growth across the entire ecosystem.
Comparing the data of the second quarters of 2025 and 2026 and subtracting the taxes paid by “Revolut” and “Binance,” which has almost exited the country, the amount paid by the remaining startups increased by about 28%. “Revolut” significantly contributed to the overall result: the fintech group paid 56.6 million euros, or nearly a quarter of all sector taxes.
At least 33 startups paid over 1 million euros in taxes per quarter, compared to 24 a year ago. Additionally, 16 of the 100 largest sector taxpayers have already paid more in the first half of this year than in all of 2025. One of the most notable examples is “Orbio World”: in six months of this year, the company paid 6.6 million euros and has already exceeded last year’s result of 4.4 million euros.
TOP 5 startups that paid the most taxes (Q2 2026):
- “Revolut” – 56.6 million euros (+277% compared to Q2 2025)
- “Vinted” – 22.7 million euros (+101%)
- “Nord Security” – 9.1 million euros (+26%)
- “Oxylabs” – 7.3 million euros (+153%)
- “Baltic Classifieds Group” – 6.4 million euros (+24%)
The record tax payment results reflect not only the successful operation of technology companies but also the long-term productivity growth of the entire sector.
“Over the past five years, the turnover per employee in Lithuanian startups has more than doubled – from 117 thousand to 237 thousand euros. In other sectors, this indicator grew much more slowly, from 73 thousand to 105 thousand euros. For Lithuania, which has a limited talent supply, the ability of startups to grow revenue without proportionally increasing teams is especially important,” emphasizes G. Verbickaitė.
The average salary in startups reached 4.7 thousand euros
The average salary in Lithuanian startups in the second quarter of 2026 was 4.7 thousand euros per month before taxes and remains almost twice the national average. Data from the past few quarters show that the average wage in the sector has stabilized in the range of 4.6 – 4.8 thousand euros.
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“Having reached a high salary level, it is natural that technology companies compete for talent by other means as well, not just wages: stock options, more flexible working conditions, a strong internal culture, and the opportunity to work on technologically complex projects,” states G. Verbickaitė.
Currently, 19.6 thousand people work in Lithuanian startups, about 1% more than in the same period last year. The most employees in Lithuania are hired by “Vinted” (1894), “Nord Security” (1172), and “Wargaming” (668). The largest contribution to the overall employee growth was made by “Vinted,” which increased its team in Lithuania by 332 people, or 21%, over the year.
Defense technology and AI startups continue to grow
Compared to the second quarter of 2025, the amount of taxes paid grew in almost all startup industries monitored by “Unicorns Lithuania.” Defense technology companies grew the fastest: their taxes paid increased by 264% over the year, and the number of employees by 37%. In the first quarter of this year, taxes in this industry also grew the fastest – 91% compared to the same period in 2025. “Brolis Defence Group” paid 1.8 million euros in taxes in Q2 2026 and exceeded the one million euro per quarter threshold for the first time.
Taxes paid by space technology companies grew by 105% over the year, and the number of employees by 26%. The largest taxpayer in this industry was “Kongsberg NanoAvionics.” Taxes in the advanced manufacturing and industrial technology segment increased by 78%, and the number of employees by 15%.
“The fact that we have recorded growth in defense technologies for the second consecutive quarter allows us to talk about a forming trend rather than a one-quarter jump. Along with the growth of the space and industrial technology segments, companies requiring engineering, manufacturing, and software competencies for their development are strengthening in the Lithuanian startup ecosystem,” says G. Verbickaitė.
It is also worth mentioning two rapidly growing artificial intelligence startups. “nexos.ai” increased the amount of taxes paid by 11 times over the year and doubled its team to 84 employees. “Sintra” nearly tripled the amount of taxes paid, and the number of employees grew more than twice – to 45. This shows that new AI businesses in Lithuania are already creating jobs and increasing contributions to the national budget.
According to “Unicorns Lithuania” data, more than 1.1 thousand startups and technology companies grown from them are currently actively operating in Lithuania.
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