The global startup ecosystem grew by 10.3% in 2026, according to StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, which ranks more than 1,500 cities and 120 countries. The biggest trend is where that growth is happening: emerging regions, mid-ranked countries and secondary cities are growing much faster than the established hubs at the top.
Middle East & Africa led all regions, Central Asia was the fastest-growing sub-region, and Uzbekistan and Riyadh posted the highest growth among countries and top-100 cities. Meanwhile, the United States widened its lead at the top, with San Francisco’s strength in artificial intelligence keeping it far ahead of every other city.
2026 Startup Ecosystem Trends at a Glance
- Growth is moving down the rankings. Countries ranked 21 to 50 grew 21.7% on average, faster than the top 10 (16.3%). Cities ranked 201 to 1,000 grew 40.0%.
- Middle East & Africa leads the regions with 20.2% growth, nearly double the global average, driven partly by Riyadh (+117.6%).
- Central Asia and the Western Balkans are new growth engines. Uzbekistan grew 227.3%, the highest rate in the Index.
- The United States extends its lead, growing 23.6%; its total score is now 3.92 times that of the United Kingdom.
- Asia Pacific’s momentum is shifting to Singapore, Taiwan, India and Southeast Asia.
- Europe grows fastest in the south and east, with Eastern Europe growing more than twice as fast as Western Europe.
- Latin America grows above the global average, at 14.9%.
- Countries are building ecosystems beyond their capitals, from Saudi Arabia to South Korea and Brazil.
Listen: StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah shares five lessons from the 2026 Index on building a stronger startup ecosystem, from fixing the business environment to promoting your ecosystem globally.
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Startup Ecosystem Growth by Region in 2026
| Region | Growth in total score |
|---|---|
| Middle East & Africa | +20.2% |
| Latin America & Caribbean | +14.9% |
| North America | +12.9% |
| Europe | +7.3% |
| Asia Pacific | +5.6% |
| Global | +10.3% |
Growth compares the sum of total scores of all ranked cities in 2026 with 2025.
Key Startup Ecosystem Trends in 2026
1. Growth Is Moving Down the Rankings
The fastest growth in 2026 sits outside the very top ecosystems. Among countries, the 21 to 50 tier grew 21.7% on average, ahead of the top 10 (16.3%) and the 11 to 20 tier (13.4%). It is the most dynamic tier in the Index, with several of the biggest climbers: Saudi Arabia rose ten places, Cyprus six and Vietnam five.
The pattern is even clearer among cities. The top 10 cities grew 2.7% on average (8.6% excluding Beijing and Shanghai). Cities ranked 101 to 200 grew 28.3%, and the 800 cities ranked 201 to 1,000 grew 40.0%, with 193 of them above 50% and 74 above 100%.
For ecosystem builders, the message is encouraging: a city or country does not need to be a global hub to grow fast and climb the rankings.
2. Middle East & Africa Leads Regional Growth
Middle East & Africa grew 20.2%, the highest of the five regions and nearly double the global average. Saudi Arabia was a big part of the story. The country rose ten places to 28th with 97.0% growth, the highest in the top 70, and became the leading GCC country. Riyadh climbed 30 places to 42nd with 117.6% growth, the fastest in the global top 100.
Smaller Gulf and MENA ecosystems are rising too: Qatar (73rd) grew 43.5%, Jordan (68th) 41.2%, Kuwait (89th) 47.9% and Oman (99th) 42.8%.
In Africa, South Africa (52nd) grew 31.3% and remains the continent’s leading ecosystem on a per capita basis. Nigeria rose four places to 62nd with 31.8% growth, and Lagos climbed six places to 70th among cities. Cape Town rose 24 places to 114th with 39.0% growth. See the full regional ranking in our Middle East and Africa startup ecosystems analysis.
3. Central Asia and the Western Balkans Become Growth Engines
Central Asia was the fastest-growing sub-region in the world, at 81.0%. Uzbekistan grew 227.3%, the highest rate in the Index, and rose 19 places to 79th. Tashkent climbed 121 places with 155.7% growth, and Almaty grew 70.1%. Nearby in the Caucasus, Georgia (66th, +5) grew 78.0%.
A group of Balkan and Eastern European ecosystems is moving up together: North Macedonia (70th, +8) grew 75.0%, Albania (75th, +8) 71.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina (88th, +3) 69.4% and Moldova (82nd, +8) 91.9%. Regions that were once less prominent in the Index now regularly produce some of its fastest-growing ecosystems.
4. The United States Extends Its Lead, Powered by AI
The United States remains the world’s leading startup ecosystem and grew 23.6% in 2026, the second-highest rate in the top 10. Its total score is now 3.92 times that of the United Kingdom. The US has 33 cities in the global top 100 and 226 in the top 1,000.
San Francisco Bay Area remains the top city, scoring about 2.7 times higher than New York, driven largely by its strength in artificial intelligence. New York grew 11.6%, the fastest among the top five cities.
Growth is broad-based beyond the coasts. Austin rose to 14th with 25.6% growth, all 11 US cities ranked 21 to 50 grew (19.2% on average), and the 22 US cities ranked 101 to 200 grew 34.4% on average. North America as a whole grew 12.9%. Read more in our North America startup ecosystems analysis.
5. Asia Pacific’s Momentum Shifts to Singapore, Taiwan, India and Southeast Asia
Singapore (4th) grew 24.4%, the highest rate in the top 10, and is now within 5% of Israel’s total score, the narrowest gap so far. Singapore City entered the top 10 cities for the first time, with 26.7% growth.
Taiwan rose five places to 20th with 41.1% growth, the highest in the top 20, and Taipei Tech Corridor climbed 15 places to 39th. South Korea (19th) grew 20.6%, and India (21st) grew 25.9%, with New Delhi holding 11th place among cities. Australia rose three places to 9th with 22.9% growth. Thailand (49th) and Vietnam (50th) both grew more than 60%.
China (15th) grew more slowly after an unusually strong 2025, and contraction in Beijing and Shanghai held Asia Pacific’s overall growth to 5.6% despite strong gains elsewhere in the region. See the full regional picture in our Asia Pacific startup ecosystems analysis.
6. Europe Grows Fastest in the South and East
Europe grew 7.3% overall, but the pace varies widely. Eastern Europe grew 13.0%, more than twice the rate of Western Europe (6.2%), led by Istanbul (+28.2%), Ankara (+69.8%), Kraków (+40.0%) and Wrocław (+28.1%).
At the country level, Spain rose to 13th with 19.3% growth, Poland (33rd) grew 29.0% and Romania rose four places to 44th with 32.9% growth. Switzerland climbed to 8th, its fourth consecutive rise. Italy and Cyprus also climbed strongly (see Ecosystems to Watch below). Explore the best startup ecosystems in Europe for the full regional ranking.
7. Latin America Grows Above the Global Average
Latin America & Caribbean grew 14.9%, with strong gains in Medellín (+31.1%), Montevideo (+30.2%), Rio de Janeiro (+19.8%) and Santiago (+17.6%). Colombia continued its multi-year rise to 35th, up from 44th in 2022, with 29.3% growth. Brazil rose to 26th with 17.7% growth and has 32 cities in the global top 1,000, more than the next two Latin American countries combined.
Panama rose eight places to 78th with 61.1% growth, and El Salvador entered the top 100 for the first time, at 80th. Read the Latin America and Caribbean startup ecosystems analysis for more.
8. Countries Are Building Ecosystems Beyond Their Capitals
Several countries are no longer relying on a single hub. Saudi Arabia now has seven cities in the global top 1,000 outside Riyadh, including Jeddah (241st), Dammam (300th) and Mecca, which grew 323.4%. South Korea has 16 cities in the top 1,000, with Daegu climbing 272 places.
Brazil has 14 cities that rose 30 or more places in the 201 to 1,000 tier. Thailand’s growth is spreading to Phuket (+85.9%) and Chiang Mai (+91.6%), and Uzbekistan’s Samarkand and Fergana entered the top 1,000 for the first time. India now has eleven cities in the global top 200.
Startup Ecosystem Country and City of the Year 2026
Each year, StartupBlink recognizes one country and one city whose startup ecosystems have transformed over the past year.
Country of the Year: Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem grew 227.3%, about thirteen times the average country growth rate (17.5%), and entered the top 80 for the first time, up from 115th in 2022. Seven new Uzbek cities entered the global rankings this year.
At the center of this growth is IT Park Uzbekistan, a government-backed technology hub founded in 2019 that has grown into a national network with branches across the country, plus offices in the United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan. Its delegations have presented Uzbek startups at more than 40 international exhibitions. Incentives include IT Park tax exemptions through 2040 and a three-year IT visa for founders and investors. The ecosystem produced its first unicorn, Uzum, valued at US$2.3 billion in March 2026.
City of the Year: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh’s ecosystem grew 117.6%, nearly twice the rate of the second-fastest city in the global top 100 and roughly ten times the top-100 average. It is now the leading startup city in the GCC and the Arab League, and the fastest-growing capital city in the G20.
Riyadh hosts the Future Investment Initiative and LEAP, giving it convening power that most cities spend decades building. Homegrown startups such as Tamara, Foodics and Ninja have scaled from the city, and Saudi Arabia ranks in the top 10 of StartupBlink’s Innovators Business Environment Index.
Startup Ecosystems to Watch
Cyprus: The EU’s Fastest-Growing Ecosystem
Cyprus rose six places to 34th with 62.7% growth, the third-highest in the top 50. It has recorded the highest growth among EU startup ecosystems for three consecutive years and has risen for four years in a row. Limassol entered the global top 200 for the first time, and Nicosia climbed 71 places with 82.8% growth.
Vietnam: Southeast Asia’s Rising Ecosystem
Vietnam rose five places to 50th with 67.9% growth. Ho Chi Minh City entered the global top 100 cities for the first time, at 98th, with 25.1% growth.
Italy: The Highest-Climbing G7 Country
Italy rose three places to 25th with 25.4% growth, entering the top 25 for the first time since 2020. Up from 31st in 2022, it is the highest-climbing G7 country in the 2026 Index.
Miami: The Fastest Riser in the Global Top 30
Miami Area rose six places to 22nd with 41.8% growth, the fastest within the global top 30, and entered the top 25 for the first time since 2020.
Medellín: Latin America’s Growth Leader
Medellín rose 15 places to 130th with 31.1% growth, the highest among Latin America’s top 10 cities.
For the fastest risers across all countries, see our list of the fastest growing countries for startups.
What's New in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026
- Ecosystem Value: a new indicator for every country and city showing the financial worth of its ecosystem, based on startup valuations and exits since 2006. Unlike the country ranking, it is not adjusted for population size.
- Business environment rank: each country profile now includes its rank in the Innovators Business Environment Index, which measures the business conditions for innovation across 125 countries.
- Most active corporations: countries that meet a corporate startup activity threshold now show their most active corporations, based on StartupBlink’s Corporate Startup Activity Index.
- Pillars and functional categories: a new analytical layer of three pillars and ten functional categories shows what kind of strength each ecosystem has, such as funding, corporate engagement or visibility, without changing the overall ranking.
Full interactive rankings for all ranked ecosystems, with filters and historical data, are available with Ecosystem Pro Research.
Strategic Lessons for Policymakers and Ecosystem Developers
1. Fix the business environment before adding programs. “The most powerful tool available to policymakers is not grants or accelerator programs, but the business environment and the building of a global startup ecosystem brand,” says StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah. Saudi Arabia shows the link: a top-10 business environment is now being matched by startup outcomes.
2. Build a global ecosystem brand. Uzbekistan’s IT Park opened offices abroad and took startups to more than 40 international exhibitions. Riyadh built its visibility through global events. Both turned national strategy into international recognition.
3. Grow beyond the capital. Several rising countries, from Saudi Arabia to South Korea and Uzbekistan, are spreading startup activity to secondary cities, which widens the base for future growth.
4. Stay consistent. The biggest climbers built momentum over several years. Saudi Arabia rose from 72nd in 2022 to 28th, Uzbekistan from 115th to 79th, Colombia from 44th to 35th, and Cyprus has risen four years in a row.
5. Measure output, not activity. Tracking how your ecosystem performs against its peers, year after year, shows which policies are working. Our startup ecosystem development guide explains how to put these lessons into practice.
Building a startup ecosystem? StartupBlink’s Ecosystem Membership gives governments and ecosystem builders the data to benchmark their city or country against its peers, track growth and promote their ecosystem to a global audience. See how your ecosystem compares.
For the full country and city rankings, see the best countries for startups and the best cities for startups, or download the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026 for profiles of the top 100 countries and their cities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest startup ecosystem trends in 2026? Growth is shifting from established hubs to emerging regions, mid-ranked countries and secondary cities. Middle East & Africa led the regions with 20.2% growth, Central Asia was the fastest-growing sub-region, and the United States widened its lead at the top.
Which country has the fastest-growing startup ecosystem in 2026? Uzbekistan, with 227.3% growth, the highest rate in StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026. It rose 19 places to 79th and was named StartupBlink’s Country of the Year.
Which city’s startup ecosystem grew fastest in 2026? Riyadh grew 117.6%, the fastest in the global top 100 cities, and rose 30 places to 42nd. It was named StartupBlink’s City of the Year.
What is the world’s top startup ecosystem in 2026? The United States is the top country, followed by the United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore and Canada. San Francisco Bay Area is the top city, followed by New York, London, Los Angeles and Boston.
