The Best Startup Cities in South America<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-SAmNhrE8YgQd24ro76kbSjh8ObX-Ml2WbDsf6eDgReyOuz2tN6UQcMcDKm8eJRMn5pGdPVfIjS4UupISVnX9NDfVfArSlXlds1VF_L4JURWS8KH_zCSrsaaoC9cLHJUQsRRn38E\")
Best Startup cities in South America<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nNine South American countries represent the region in the Top-100 (including 4 in the Top-50). Seventy six ecosystems represent the region in the Top-1000 cities ranking, with 6 in the Top-100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nS\u00e3o Paulo is a massive city of more than 12 million people and a tenth of Brazil\u2019s GDP. In this context, it is becoming an increasingly important startup and innovation hub. Ranked 18th, it is the highest placed city from the Southern Hemisphere, beating Sydney by more than 10 spots. The quality of the startups born in the city has been outstanding, with 7 current unicorns – including Nubank and Quinto Andar – being headquartered in S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Buenos Aires, Argentina<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn recent years (and not so recent) Argentina\u2019s economy has gone through turbulent times. Nevertheless, the country has managed to create one of the most exciting startup ecosystems of the region. Buenos Aires is the home of MercadoLibre, with a market cap higher than $50b is Latin America\u2019s most successful tech company so far. The city is ranked as the 46th best startup city in the world, up two spots since last year\u2019s ranking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Santiago, Chile<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn recent years, Chile\u2019s economy has been an overperformer in Latin America, relative to population. In the startup scene, the same is true, especially for its capital city, Santiago. Since the creation of Startup Chile by the Government, the country and its capital have seen its regional and global visibility soar, positioning themselves as one of the Best Startup cities in South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Bogot\u00e1, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAlthough ranked at the 4th South American city for startups, Bogot\u00e1 had actually a bad year overall (dropping 25 spots to 77th). The country’s innovation ecosystem lacks regulation, and the consequences become visible when companies like Uber have to shut down, even if temporarily. It\u2019s not all bad news though, as Rappi (Latin America\u2019s delivery giant) received a $1b Series E funding from Softbank. This funding round makes Rappi one of the region\u2019s most valuable startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRio de Janeiro, ranked 93rd in the world, is South America\u2019s last city in the Top-100. The city lost 29 spots in the overall ranking, but it has many things to celebrate. Access to capital (previously concentrated in S\u00e3o Paulo) is becoming increasingly easy for entrepreneurs in the city, and the country-level efforts to diminish red tape and increase the ease of doing business are expected to benefit Rio in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Belo Horizonte<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBelo Horizonte is Brazil\u2019s 6th largest city, but it\u2019s an overperforming up-and-coming hub when it comes to startups. Relatively close to S\u00e3o Paulo and Rio by Brazilian standards, the city offers entrepreneurs an infrastructure similar to those cities\u2019, but has the advantage of being a more \u201clivable city\u201d: lower rent, safer, and less traffic (and pollution).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Lima, Per\u00fa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPer\u00fa had a good year in the rankings, increasing one spot, but Lima fell below the Top-100 cities. There is increasing support for the country and city to become tech and innovation hubs, with the creation of initiatives such as Startup Per\u00fa or Innovate Peru, so we expect future growth in this ecosystem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Medell\u00edn, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe second Colombian city in the rankings is increasingly popular for expats and digital nomads to work on their startups. This gives the city the potential of a real international boost to the local ecosystem. Although Medell\u00edn dropped 24 spots since the 2019 rankings, it\u2019s very inspiring to see the development of a city which not long ago was one of the most violent in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Curitiba, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike most of the cities in the South American Region, Curitiba lost momentum in 2020. Even so, the city has earned a reputation for innovation at governance (it\u2019s considered by some \u201cthe most innovative city in the world<\/a>\u201d), and it\u2019s currently leveraging those strengths in order to develop a thriving startup ecosystem. In line with this, different players of the ecosystem signed the 20 Curitiba Innovation pacts for 2018, but these weren\u2019t renovated for 2019. The city must persist on its initiatives for startups to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nine South American countries represent the region in the Top-100 (including 4 in the Top-50). Seventy six ecosystems represent the region in the Top-1000 cities ranking, with 6 in the Top-100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nS\u00e3o Paulo is a massive city of more than 12 million people and a tenth of Brazil\u2019s GDP. In this context, it is becoming an increasingly important startup and innovation hub. Ranked 18th, it is the highest placed city from the Southern Hemisphere, beating Sydney by more than 10 spots. The quality of the startups born in the city has been outstanding, with 7 current unicorns – including Nubank and Quinto Andar – being headquartered in S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Buenos Aires, Argentina<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn recent years (and not so recent) Argentina\u2019s economy has gone through turbulent times. Nevertheless, the country has managed to create one of the most exciting startup ecosystems of the region. Buenos Aires is the home of MercadoLibre, with a market cap higher than $50b is Latin America\u2019s most successful tech company so far. The city is ranked as the 46th best startup city in the world, up two spots since last year\u2019s ranking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Santiago, Chile<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn recent years, Chile\u2019s economy has been an overperformer in Latin America, relative to population. In the startup scene, the same is true, especially for its capital city, Santiago. Since the creation of Startup Chile by the Government, the country and its capital have seen its regional and global visibility soar, positioning themselves as one of the Best Startup cities in South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Bogot\u00e1, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAlthough ranked at the 4th South American city for startups, Bogot\u00e1 had actually a bad year overall (dropping 25 spots to 77th). The country’s innovation ecosystem lacks regulation, and the consequences become visible when companies like Uber have to shut down, even if temporarily. It\u2019s not all bad news though, as Rappi (Latin America\u2019s delivery giant) received a $1b Series E funding from Softbank. This funding round makes Rappi one of the region\u2019s most valuable startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRio de Janeiro, ranked 93rd in the world, is South America\u2019s last city in the Top-100. The city lost 29 spots in the overall ranking, but it has many things to celebrate. Access to capital (previously concentrated in S\u00e3o Paulo) is becoming increasingly easy for entrepreneurs in the city, and the country-level efforts to diminish red tape and increase the ease of doing business are expected to benefit Rio in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Belo Horizonte<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBelo Horizonte is Brazil\u2019s 6th largest city, but it\u2019s an overperforming up-and-coming hub when it comes to startups. Relatively close to S\u00e3o Paulo and Rio by Brazilian standards, the city offers entrepreneurs an infrastructure similar to those cities\u2019, but has the advantage of being a more \u201clivable city\u201d: lower rent, safer, and less traffic (and pollution).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Lima, Per\u00fa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPer\u00fa had a good year in the rankings, increasing one spot, but Lima fell below the Top-100 cities. There is increasing support for the country and city to become tech and innovation hubs, with the creation of initiatives such as Startup Per\u00fa or Innovate Peru, so we expect future growth in this ecosystem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Medell\u00edn, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe second Colombian city in the rankings is increasingly popular for expats and digital nomads to work on their startups. This gives the city the potential of a real international boost to the local ecosystem. Although Medell\u00edn dropped 24 spots since the 2019 rankings, it\u2019s very inspiring to see the development of a city which not long ago was one of the most violent in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Curitiba, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike most of the cities in the South American Region, Curitiba lost momentum in 2020. Even so, the city has earned a reputation for innovation at governance (it\u2019s considered by some \u201cthe most innovative city in the world<\/a>\u201d), and it\u2019s currently leveraging those strengths in order to develop a thriving startup ecosystem. In line with this, different players of the ecosystem signed the 20 Curitiba Innovation pacts for 2018, but these weren\u2019t renovated for 2019. The city must persist on its initiatives for startups to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years (and not so recent) Argentina\u2019s economy has gone through turbulent times. Nevertheless, the country has managed to create one of the most exciting startup ecosystems of the region. Buenos Aires is the home of MercadoLibre, with a market cap higher than $50b is Latin America\u2019s most successful tech company so far. The city is ranked as the 46th best startup city in the world, up two spots since last year\u2019s ranking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Santiago, Chile<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn recent years, Chile\u2019s economy has been an overperformer in Latin America, relative to population. In the startup scene, the same is true, especially for its capital city, Santiago. Since the creation of Startup Chile by the Government, the country and its capital have seen its regional and global visibility soar, positioning themselves as one of the Best Startup cities in South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Bogot\u00e1, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAlthough ranked at the 4th South American city for startups, Bogot\u00e1 had actually a bad year overall (dropping 25 spots to 77th). The country’s innovation ecosystem lacks regulation, and the consequences become visible when companies like Uber have to shut down, even if temporarily. It\u2019s not all bad news though, as Rappi (Latin America\u2019s delivery giant) received a $1b Series E funding from Softbank. This funding round makes Rappi one of the region\u2019s most valuable startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRio de Janeiro, ranked 93rd in the world, is South America\u2019s last city in the Top-100. The city lost 29 spots in the overall ranking, but it has many things to celebrate. Access to capital (previously concentrated in S\u00e3o Paulo) is becoming increasingly easy for entrepreneurs in the city, and the country-level efforts to diminish red tape and increase the ease of doing business are expected to benefit Rio in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Belo Horizonte<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBelo Horizonte is Brazil\u2019s 6th largest city, but it\u2019s an overperforming up-and-coming hub when it comes to startups. Relatively close to S\u00e3o Paulo and Rio by Brazilian standards, the city offers entrepreneurs an infrastructure similar to those cities\u2019, but has the advantage of being a more \u201clivable city\u201d: lower rent, safer, and less traffic (and pollution).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Lima, Per\u00fa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPer\u00fa had a good year in the rankings, increasing one spot, but Lima fell below the Top-100 cities. There is increasing support for the country and city to become tech and innovation hubs, with the creation of initiatives such as Startup Per\u00fa or Innovate Peru, so we expect future growth in this ecosystem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Medell\u00edn, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe second Colombian city in the rankings is increasingly popular for expats and digital nomads to work on their startups. This gives the city the potential of a real international boost to the local ecosystem. Although Medell\u00edn dropped 24 spots since the 2019 rankings, it\u2019s very inspiring to see the development of a city which not long ago was one of the most violent in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Curitiba, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike most of the cities in the South American Region, Curitiba lost momentum in 2020. Even so, the city has earned a reputation for innovation at governance (it\u2019s considered by some \u201cthe most innovative city in the world<\/a>\u201d), and it\u2019s currently leveraging those strengths in order to develop a thriving startup ecosystem. In line with this, different players of the ecosystem signed the 20 Curitiba Innovation pacts for 2018, but these weren\u2019t renovated for 2019. The city must persist on its initiatives for startups to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although ranked at the 4th South American city for startups, Bogot\u00e1 had actually a bad year overall (dropping 25 spots to 77th). The country’s innovation ecosystem lacks regulation, and the consequences become visible when companies like Uber have to shut down, even if temporarily. It\u2019s not all bad news though, as Rappi (Latin America\u2019s delivery giant) received a $1b Series E funding from Softbank. This funding round makes Rappi one of the region\u2019s most valuable startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRio de Janeiro, ranked 93rd in the world, is South America\u2019s last city in the Top-100. The city lost 29 spots in the overall ranking, but it has many things to celebrate. Access to capital (previously concentrated in S\u00e3o Paulo) is becoming increasingly easy for entrepreneurs in the city, and the country-level efforts to diminish red tape and increase the ease of doing business are expected to benefit Rio in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Belo Horizonte<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBelo Horizonte is Brazil\u2019s 6th largest city, but it\u2019s an overperforming up-and-coming hub when it comes to startups. Relatively close to S\u00e3o Paulo and Rio by Brazilian standards, the city offers entrepreneurs an infrastructure similar to those cities\u2019, but has the advantage of being a more \u201clivable city\u201d: lower rent, safer, and less traffic (and pollution).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Lima, Per\u00fa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPer\u00fa had a good year in the rankings, increasing one spot, but Lima fell below the Top-100 cities. There is increasing support for the country and city to become tech and innovation hubs, with the creation of initiatives such as Startup Per\u00fa or Innovate Peru, so we expect future growth in this ecosystem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Medell\u00edn, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe second Colombian city in the rankings is increasingly popular for expats and digital nomads to work on their startups. This gives the city the potential of a real international boost to the local ecosystem. Although Medell\u00edn dropped 24 spots since the 2019 rankings, it\u2019s very inspiring to see the development of a city which not long ago was one of the most violent in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Curitiba, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike most of the cities in the South American Region, Curitiba lost momentum in 2020. Even so, the city has earned a reputation for innovation at governance (it\u2019s considered by some \u201cthe most innovative city in the world<\/a>\u201d), and it\u2019s currently leveraging those strengths in order to develop a thriving startup ecosystem. In line with this, different players of the ecosystem signed the 20 Curitiba Innovation pacts for 2018, but these weren\u2019t renovated for 2019. The city must persist on its initiatives for startups to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belo Horizonte is Brazil\u2019s 6th largest city, but it\u2019s an overperforming up-and-coming hub when it comes to startups. Relatively close to S\u00e3o Paulo and Rio by Brazilian standards, the city offers entrepreneurs an infrastructure similar to those cities\u2019, but has the advantage of being a more \u201clivable city\u201d: lower rent, safer, and less traffic (and pollution).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Lima, Per\u00fa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPer\u00fa had a good year in the rankings, increasing one spot, but Lima fell below the Top-100 cities. There is increasing support for the country and city to become tech and innovation hubs, with the creation of initiatives such as Startup Per\u00fa or Innovate Peru, so we expect future growth in this ecosystem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Medell\u00edn, Colombia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe second Colombian city in the rankings is increasingly popular for expats and digital nomads to work on their startups. This gives the city the potential of a real international boost to the local ecosystem. Although Medell\u00edn dropped 24 spots since the 2019 rankings, it\u2019s very inspiring to see the development of a city which not long ago was one of the most violent in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Curitiba, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike most of the cities in the South American Region, Curitiba lost momentum in 2020. Even so, the city has earned a reputation for innovation at governance (it\u2019s considered by some \u201cthe most innovative city in the world<\/a>\u201d), and it\u2019s currently leveraging those strengths in order to develop a thriving startup ecosystem. In line with this, different players of the ecosystem signed the 20 Curitiba Innovation pacts for 2018, but these weren\u2019t renovated for 2019. The city must persist on its initiatives for startups to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second Colombian city in the rankings is increasingly popular for expats and digital nomads to work on their startups. This gives the city the potential of a real international boost to the local ecosystem. Although Medell\u00edn dropped 24 spots since the 2019 rankings, it\u2019s very inspiring to see the development of a city which not long ago was one of the most violent in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Curitiba, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike most of the cities in the South American Region, Curitiba lost momentum in 2020. Even so, the city has earned a reputation for innovation at governance (it\u2019s considered by some \u201cthe most innovative city in the world<\/a>\u201d), and it\u2019s currently leveraging those strengths in order to develop a thriving startup ecosystem. In line with this, different players of the ecosystem signed the 20 Curitiba Innovation pacts for 2018, but these weren\u2019t renovated for 2019. The city must persist on its initiatives for startups to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
10. Porto Alegre, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPorto Alegre is the smallest city by population in this list, and it ranks as the 200th best city in the world for startups (losing 28 spots from 2019). Although nationally the city was a late bloomer in the startup scene, it has had some successes (especially in e-commerce). The ecosystem’s proximity to Buenos Aires and Montevideo should be leveraged to further develop the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rough Patch<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOf the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThis list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of the cities in this Top-10, only the 2 highest ranked (S\u00e3o Paulo and Buenos Aires) moved up in the global rankings this year. South American nations have realized that innovation is one of the best options to leave behind their overreliance on raw materials. But now it\u2019s time to put those realizations into actions. Initiatives like Startup Chile are leading the way, but governments and other important players must back more efforts, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business, and even fail. This is the way forward to create true tech hubs in the region and strengthen their economies in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
This list was compiled based on the results of Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020<\/a> that ranked 1,000 cities and 100 countries worldwide. If your city was not included in this list yet but you want to find out the current status of your local startup ecosystem, download the Report<\/a> for free here and start discovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Compiling the list for South America was made simple with the help of the PRO account<\/a>, and our Ecosystem Partners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n