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United States

North America

![aerial photography of boat harbour during daytime](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1546942976-1bdf94ffeb1f?q=80&w=1000&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8fA%3D%3D)
 San Francisco stands out as the leading startup ecosystem in the world, which also covers Silicon Valley, a global hub of technological advancement and innovation. Nestled in the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley is a powerhouse, hosting globally known tech ventures. Due to its close link with San Francisco, it is clustered within the San Francisco Bay Area in our rankings. 

 San Francisco’s appeal as a haven for startups is supported by a robust network of tech giants, an exceptionally talented workforce, and a long-lasting startup culture. Furthermore, San Francisco and Silicon Valley benefit from a supportive regulatory framework and an attractive investment scene, offering startups vast opportunities for development and success. 

 Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was a key financial institution for tech startups and venture capital firms, especially in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. In 2023, its sudden collapse revealed its widespread connections, affecting over half of the U.S. venture capital firms and causing worry in the global startup ecosystem during a time of fewer investments. However, the U.S. government quickly guaranteed the bank's deposits, preventing a major crisis. This move protected the startup community and the investment sector, ensuring that innovation and entrepreneurship could keep thriving in San Francisco and beyond. 

 San Francisco attracts startups due to its closeness to Silicon Valley and its strong technology scene. The seamless connection between the city and Silicon Valley is exemplified by corporate shuttle services from companies like [Meta](https://www.startupblink.com/pantheon/meta?utm_campaign=startupblink&utm_medium=startupblink&utm_source=startupblink) and Google, facilitating commutes between San Francisco and their main offices in Mountain View.

Additionally, academic institutions such as [Stanford University](https://www.stanford.edu/?utm_campaign=startupblink&utm_medium=startupblink&utm_source=startupblink) empower the Silicon Valley and San Francisco with cutting-edge research and a strong entrepreneurial ethos. 

 The startup ecosystem in San Francisco is marked by internationally acclaimed startups and unicorns, including [OpenAI](https://www.startupblink.com/unicorn/openai), Dream Games and Stripe. Specifically, Silicon Valley hosts top startups such as interconnectedness with San Francisco's ecosystem for housing key technology companies, venture capital firms such as [Andreessen Horowitz](https://a16z.com/?utm_campaign=startupblink&utm_medium=startupblink&utm_source=startupblink) and [Sequoia Capital](https://www.sequoiacap.com/?utm_campaign=startupblink&utm_medium=startupblink&utm_source=startupblink), and notable accelerators like [Y Combinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/?utm_campaign=startupblink&utm_medium=startupblink&utm_source=startupblink). 

 San Francisco is the ultimate destination for those aiming to create something profoundly impactful and globally recognized. The city's culture of collaboration, easy access to funding, enabling infrastructure, and willingness to embrace risk are instrumental in fostering startups and propelling economic advancement.

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This represents about 20% of The United States’s startups. San Francisco Bay is the highest-ranked startup ecosystem in The United States.\",\"rightText\":\"San Francisco Bay kept its position stable in the Global Startup Ecosystem \\n Index of 2024, ranking 1st.\"},\"whyYouShouldJoinEcosystem\":{\"leftText\":\"Within San Francisco Bay there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs \\n to set up their startups in industries such as Ecommerce & Retail, Edtech, Energy & Environment. These three industries represent about 8% of the startups \\nrepresented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of San Francisco Bay. \",\"rightText\":\"With a population within 0.1M - 0.5M people, San Francisco Bay is The United States' top startup \\n ecosystem and is ranked 1st in North America. 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2024 National Rank	City	Global Rank	Total Score
1st⁰	San Francisco Bay, United States	1st⁰	710.966
2nd⁰	New York, United States	2nd⁰	251.377
3rd⁰	Los Angeles Area, United States	4th⁰	121.937
4th⁰	Boston Area, United States	5th⁰	109.679

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Explore the Startup Ecosystem of San Francisco

Top Cities for Startups in United States - Ranked by StartupBlink