The Startup Ecosystem Awards by StartupBlink recognizes the achievements of startup ecosystems in StartupBlink’s algorithm, acknowledging stakeholders such as government agencies, chambers of commerce, startup support organizations, and international organizations contributing to the development of successful startup ecosystems. Overall, 30 startup ecosystems received awards.
What is the StartupBlink Ecosystem Award?
The determination of winners for the Startup Ecosystem Awards is a process rooted in the analysis of StartupBlink’s comprehensive ranking algorithm. This algorithm crafted and refined across a spectrum of over 40 parameters, forming the evaluation methodology.
To ensure a fair and comprehensive recognition, the awards are thoughtfully distributed across different tiers, taking into account variables such as population size, regional influence, and national dominance.
Watch the Startup Ecosystem Awards Ceremony
The Startup Ecosystem Awards Winners 2025
The first and latest edition of the Startup Ecosystem Awards took place on 28 January 2025, celebrating the achievements of ecosystems in 2025. While determining the categories of the awards, we did an analysis on global, regional and national level, as well as on industries and population tier. Here are some of the categories, we will distribute awards on:
Ecosystem Growth Awards
This category recognizes ecosystems on a global, regional and national scale that has demonstrated continuous growth across years.
Best 2-Year Ecosystem Growth
Award Segment: South America
Ecosystem: Medellín
Received by: Ruta N
Medellín’s remarkable climb of 43 spots from 2022 to 2024 is a testament to its extraordinary growth. Recognized as the South American ecosystem with the highest global momentum among the region’s top 10, this achievement highlights the city’s commitment to fostering innovation and driving entrepreneurial success on the world stage.
Fastest Growing Country
Award Segment: Global
Ecosystem: Singapore
Received by: Enterprise Singapore
Singapore’s steady ascent of 11 spots since 2021 marks the most significant climb in four years among the countries ranked in the top 10. This achievement highlights Singapore’s unwavering commitment to innovation and its continued leadership on the global stage.
Best Global Momentum
Award Segment: Central American Cities With a Population of 1-2 Million
Ecosystem: Guanajuato, Mexico
Received by: Instituto de Innovación
León’s extraordinary climb of 123 spots in 2024 showcases the most significant global momentum among Central American cities with populations between 1 to 2 million. This achievement underscores León’s growing impact and its commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
Top 4-Year Global Momentum
Award Segment: Eastern Europe
Ecosystem: Istanbul, Turkey
Received by: Istanbul Development Agency
Istanbul’s impressive rise from 80th to 51st between 2020 and 2024 highlights its remarkable 4-year growth. As the best-performing ecosystem among the region’s top 10, this achievement reflects Istanbul’s dedication to innovation and its expanding global influence.
Top 4-Years Regional Momentum
Award Segment: EU’s Top 20
Ecosystem: Vienna, Austria
Received by: Vienna Business Agency
Vienna’s ascent of 5 spots in the EU rankings from 2020 to 2024 marks the largest climb among the region’s top 20 ecosystems. This achievement highlights Vienna’s growing prominence and its commitment to fostering a vibrant startup environment.
Best Global Momentum
Award Segment: Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
Ecosystem: Qatar
Received by: Qatar Development Bank
Qatar’s impressive global climb of 11 spots showcases the best momentum among GCC countries, followed closely by the UAE’s 5-spot ascent. This progress highlights the region’s growing influence and commitment to innovation on the global stage.
Best Global Momentum
Award Segment: UAE Startup Ecosystems
Ecosystem: Sharjah, UAE
Received by: Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center
Sharjah’s remarkable climb of 86 spots in 2024 marks the largest global ascent within the country. This achievement underscores Sharjah’s rapid progress and its commitment to strengthening its position in the global startup ecosystem.
Top Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: Central Asia
Ecosystem: Astana
Received by: Astana Hub
Astana leads the Central Asian startup ecosystems, achieving a score over 30% higher than the next-ranked city, Almaty. This accomplishment underscores Astana’s dominant position and commitment to fostering innovation in the region.
Best Worldwide Climb in the Top 50
Award Segment: Global
Ecosystem: Cyprus
Received by: Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation
Cyprus achieved an impressive climb of 9 spots from 2023 to 2024, marking the largest ascent among the top 50 startup ecosystems worldwide. This milestone highlights Cyprus’s growing prominence and commitment to innovation on the global stage.
Best Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: Southern European Cities with a population less than 100K
Ecosystem: Valletta, Malta
Received by: Tech.mt
Valletta leads the Southern European ecosystems with populations under 100K, achieving a score twice that of Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain, which ranks second. This accomplishment highlights Valletta’s exceptional performance and growing influence in the region.
Industry Specific Awards
This category acknowledges ecosystems with accomplishments in industry-specific rankings, such as Hardware & IoT, Energy & Environment, and Software & Data by considering various categories such as population range, country, and region.
Best Software & Data Ecosystem
Award Segment: Western Africa
Ecosystem: Cape Verde
Received by: Cabo Verde Digital
Cape Verde’s outstanding performance, with a total score difference 1.3 times greater than the next ranked city, positions it as the leader in Software & Data innovation in Western Africa. This achievement highlights its growing influence and dedication to technological advancement in the region.
Best Energy & Environment Ecosystem
Award Segment: Small Cities Worldwide
Ecosystem: Kingston, Canada
Received by: Kingston Economic Development
Kingston ranks as the top city in the world for the Energy & Environment industry among cities with populations under 500,000. This achievement highlights Kingston’s global leadership and innovation in this critical sector.
Best Startup Ecosystem for Proptech
Award Segment: LATAM
Ecosystem: Bogota, Colombia
Received by: Camara Comercio de Bogota
Bogotá leads the Proptech industry in LATAM, ranking 1st with a total score nearly three times larger than the next ranked city. This achievement underscores Bogotá’s dominance and commitment to innovation in this dynamic sector.
Best Foodtech Ecosystem
Award Segment: European Union
Ecosystem: Barcelona
Received by: ACCIO
Barcelona leads the EU in the Foodtech industry, achieving a total score 1.2 times larger than the next ranked city. This accomplishment solidifies Barcelona’s position as a frontrunner in Foodtech innovation across Europe.
Best Momentum in Foodtech
Award Segment: LATAM
Ecosystem: Cali, Colombia
Received by: Camara Comercio de Cali
Cali’s impressive leap from 187th to 100th in the Foodtech industry underscores its exceptional progress. This 87-spot improvement, the highest among the top 10 LATAM Foodtech ecosystems, reflects the city’s dedication to innovation and its growing influence in this dynamic sector.
Best Foodtech Ecosystem
Award Segment: Africa
Ecosystem: Cairo, Egypt
Received by: Entlaq
Cairo leads Africa in the Foodtech Startup Ecosystem rankings, with a score 19% higher than Lagos, which ranks second. This achievement underscores Cairo’s leadership and growing impact in the Foodtech sector across the continent.
Top Overperformer in Hardware & IoT
Award Segment: EU Ecosystems
Ecosystem: Dortmund, Germany
Received by: City of Dortmund
Dortmund stands out among the top 20 EU cities in Hardware & IoT for its exceptional performance relative to its overall ecosystem ranking. It has an industry rank that is 212 spots higher and a regional ranking that is 51 spots better specifically for Hardware & IoT compared to its general ecosystem position. Dortmund ranks 82nd in the world and 18th in the EU for this industry.
Best Transportation Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: Central Europe
Ecosystem: Budapest
Received by: Hungarian Innovation Agency (NIU)
Budapest emerges as the best Central European Startup Ecosystem for Transportation, surpassing Prague with a score approximately 30% higher. Additionally, Budapest ranks 81st globally in this industry, outperforming its general ecosystem ranking by 54 spots. This achievement underscores the city’s leadership and innovation in the Transportation sector.
Best AI Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: European Union
Ecosystem: Estonia
Received by: Startup Estonia
Estonia retains its position as the leading country in AI for the second consecutive year, achieving a score 15% higher than Germany, which ranks second. This accomplishment highlights Estonia’s continued excellence and leadership in the AI sector.
Best Foodtech Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: Nordics
Ecosystem: Helsinki, Finland
Received by: City of Helsinki
Helsinki stands as the leading Nordic ecosystem for the Foodtech industry, boasting a score four times greater than Copenhagen, which ranks second. Globally, Helsinki secures the 16th position in Foodtech, outperforming its general ecosystem ranking by 31 spots. This achievement underscores the city’s exceptional focus and impact in the Foodtech sector.
Best Momentum for the Transportation Industry
Award Segment: Southeast Asian Ecosystems
Ecosystem: Vietnam
Vietnam’s impressive rise from 50th to 37th worldwide in the Transportation industry over the past year reflects a 26% improvement, marking the best momentum for this sector in the region. This achievement highlights Vietnam’s growing influence and dedication to advancing its Transportation ecosystem.
Best Cybersecurity Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: European Union
Ecosystem: Vilnius
Received by: Lithuanian Innovation Agency
Vilnius maintains its position as the EU leader in Cybersecurity for the second consecutive year, achieving a total score 16% higher than Paris. Globally, Vilnius ranks an impressive 11th, underscoring its excellence and leadership in the Cybersecurity sector.
Top Overperformer in Transportation Startup
Award Segment: Asian Ecosystems
Ecosystem: Philippines
Received by: Department of Information and Communications Technology
The Philippines stands out among the Asian countries ranked for Transportation Industry for its exceptional performance relative to its overall global ecosystem ranking. It has a global industry rank that is 24 spots higher and a regional ranking that is 4 spots better, specifically Transportation compared to its general ecosystem position. Philippines ranks 36th in the world and 8th in Asia for this industry.
Best Fintech Startup Ecosystem
Award Segment: Southern Europe
Ecosystem: Milan, Italy
Received by: InnovUp
Milan stands as the leading Southern European ecosystem in Fintech, boasting a score 74% higher than Madrid, which ranks second. This achievement highlights Milan’s position as a regional powerhouse in financial technology innovation.
Top 4-Year Global Momentum in Fintech
Award Segment: South East Asia
Ecosystem: Ho Chi Minh City
Received by: Ho Chi Minh City Government
From 2020 to 2024, Ho Chi Minh City has emerged as a rising ecosystem in the Fintech, showing the most significant improvement among the top 10 Southeast Asian ecosystems. Climbing from 178th to 54th place globally, the city has achieved an impressive 69% jump in its ranking.
Special Category Awards
This category recognizes cities and countries for their performance in specific areas, such as entrepreneurial resilience, cross-continental collaboration, as well as unique parameters of the StartupBlink algorithm such as the community score.
Best Accelerator Ecosystem
Award Segment: African Contender Ecosystems
Ecosystem: Somalia
Received by: Response Innovation Lab – Somalia
Somalia stands out among the seed African contender ecosystems (ranked between 101-119), showcasing the best performance in the number of accelerators. This achievement highlights Somalia’s growing support infrastructure for startups and its commitment to fostering entrepreneurial growth.
Best Business Environment
Award Segment: Southern Europe
Ecosystem: Portugal
Received by: Startup Portugal
Portugal now holds the highest Business Environment rank in the region, surpassing Spain compared to 2023. This achievement reflects Portugal’s strengthened commitment to fostering a supportive and competitive ecosystem for businesses and startups.
Accelerator Leadership Award
Award Segment: Caribbean
Ecosystem: Jamaica
Received by: Development Bank of Jamaica
Jamaica leads among the Caribbean countries we rank, boasting the largest sample size of accelerators. This highlights the country’s strong commitment to supporting startup growth and entrepreneurial development in the region.
Most Funded Seed Ecosystem
Award Segment: LATAM
Ecosystem: Caracas, Venezuela
Received by: EmprendeTech
Caracas stands out as the most funded city among LATAM cities ranked below 500, with funding nearly 50% higher than the next ranked city. This achievement underscores Caracas’s growing appeal and investment potential within the region.
Top Startup Exit Valuations
Award Segment: South East Asia Region
Ecosystem: Jakarta, Indonesia
Received by: 1000 Startup Digital MCIT Indonesia
Jakarta leads Southeast Asia in Startup Exit Amount Rankings, securing an impressive 25th place worldwide.. This achievement highlights Jakarta’s prominence and success in facilitating impactful startup exits on the global stage.
Best Business Environment
Award Segment: Nordics
Ecosystem: Norway
Received by: Innovation Norway
Norway now ranks 1st in the Nordics for Business Environment, overtaking Sweden, which held the top position in 2023. This milestone highlights Norway’s enhanced focus on fostering a competitive and supportive ecosystem for businesses.
Wrapping Up
The success stories highlighted in these awards remind us of the potential that lies in nurturing startup ecosystems. They underscore the importance of supportive policies, effective collaborations, and a vibrant community in fostering innovation and driving economic growth. As the startup world continues to evolve, these awards will remain a testament to the power of collective effort and vision in shaping a prosperous and innovative future.
