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The Startup Ecosystem of Cardiff

Cardiff has 93 startups in our sample database. This represents about 1% of The United Kingdom’s startups. Cardiff is the 17th best startup ecosystem in The United Kingdom.

CITY RANKING

While Cardiff decreased by 13 spots in its global rank in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index of 2024, its ranking in The United Kingdom increased by 1 spot.

National Ranking

17th
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1
In United Kingdom

Regional Ranking

75th
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4
In Western Europe

Global Ranking

282nd
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13
Worldwide

Ecosystem

Startup Ecosystem Overview

Startups

Cardiff Top Startup Industries

Fintech icon
Fintech
#139 worldwide

11 startups

Social & Leisure icon
Social & Leisure
#191 worldwide

11 startups

Software & Data icon
Software & Data
#237 worldwide

32 startups

Ecosystem HealthCheck

Cardiff Ecosystem Health Check

The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Cardiff has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...

  • Overperformance
  • Performance equal to global ranking
  • Underperformance
IndustryGlobal rankMomentum YoYNumber of Startups
Global282194024

ECOSYSTEM

Browse the startup ecosystem database of Cardiff

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Startup Ecosystem Charts

Startup Funding in Cardiff2017 - 2024

Startup Funding in Cardiff 2017 - 2024

From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Cardiff has increased by 0.2%. During this period, the number of deals in Cardiff has decreased by 20%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Cardiff exceeded US$ $0.00.

USD

Amount of Funding (USD)

Number of Deals

20172018201920202021202220232024$0.00$15.00B$30.00B$45.00B$60.00B09182736

Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Cardiff

Startups in Cardiff excel in Fintech, Social & Leisure, and Software & and Data. There are some notable success stories contributing to the city’s growing Fintech industry. One of the most promising startups in Cardiff in 2024 is Lovetovisit, Yoello, and Coincover.

Global Rank

Cardiff is ranked within the top 300 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Cardiff’s startups excel particularly in Fintech where it ranks 139 and in Social & Leisure, and Software & Data. Find out more

Top Cities for Startups in United Kingdom - Ranked by StartupBlink

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
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2024 National Rank CityGlobal Rank
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Total Score

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Quantity Score
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Quality Score
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Business Score
1st
0
3rd
0
144.375
00.00
00.00
00.00
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Startups

Notable Startups in Cardiff
Lovetovisit startup icon
Lovetovisit
Yoello startup icon
Yoello
Coincover startup icon
Coincover

ECOSYSTEM

Why should you join Cardiff's Startup Ecosystem?

Overview

Within Cardiff there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Fintech, Social & Leisure, Software & Data. These three industries represent about 58% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Cardiff.

17th

National Rank

75th

Regional Rank

Overview

Cardiff is The United Kingdom's 17th best startup ecosystem and is ranked 75th in Western Europe. With a population of 0.1M - 0.5M people, Cardiff is ranked 282nd in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including Lovetovisit.

ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Cardiff
With a large variety of initiatives, Cardiff's startup ecosystem stands out from other cities in Western Europe. Cardiff offers a number of funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups. Below is a list of Cardiff's most prominent support initiatives:

BLOG

Recent Posts

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From Service-Based to Product-Based Economy – Lessons from North Macedonia

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Thu Mar 06 2025

The Impact of Government Support on Startups

A robust startup ecosystem creates a sense of community that brings entrepreneurs together and helps them feel less isolated. It gives them access to mentors, advisors, fellow entrepreneurs, and talents. The foundation of such an ecosystem largely relies on government support. Good policies create a fair and supportive environment that helps startups grow. Bad policies […]