Why in the news
The 2026 edition of the Global Startup Ecosystem Report was unveiled in Paris. Bengaluru moved from 14th to 15th, a change described as a technical adjustment, while staying a leading AI-native cluster in Asia.
Key facts
- Publisher: Startup Genome with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).
- Edition and date: 14th edition, released 17 June 2026 at VivaTech, Paris.
- Coverage: over 5.5 million startups in 350+ ecosystems, with policy input from 200+ organisations in 80+ countries.
- Why Bengaluru slipped: Toronto-Waterloo and Paris shared 13th, leaving no 14th place.
- Bengaluru ranks: 3rd in Asia by value (after Beijing and Shanghai) and 2nd-best AI-native cluster in Asia (after Beijing).
- Bengaluru economics: ecosystem value about USD 153 billion; USD 46 billion in exits during 2021-2025 across 304 exits.
Top five ecosystems
| Rank | Ecosystem | Country |
|---|
| 1 | Silicon Valley | USA |
| 2 | New York City | USA |
| 3 | London | UK |
| 4 | Boston | USA |
| 5 | Los Angeles | USA |
Bengaluru’s factor scores (out of 10)
| Factor | Score | Remark |
|---|
| Performance | 9 | Ahead of Silicon Valley |
| R&D | 9 | Ahead of Silicon Valley |
| Funding | 8 | Top 15 by capital raised |
| AI-native cluster | 8 | Second in Asia |
| Market reach | 5 | Local 4, global 7 |
| Talent and experience | 4 | Cost efficiency 10, quality 1 |
About the publishers
- Startup Genome: founded 2011, headquartered in San Francisco, innovation policy advisory and research firm; CEO JF Gauthier.
- GEN: founded 2008, Washington D.C., non-profit active in 180+ countries; runs Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Exam angle
- Bengaluru rank 15th (earlier 14th); top three unchanged.
- Six success factors: performance, funding, market reach, talent and experience, AI-native cluster strength, R&D.