This article was published on May 9, 2019

The 2019 Global Startup Ecosystem Report launches at TNW2019


The 2019 Global Startup Ecosystem Report launches at TNW2019

Today, on the TNW Conference Main Stage, we are delighted to help launch the 2019 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) with Startup Genome. Produced in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network; the #GSER2019 is the world’s most comprehensive and widely-read research on startups.

The GSER is based on data from thousands of startup founders and research on millions of companies — supplemented with data from partners Crunchbase, Dealroom, and Orb Intelligence. In #GSER2019 are key insights for founders, investors, executives, policymakers, and ecosystem builders.

One of the most eye-popping GSER statistics is that the global startup economy is worth nearly $3 trillion, a rise of 20 percent from 2017. That’s the size of a not-so-small economy, larger than the GDP of the United Kingdom, France, or Brazil. Tech-driven startups aren’t just contributing to economic growth — in many ways, they are economic growth.

Here are some more impressive findings:

New global rankings

For the first time since 2017, Startup Genome has ranked the top 30 startup ecosystems around the world.

  • The top five are: Silicon Valley, New York City, London, Beijing, and Boston.
  • Paris cracked the top 10, moving up two spots from 2017 to #9 overall.
  • TNW’s host ecosystem, Amsterdam-StartupDelta, had the biggest jump in the top 30, climbing four spots to #15 globally.
  • Nine European startup ecosystems are ranked in the top 30: London, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Amsterdam-StartupDelta, Lausanne-Bern-Geneva, Munich, and Barcelona.

Life Sciences Rankings

Startup Genome conducted a separate analysis of startup ecosystems in Life Sciences, finding that funding and focus are two of the most important elements for success.

  • The top 5 ecosystems in Life Sciences are: Silicon Valley, Boston, San Diego, New York City, and London (including Oxford and Cambridge).
  • San Diego, Lausanne-Bern-Geneva, and Boston have the highest concentrations of Life Sciences startups as a share of their overall startup ecosystems.

Opportunities for startups and investors

Startups are revitalizing traditional industry sectors through the application of technology. Based on the data, investors should look into the following sectors:

  • The fastest-growing Startup Sub-Sectors in terms of funding, exits, and startup creation are: Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics, Blockchain, Agtech & New Food, and Artificial Intelligence.
  • Meanwhile, some sub-sectors have seen falling levels of investment and startup creation, including Edtech, Digital Media, Gaming, and Adtech.

Who’s next?

It may seem like the top of the ecosystem ranking is dominated by the “usual suspects,” but there is tremendous growth taking place everywhere.

  • Across the world, there are 25 startup ecosystems with an Ecosystem Value above $10 billion each, adding up to nearly $1 trillion in economic value.
  • Additionally, 57 startup ecosystems boast an Ecosystem Value between $1 billion and $10 billion, creating thousands of jobs and billions in economic productivity.
  • In fast-growing sub-sectors like AI and Blockchain, small but vibrant ecosystems are rapidly emerging as hotspots:
    • In AI, ecosystems to watch include Edmonton, Houston, Greater Helsinki, and Taipei City.
    • In Blockchain, up-and-comers include Belgrade and Novi Sad (Serbia) and Vancouver.
  • Miami, long known for a vibrant entrepreneurship scene, broke into the top 30 overall ranking for the first time.

This is just a small look at the wealth of insights packed into the GSER.

Thanks to JF Gauthier, who just presented #GSER2019 on the TNW Main Stage, and the entire Startup Genome team for their effort. Check it out here!

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