Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

There’s literally a “world of information” in the latest edition of the “Global Start-up Ecosystem Index” from StartupBlink. Released last week, the 377-page report was first issued in 2017 and has been updated annually since then. It can be downloaded at this link.

The massive document evaluates 1,473 cities across 118 countries using hundreds of thousands of data points processed by an algorithm which takes into account several dozen sets of parameters comprising three sub scores:

1. Quantity (measuring the activity level of the ecosystem);
2. Quality (assessing the impact and success of the activity in the ecosystem); and
3. Business Environment (evaluating how supportive the overall conditions are for startup growth).

Global Rankings:

Within the top 10, the 2025 edition notes the clear distinction between the “big three”—the U.S. (#1), the United Kingdom (#2), and Israel (#3) – and Singapore (#4), which is closing in on the top tier. These countries maintain a significant gap between them, but Singapore is rapidly narrowing the distance, while Canada (#5) is pushed further away from the top 3 due to its slower growth.

The U.S. remains the top global start-up ecosystem, with a lead nearly four times greater than the United Kingdom (UK) in second place. While this gap has narrowed since 2020, it has stabilized over the past three years. Still, the U.S. shows signs of slowing down, with the lowest growth rate among the top 50 ecosystems at just 18.2 percent, compared to 26.3 percent for the UK and 20.6 percent for Israel. A vast majority of the U.S. cities have also declined in rank, highlighting a broader loss of momentum.

Volunteer State Rankings:

Only one city in Tennessee made the top 100 across the globe, and it was Nashville, which dropped 12 spots from the 2024 rankings with a growth rate of 7.0 percent. Only the top 100 cities had their growth rates listed.

1. After Nashville, Memphis was the highest ranked city at #250, dropping just two spots from the 2024 rankings.
2. Chattanooga placed #273, dropping 26 spots from its ranking last year.
3. Among the large metros, Knoxville placed last at #384, dropping a whopping 50 spots from its 2024 ranking.

Top 100 Rankings:

About one-third of the cities in the top 20 were U.S.-based, starting with San Francisco (#1) and New York City (#2). Others in the top 20 were: Los Angeles (#4), Boston (#6), Seattle (#15), Austin and Round Rock (#16), and Chicago (#19).

Other cities across the region making the top 100 included:

1. Miami (#28);
2. Atlanta (#32);
3. Raleigh-Durham (#45);
4. Wilmington (#60);
5. Charlotte (#93);
6. Orlando (#94); and
7. Tampa (#95).

Other Regional Rankings:

Many ecosystem partners like to compare their communities to other cities. If so, here are where other area cities in neighboring states ranked:

1. St. Louis (#118);
2. Cincinnati (#126);
3. Louisville (#140);
4. Birmingham and Hoover (#180);
5. New Orleans (#188);
6. Greenville (#211);
7. Jacksonville (#223);
8. Columbia (#238); and
9. Lexington (#248).

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