A new index has ranked the world’s most ‘start-up friendly’ cities – with three European destinations making the top 10

A start-up is exactly what it sounds like – a business which has, you guessed it, recently started up – and while you might be thinking that unless you’re a budding entrepreneur, this ranking might not be so relevant to you, that’s actually not the case. 

Sure, an index evaluating a city’s ‘entrepreneurial activity, innovation, talent development, and business agility’ might sound like a load of jargon from the interview stage on the Apprentice, but as Multipolitan puts it, ‘startups recycle local wealth, train the next generation of builders, and signal to the world that a city is open for possibilities.’

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So, where in the world is the best city for nurturing start-ups? Well, in a not-so-surprising turn of events, San Francisco has claimed the top spot, thanks to its ‘unparalleled venture capital depth, density of start-ups, and a mature innovation ecosystem supported by strong digital and talent infrastructure’. 

But the city has a whole lot more going for it than that – with a brilliant nightlife scene, funky neighbourhoods and impressive arts spaces, as well as the iconic hills, cable cars and Golden Gate Bridge, there’s a lot more personality to this city than just business. 

In second place is the Swiss city of Zurich, with Dubai claiming third place. Two other American hubs have made their way into the top 10, as well as some major east Asian cities and European capitals, so scroll on to find out which ones. 

These are the top 10 cities for start-ups in 2026

1. San Francisco, USA
2. Zurich, Switzerland
3. Dubai, UAE
4. Singapore
5. New York, USA
6. Los Angeles, USA
7. Seoul, South Korea
8. London, UK
9. Hong Kong
10. Paris, France

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