Bright Data Collects Public Web Data for Startup Blink's Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2023

StartupBlink, the global startup ecosystem map and research center, has recently launched the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2023, uncovering the momentum of 1,000 cities and 100 countries. In its commitment to deliver the most accurate and reliable data, StartupBlink has partnered with BrightData and combined its expertise and resources to present the most insightful and up-to-date analysis of the global startup ecosystem scene. This collaboration ensures that the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2023 offers practical information for founders and investors and organizations looking to navigate the ever-changing landscape of startups.?

The global startup landscape continues to evolve rapidly, shaping economies and driving innovation across the world. This article looks at some of the top insights from the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2023 and what the startup ecosystem scene looks like in 2023.?

How StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems?

The rankings in the Index are based on a total score, which is the sum of three subscores measuring the Quantity, Quality, and Business environment for Startups. These scores collectively provide a comprehensive evaluation of startup ecosystems that is reflected in the rankings.

• The Quantity score measures the activity level of an ecosystem, evaluating the engagement of stakeholders and other important players.
• The Quality score leverages integrations with partners like BrightData and hundreds of thousands of data points to analyze the qualitative results of each startup ecosystem. Among the elements taken into account for the calculation of this score is the total accumulated number of startup sector employees for which the BrightData information has proved to be of the utmost importance.
• The Startup Business Environment score, also known as the Business score, takes into account country-level parameters as they have a significant impact on all cities within a country, including national infrastructure, policies, and legislation

The 6 Top Insights from the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2023

1. San Francisco is the undisputed leader of the global startup ecosystem

In 2023, the cities in the global top 10 remained mostly stable, with the exception of Tel Aviv (10th in 2023) and Paris (9th in 2023) switching places. San Francisco continues to lead as the undisputed leader, maintaining a significant lead over second-ranked New York City

?2. Almost all other countries in the top 20 changed their rankings

While the top five countries retained their positions from 2022, nearly all other countries within the top 20 experienced changes in their rankings. The United States maintains its global dominance by securing the first rank with a substantial lead, nearly four times that of the United Kingdom, which holds the second position. Over the past years, there has been a gradual reduction in the total score gap between the two countries. However, this year, it is noteworthy that the gap between the United States and the United Kingdom remained largely unchanged.

3.?Europe is? the region with the highest number of cities in the global top 1,000 cities

Despite a decrease in the total number of ranked European cities from 425 to 409, Europe remains the region with the largest presence in the global top 1,000, with a notable overrepresentation of West European cities compared to their counterparts in the East.

4. North America maintains a very dominant position, with a high presence of cities across all top tiers

More than other regions, the North American region remained stable in the 2023? Index.? Nine of the top 10 cities in North America are from the US, and the top four cities (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Boston) enjoy a massive score gap from lower-ranked cities in the region.?

5. There are 23 countries in the Middle East & Africa region ranked in the top 100, one more than in 2022

The Middle East & Africa region has a total of 63 startup ecosystems represented in the global top 1,000 cities, up from 57 in 2022. srael remains the main player in the region by a significant margin, and the only country in the global top 20: Israel ranks right behind the US and the United Kingdom at 3rd in the world. Only one other country from the region managed to make the global top 50: the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ranked 28th in the world.

6. Are unicorns losing their celebrated status? Not yet

The Index reveals the real impact of the downturn has still not fully materialized in private-sector startup valuations. The number of unicorns has steadily grown over the years. We’ve seen an 80% growth in 2021 and a 67% increase in 2022. However, during the last year, we have witnessed a slowdown with only 8.49% growth in unicorns. This means that unicorns are still being created, but this is happening at a much slower pace compared to previous years.?

Conclusion:

The Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2023, launched by StartupBlink in collaboration with BrightData, has provided valuable insights into the dynamics of startup ecosystems worldwide. This comprehensive evaluation, based on three key subscores, has enabled policymakers, stakeholders, founders, and investors to gain a deeper understanding of local startup economies and make informed decisions.

Eli David, CEO, StartupBlink

Naomi Balaban, Marketing Manager