London named top tech city in Europe!

London has been named the top city in Europe to start a tech business, according to the European Digital City Index, compiled by innovation foundation Nesta and the European Digital Forum.

The European Digital City Index recently ranked 60 European cities on the basis of how well they support digital entrepreneurs - both on a "start-up" and "scale-up" basis. London topped both lists and the UK ranked prominently - with 9 cities ranked, 6 of which are ranked in the top 20 for start-ups and 4 of which are ranked in the top 20 for scale-ups. Both indices should serve as a great resource (and for London, an affirmation!) regarding the strengths and weaknesses of different tech ecosystems in Europe. Unsurprisingly, London ranked #1 for access to capital - the key differentiator between London and other rival cities.

Interestingly - the other leading cities were not exclusively the usual suspects. Here are the top 5 for each:

Start-ups: (1) London, (2) Stockholm, (3) Amsterdam, (4) Helsinki, and (5) Paris.

Scale-ups: (1) London, (2) Stockholm, (3) Paris, (4) Helsinki, and (5) Amsterdam.