Dubai has secured the top position in the Middle East and North Africa and 11th globally on the Startup Ecosystem Index for 2021, released yesterday by the American organization Startup Genome, which specializes in startup matters worldwide. This year, Dubai rose 7 places compared to its ranking in the 2020 index, reflecting the significant strides Dubai has made in recent years concerning fostering and supporting startups.
Dubai achieved a perfect score of "10 out of 10" in two sub-indicators: "Startup Financing" and "Startup Market Access." It scored 8 points on the "Startup Performance" sub-indicator and 4 points on the "Talent" index. Additionally, Dubai was recognized as having the second-best regional startup ecosystem in terms of performance and the best in the Arab world.
Dubai outperformed cities such as Brussels, Bristol, "Manchester-Liverpool," Istanbul, Detroit, Lisbon, Portland, Houston, and Helsinki, which were ranked from 12th to 20th, respectively. The index dedicated significant attention to "District 2020," the futuristic city designated for startups as part of "Expo 2020 Dubai," set to open in 8 days.
The index noted that "District 2020" will serve as a global innovation ecosystem, facilitating connections between people, companies, technologies, industries, research and development entities, and academic institutions. Furthermore, "District 2020" will support Dubai’s future agenda and the growth of the UAE's economy based on innovation.
The index ranks cities worldwide based on the total scores they receive across four sub-indicators. Mumbai topped the index, followed by Copenhagen in second place and Jakarta in third. Guangzhou, Barcelona, Estonia, Wuxi, Madrid, Zurich, and Miami were ranked from fourth to tenth, respectively.
