The Global Tech Ecosystem Index 2026 tracks startup ecosystems in 325 cities in 77 countries across three categories.
European cities account for 10 of the 20 best tech ecosystems in the world, according to a new report by tracking platform Dealroom.
The ‘Global Tech Ecosystem Index’ for 2026 tracks startup ecosystems in 325 cities in 77 countries through three categories: scale, individual performance – or density – and growth, aiming to provide a “multidimensional view of the innovation landscape”.
In terms of density, 45 European cities stand out from the rest of the world out of 100, ahead of 40 North American ones. The ratings measure innovation per person, including startups, business value creation, ‘unicorns’ and partner universities.
Cambridge, London, Stockholm, Ghent, Lausanne, Oxford, Tallinn, Copenhagen, Munich and Amsterdam are among the 20 leaders worldwide. Cambridge in the UK is third in this metric, behind only the Bay Area and Boston, both in the US.
US ecosystems include nine entries in the density leaders.
Europe is one of six global regions monitored by the index – alongside North America; Latin America; Asia-Pacific; Middle East and North Africa; and Sub-Saharan Africa – in economic relations, investment flows and integration of the tech ecosystem.
The index suggests that this approach reflects how the new environment works, linked by trade, talent and finance rather than just nationalism.
In the rankings of the index scale, tracking the “largest and most successful technology hub in the world”, London (fourth), Paris (eighth) and Stockholm (19th) are part of the top 20, with 11 places occupied by North American cities.
Istanbul, Zagreb and Kyiv are European countries in the top 20 fastest growing cities in the world.
“As Europe struggles with low concentrated growth, political leaders see technology and innovation as a key factor in building economic competitiveness,” said Yoram Wijngaard, founder and CEO of Dealroom.
“Innovation is seen not only as a means of securing growth but also of national resilience and strategic independence. What stands out is not only the strength of leading locations such as London and Paris, but the proliferation of small efficient living spaces that are often built around leading research and education centers.”
In the field of AI, European Ecosystems are in the top 10 of the world’s top 20 in terms of quantity, with Cambridge ranked second in the category. Tel Aviv, Israel and nine US cities round out the category.
In the security sector of the top 20 index by density, European cities account for six entries, with Munich ranked second in the category.
Dealroom said: “The rankings show a different European model – a globally competitive environment built around research institutes, technical talent and specialized industries rather than measuring each other. Across the continent, small cities are generating huge impact in areas such as AI, biotech, climate technology and advanced manufacturing.”
According to Dealroom, its database comes from four sources: aggregated public information such as news, files, registries, job boards; community submitted data from startups, investors and brokers verified by Dealroom; government direct API communication; and third party data sharing.
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