(SINGAPORE) – Singapore has climbed to fourth place in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, published by StartupBlink, marking its highest position to date. The economy now leads the Asia Pacific region and is the only one from the area to feature in the global top five. Its regional score is nearly double that of Australia, which holds second place in the region.
The city state recorded annual ecosystem growth of 24.4 percent, the fastest rate among the world’s top ten locations. This performance outpaced the global average increase of 17.5 percent and the Asia Pacific average of 21.2 percent. Across the region, six of the top ten economies expanded by more than 20 percent.
The total value of Singapore’s startup ecosystem now stands at S$376.8 billion (US$292.1 billion, £229.4 billion). The country is home to 19 unicorns, privately held startup companies valued at over US$1 billion. It also ranks second out of 125 countries in the Innovators Business Environment Index, which measures the conditions that support new business ventures.
Singapore achieved the top global ranking in the Startup Community Activity category. It placed second worldwide in Fintech, behind only the United States, and second in Ecommerce and Retail. The country ranks third globally for both Ecosystem Brand Value and Ecosystem Visibility. Within the Asia Pacific, it holds the leading position for its overall startup ecosystem.
For the first time, Singapore entered the global top ten for cities, rising two places to tenth. The city’s score reached 78.854 points, driven by growth of 26.7 percent, the highest among all top ten cities.
The report credits government support as a key factor behind this momentum. It points to the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 plan, a S$37 billion (US$28.7 billion, £22.5 billion) commitment. This sum represents about 1 percent of gross domestic product over five years. The plan directs funding into artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, quantum technology, health and biomedical sciences, and green technologies.
An additional S$1 billion (US$775 million, £608 million) has been allocated to top up the Startup SG Equity scheme. This funding is designed to support deep tech startups beyond their early stages of financing.