Global Tech Ecosystem Index

Dealroom's index ranks 325 city tech ecosystems through three lenses: Global Champions (absolute scale), Density Leaders (per capita) and Rising Stars (growth). It draws on Dealroom's startup, funding and valuation database, which many governments already use for ecosystem reporting.

Visit the Dealroom GTEI site

SectionEditions

Get Pro

Actions

Get Pro

Editions

Edition	Published	Top of the list	On record
2026	May 28, 2026	Bay Area	16 of 325
2025	May 21, 2025	Bay Area	7 of 288

How the ranking works

Each ecosystem is scored on investment, innovation, talent and outcome measures from Dealroom's database. Global Champions ranks scale using VC investment, combined enterprise value of startups, unicorn count and university linkages; Density Leaders applies similar measures per capita; Rising Stars ranks growth in enterprise value and unicorn creation since a base year (2019 in the 2026 edition, 2017 in the 2025 edition). Indicator weights are not published on the public pages.

Coverage rose from 288 ecosystems in 69 countries (2025) to 325 in 77 countries (2026). Dealroom also publishes sector cuts (for example AI, fintech, defence tech).

Ranked positions: Each item has a position (1, 2, 3), with ties allowed. Ecosystems cannot apply; Dealroom ranks qualifying cities and metro areas from its own database. Dealroom states that 60+ cities and countries benchmark their ecosystems with it (a commercial relationship with some ranked places), and the full rankings require an email sign-up.

Read the publisher’s methodology

How far to trust it

Superscout grades every ranking on six criteria, each scored 0 to 2. Global Tech Ecosystem Index scores 8 of 12, grade B.

Transparency 1/2: Indicators are named but weights and formulas are not public.
Independence 1/2: Census of qualifying hubs, but Dealroom has commercial ties with 60+ ranked cities and countries.
Evidence 2/2: Based on funding, enterprise value and unicorn data.
Stability 1/2: Coverage and growth base year changed between the first two editions.
Coverage 2/2: Ranks 325 hubs in 77 countries.
Track record 1/2: Two editions.

History

Dealroom, an Amsterdam-based startup data company, has produced ecosystem reports for individual cities and countries for years, often commissioned by local governments. It launched the Global Tech Ecosystem Index as a global cross-city benchmark in May 2025 and published the second edition in May 2026 with wider coverage and a shorter growth base period.

How it is received

The index is new and has mainly been covered by local ecosystem outlets reporting their city's placement (for example Refresh Miami on Miami's #20 Global Champions rank in 2026). No independent methodological critique was found. Because many ranked cities are Dealroom ecosystem partners, readers should treat it as a commercial benchmark rather than an independent audit.

Strengths

Built on a large, commercially maintained funding and valuation database.
Three lenses separate scale, per-capita density and growth.
Covers 325 ecosystems, more than top-40 style rankings.
Sector cuts allow comparison by vertical.

Weaknesses

Only two editions, so no track record of stability.
Full rankings and weights sit behind an email gate.
Dealroom sells services to ranked cities and countries.
Growth base year changed between editions.

Open questions

Facts not verified yet. They stay visible so they are not mistaken for settled facts.

Berlin's ranks in the 2025 and 2026 editions were not found in public sources; the full lists require email registration.
Indicator weights and the exact data window are not stated on public pages.
Whether Dealroom considers earlier city ecosystem reports part of this series is unclear; only the 2025 and 2026 global editions are listed.

Superscout describes Global Tech Ecosystem Index independently from the publisher’s own pages and outside coverage, linked below. The rankings belong to Dealroom.co.

Suggest a correction How the research works

Sources and known limits

Last reviewed Sep 23, 2026.