Does location still matter in a distributed world? π
Distribution is a fact: There are now 168 cities with at least one unicorn or $1B+ exit. Back in 2010, this number was just 12. Hundreds of tech ecosystems have sprung up globally. Over 40 of them have created over $100B in value. Capital began to recognize the potential outside the big hubs for tech growth.
But, yes, location still matters.
Distribution simply means startups can be built from multiple cities at the same time at an earlier stage. These new unicorn cities have acted as platforms facilitating talent, capital, infrastructure, and enablers. This bodes well for the future, as unicorns can be excellent founder factories, creating a positive flywheel effect. The entrepreneurial spirit in smaller communities is where many expect most of the new jobs and new opportunities to arise in the coming years.
The coming decade will require the next generation of tech ecosystems to bring together capital, entrepreneurship, knowledge, frontier R&D, and science on one platform.
π Top 100 startups to watch outside the top tech hubs
Weβve identified the top 100 startups to watch, that are based outside of some of the usual startup hotspots, based on Dealroom Signal.
The top 10 startup cities worldwide based on venture capital funding in the last five years, are the Bay Area, New York City, Boston, Beijing, London, Shanghai, Bengaluru, Singapore, Paris, and Berlin.
Instead, this list surfaces some fast-growing, interesting opportunities in places like Melbourne, Memphis, Munich, and Grand Baie Mauritius.
The Victorian tech ecosystem steadily grew in value over the years, increasing 16x since 2016 to reach AUD100B in 2022. Unicorns and promising companies are continuously driving more growth to the ecosystem, and it now takes 5 years on average for a startup founded after 2010 to become a unicorn. LaunchVic showcases its growing ecosystem in its new campaign "Startups start here".
insureNXT is an international congress and expo for the next generation of insurance products and innovative services. Discover the companies exhibiting in the Cologne Startup Village.
π¬π· May 24-26, Thessaloniki, Greece
Join ecosystem cooperation panel discussions with investors from Central and South East Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and North America at EBAN Congress.