Hong Kong climbs in global startup ecosystem index

StartupBlink said the city was the only Chinese startup hub in the global top 100 to rise in the rankings.

Hong Kong rose two places to rank 35th globally in StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026.

The city recorded 3.4% annual ecosystem growth and a total score of 28.836, according to the report.

Hong Kong was the only Chinese city in the global top 100 to climb in the rankings. It also became China’s fourth-ranked startup ecosystem after overtaking Hangzhou.

The improvement came as several major Chinese startup hubs weakened. Beijing fell one spot to sixth globally, whilst Shanghai dropped to eighth. Shenzhen declined nine places to 26th, whilst Hangzhou fell eight places to 37th.

StartupBlink said Beijing and Shanghai recorded steep declines of 21.4% and 20.0%, respectively. Shenzhen posted a 14.8% drop, whilst Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Nanjing also recorded double-digit declines.

China’s overall country ranking fell two places to 15th globally, with annual ecosystem growth down 7.9%.

The report said Asia Pacific’s startup ecosystem growth was weighed down by declines in China’s major urban centres, although other markets in the region recorded stronger gains.

StartupBlink’s index ranks 1,556 cities and 100 countries using indicators grouped under quantity, quality, and business environment.