Taiwan Enters Top 20 for the First Time in 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index
In the 'Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026' released by international innovation research firm StartupBlink, Taiwan climbed five spots to 20th place, achieving its best-ever ranking and entering the top 20 for the first time. It was also recognized as the fastest-growing among the top 20 ecosystems. The National Development Council stated that this highlights Taiwan's strong growth momentum and international competitiveness.
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- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 14:19
- 🔍 Collected: May 19, 2026 at 14:31 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 00:34 (10h 2m after Collected)
International innovation research firm StartupBlink has released the "Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026," in which Taiwan's ranking rose to 20th, its best performance to date. Furthermore, it ranked first in growth among the world's top 20 startup ecosystems. The National Development Council (NDC) stated that this demonstrates the strong growth momentum and international competitiveness of Taiwan's startup ecosystem, underscoring Taiwan's status as a global hub for technology and innovation.
In the "Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026" released by StartupBlink today, Taiwan jumped 5 places among 120 countries, moving from 25th in 2025 to 20th in 2026, marking its first entry into the top 20 and its best result ever. Additionally, Taiwan's startup ecosystem ranked number one in growth among the top 20 ecosystems globally.
The NDC pointed out that the report mentioned several international innovation and entrepreneurship policies actively promoted by Taiwan in recent years. These include promoting the national startup brand Startup Island TAIWAN, establishing overseas startup bases in Silicon Valley and Tokyo, setting up Startup Terrace in Linkou and Yawan, the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), and promoting the Employment Gold Card to attract international innovative talent. These efforts have built a comprehensive startup ecosystem and effectively enhanced Taiwan's international visibility.
Furthermore, Taiwan is ranked 7th globally in the Hardware & IoT sector. The NDC stated that this reflects Taiwan's deep foundation in semiconductors and related industries. Concurrently, the government is promoting the AI New Top 10 Construction policy, which provides the startup ecosystem with comprehensive support in terms of technical talent, supply chains, and industrial clusters. Through these policy supports, Taiwan has successfully facilitated connections between global innovation partners and its startup ecosystem, thereby boosting its international competitiveness.
Besides the significant rise in the overall national ranking, Taiwan's performance at the city level has also been remarkable. The NDC noted that this year, three regions in Taiwan have entered the top quartile among over 1,500 regions globally, all showing substantial improvement in their rankings. For instance, the Taipei Tech Corridor (Taipei to Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli) ranked 39th globally, a new historical high. The Tainan and Kaohsiung region saw a massive leap of 257 places to 194th globally, fully demonstrating that local innovation momentum in Taiwan is continuously strengthening and forming a diverse development structure.
The NDC stated that Taiwan's first-time entry into the global top 20 is a fruitful result of the joint efforts of the government, industry, and the startup community. Taiwan possesses a leading position in hardware and high-density R&D capabilities. By promoting policies such as the AI New Top 10 Construction, Startup Island TAIWAN, and overseas startup bases in Silicon Valley and Tokyo, Taiwan aims to provide startups with comprehensive resources for innovation and entrepreneurship, help them expand into international markets, and ensure they can thrive and lead in the world's most competitive markets, ultimately building Taiwan into an influential innovation and entrepreneurship hub in Asia.
In the "Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026" released by StartupBlink today, Taiwan jumped 5 places among 120 countries, moving from 25th in 2025 to 20th in 2026, marking its first entry into the top 20 and its best result ever. Additionally, Taiwan's startup ecosystem ranked number one in growth among the top 20 ecosystems globally.
The NDC pointed out that the report mentioned several international innovation and entrepreneurship policies actively promoted by Taiwan in recent years. These include promoting the national startup brand Startup Island TAIWAN, establishing overseas startup bases in Silicon Valley and Tokyo, setting up Startup Terrace in Linkou and Yawan, the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), and promoting the Employment Gold Card to attract international innovative talent. These efforts have built a comprehensive startup ecosystem and effectively enhanced Taiwan's international visibility.
Furthermore, Taiwan is ranked 7th globally in the Hardware & IoT sector. The NDC stated that this reflects Taiwan's deep foundation in semiconductors and related industries. Concurrently, the government is promoting the AI New Top 10 Construction policy, which provides the startup ecosystem with comprehensive support in terms of technical talent, supply chains, and industrial clusters. Through these policy supports, Taiwan has successfully facilitated connections between global innovation partners and its startup ecosystem, thereby boosting its international competitiveness.
Besides the significant rise in the overall national ranking, Taiwan's performance at the city level has also been remarkable. The NDC noted that this year, three regions in Taiwan have entered the top quartile among over 1,500 regions globally, all showing substantial improvement in their rankings. For instance, the Taipei Tech Corridor (Taipei to Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli) ranked 39th globally, a new historical high. The Tainan and Kaohsiung region saw a massive leap of 257 places to 194th globally, fully demonstrating that local innovation momentum in Taiwan is continuously strengthening and forming a diverse development structure.
The NDC stated that Taiwan's first-time entry into the global top 20 is a fruitful result of the joint efforts of the government, industry, and the startup community. Taiwan possesses a leading position in hardware and high-density R&D capabilities. By promoting policies such as the AI New Top 10 Construction, Startup Island TAIWAN, and overseas startup bases in Silicon Valley and Tokyo, Taiwan aims to provide startups with comprehensive resources for innovation and entrepreneurship, help them expand into international markets, and ensure they can thrive and lead in the world's most competitive markets, ultimately building Taiwan into an influential innovation and entrepreneurship hub in Asia.