Report: Houston Takes a Spot in Global Rankings for Best Startup Ecosystems in 2024

Houston is making progress in the startup world.

The city rises to 48th place on StartupBlink list of the world’s best startup ecosystems for 2024. That’s four spots higher than Houston’s No. 52 ranking on the 2023 list. StartupBlink is a business research platform.

The Greater Houston Partnership recently highlighted the rise of Houston’s ecosystem for startups.

“Houston’s tech scene has made many strides in recent years to establish the foundation for startups to thrive, from inception to late-stage, across all industries,” the partnership states. “With the multitude of incubators coming online and a surge in venture capital funding, startups now have more landing spots and growth opportunities in Houston than ever before.”

Elsewhere in Texas:

• Austin lands at No. 17, up four spots from last year.
• Dallas-Fort Worth appears at No. 25, up one spot from last year.

The three top-ranked startup ecosystems in the world are the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and London.

“As we navigate 2024, it is undeniably a challenging year for the global startup ecosystem,” Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, said in the report. “The financing landscape has entered deeper into a “winter,” signaling a significant shift

tightening availability of capital for startups. This financial restriction coincides with increased geopolitical tensions and a notable retreat from globalization.”

In this climate, the decision of where to nurture a startup ecosystem is more important than ever, Rokah says.

“As the bubble bursts and capital becomes increasingly concentrated in specific geographic regions, startups must strategically select their locations to access critical resources and financing opportunities,” he says.