Bengaluru, often called the “Silicon Valley of India”, has entered the world’s list of startup hubs for the first time. The city secured the 15th position in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2026, making it the only Indian city to feature in the top 20.
For this study, Startup Genome analysed more than 5.5 million companies across more than 350 startup ecosystems and used data from three leading venture funding databases. Startup Genome defines a startup ecosystem as a shared pool of resources — policymakers, accelerators, incubators, co-working spaces, educational institutions, and funding groups — generally located within a 100-kilometre radius of a central point in a given region.
Between 2021 and 2025, startups in Bengaluru attracted $39 billion in venture capital funding. The city’s startup ecosystem growth rate of 190 per cent was significantly higher than the global average of 149 per cent. The city is also home to 30 active unicorns and ranks sixth among Asian startup ecosystems.
While the ranking is still led by Silicon Valley in California, New York City, and London, Bengaluru has left several well-known hubs, such as Washington, DC; San Diego; Austin; Shenzhen; and Chicago, behind.
According to the report, Bengaluru has benefited from strong venture capital activity, rising investment in AI startups, and faster acquisitions and public listings. The city accounted for 58 per cent of India’s AI startup funding. Startups in Bengaluru take an average of 8.2 years to get acquired or go public, nearly three years faster than the global average.
While Bengaluru continues to lead India’s startup ecosystem, the wave of entrepreneurship is rising across several other states as well. According to a Lok Sabha response by Jitin Prasada, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, more than 1.65 lakh startups were recognised between 2021 and 2025 under the Startup India initiative.
According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, nearly half of all recognised startups in India now come from Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Delhi remain among the country’s leading startup hubs. Beyond these established centres, states such as Rajasthan, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, which have generally witnessed lesser activity, are also gaining ground.
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