Valencia continues to consolidate its international positioning as one of Europe’s leading poles of innovation and technological entrepreneurship. This is reflected in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2026, produced by Startup Genome and presented today at VivaTech Paris, which places the city between positions 61 and 70 in the global ranking of emerging ecosystems and recognises it as one of the ecosystems with the greatest projection and growth at an international level. It thus stands as the third Spanish city in emerging ecosystems, behind Madrid and Barcelona.
The report, considered one of the most relevant global references for measuring the strength of entrepreneurial ecosystems, analyses more than 5.5 million companies from more than 350 innovation ecosystems worldwide. In this edition, Valencia stands out for the sustained growth of its ecosystem, its capacity to attract talent and investment, and the drive of strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, health technologies and the video game industry.
The evolution is particularly significant when compared with the two previous editions of the report. In 2024, Valencia was placed in the 91-100 range of emerging ecosystems; in 2025 it rose to positions 81-90 and, in the 2026 edition, it climbs again to enter the global Top 70. This progression consolidates the city as one of the fastest-growing innovation ecosystems in Europe and evidences the acceleration experienced by Valencian technological entrepreneurship in recent years.
One of the most significant indicators in the report is the increase in the economic value of the Valencian ecosystem, which reaches 3.1 billion dollars, representing a growth of 122% compared to the period analysed in the 2021 edition. Startup Genome attributes this evolution to the strengthening of the local entrepreneurial fabric, the increase in investment activity and the growing capacity of Valencian startups to scale and compete in international markets.
In addition, Valencia improves its positioning across several key indicators compared to the previous edition. While in 2025 it featured among the top 30 European ecosystems in performance and among the top 35 in affordable talent, in 2026 it ranks among the top 30 European ecosystems in affordable talent and financing dynamism; among the top 35 European ecosystems in artificial intelligence-related activity; among the top 45 in ecosystem performance; and among the top 50 in talent strength and retention.
The Innovation Councillor, Paula Llobet, has stated that this international recognition “confirms that Valencia is consolidating its own innovation model that already generates economic impact, attracts investment and creates opportunities for talent”.
”Having advanced from position 91-100 in just two years to enter today’s global Top 70 demonstrates that Valencia is no longer just a city with innovative potential, but an ecosystem internationally recognised for its capacity to grow, attract talent and generate business opportunities”, she highlighted.
”Just a few years ago we were talking about the innovative potential of our city. Today the leading international reports place us among the most dynamic emerging ecosystems in the world. This recognition demonstrates that the commitment to innovation as public policy is delivering tangible results and positioning Valencia as one of the great technological hubs of southern Europe”, she stated.
Llobet highlighted that this progress is the result of a city strategy based on collaboration between public administrations, universities, startups, companies and investors. ”Valencia has managed to build a solid and competitive ecosystem that combines quality of life, talent attraction capacity, innovative infrastructures and a growing international presence. Our objective is not only to improve positions in rankings, but to generate economic growth, qualified employment and new opportunities for citizens”, she added.
A ecosystem in full expansion
The evolution reflected by Startup Genome coincides with other indicators that evidence the moment of maturity and growth being experienced by the Valencian ecosystem. In 2024, the city reached 1,517 startups and generated more than 20,000 jobs linked to the innovative economy. Two years later, the ecosystem is approaching 1,700 active startups, consolidating a trajectory of sustained growth and growing specialisation in high added-value technologies.
Currently, the city has around 1,700 active startups and more than 20,000 qualified jobs linked to the innovative economy. Furthermore, during 2025 Valencia exceeded 200 million euros of investment raised by startups and reinforced its capacity to attract international business projects linked to strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, health, sustainability, semiconductors and gaming.
The international projection of the ecosystem has also been driven by initiatives such as Valencia Innovation Capital and Startup Valencia, and by reference events such as VDS, which in its latest edition brought together more than 12,000 professionals from more than 120 countries and generated an economic impact of 26 million euros for the city.
Artificial intelligence, health and gaming as growth engines
The report identifies artificial intelligence and data, health technologies and the video game industry as some of the main drivers of Valencian growth, thanks to the arrival of new investments, the development of specialised infrastructures and the growth of high-potential technology companies.
This positioning occurs in a particularly favourable context for the Spanish technology sector. According to Dealroom‘s annual report on the national technology ecosystem, Spain has become one of the fastest-growing technology ecosystems in Europe, with a combined value of 125 billion euros and one of the most dynamic artificial intelligence industries on the continent.
In this scenario, Valencia is consolidating itself as one of the main innovation nodes of the Mediterranean thanks to a combination of specialised talent, entrepreneurial capacity, investment attraction and a public strategy aimed at generating economic and social impact.
”The challenge now is to keep scaling. We want the startups born in Valencia to be able to grow here, attract international capital and become global benchmarks. We are building the conditions for the next great European success story to emerge from our city”, concluded Paula Llobet.
