Barcelona strengthens its position as one of the EU’s top five startup hubs for the third consecutive year

Barcelona has once again been recognized as one of Europe’s leading startup ecosystems. According to the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index published by StartupBlink, Barcelona ranks as the fifth-best startup hub in the European Union for the third consecutive year, behind only Paris, Berlin, Stockholm and Amsterdam.

The international ranking, which analyzes more than 1,500 cities across 100 countries, highlights Barcelona’s continued growth as a global technology and innovation hub. On a worldwide scale, the Catalan capital climbed to 32nd position globally, improving one spot compared to last year after increasing its overall score by 5.5%.

The report also underscores the role played by ACCIÓ – Catalonia Trade & Investment in strengthening Catalonia’s startup ecosystem. StartupBlink specifically recognizes the agency for “helping early-stage startups with grants, acceleration and internationalization.”

According to the Government of Catalonia’s Minister for Business and Labour, Miquel Sàmper, the ranking confirms that “Barcelona and Catalonia compete head-to-head with the world’s leading entrepreneurial ecosystems.” He also stressed that Catalonia’s startup ecosystem has enjoyed “a decade of solid and sustained growth,” contributing to the competitiveness and transformation of the wider Catalan economy.

Meanwhile, Jaume Baró, Secretary for Business and Competitiveness and CEO of ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, emphasized that fostering a technology-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem is “a guarantee of competitiveness in an increasingly uncertain and volatile world.” He also noted that startups play a key role not only in driving innovation, but also in attracting international talent and foreign investment to Catalonia.

Catalonia: one of Southern Europe’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems

The StartupBlink ranking evaluates several indicators, including the number and quality of startups, business environment, availability of coworking spaces and accelerators, startup exits, unicorn creation, and overall economic and business performance.

Barcelona remains the leading startup ecosystem in Spain and is one of the few countries in the world where the top-ranked startup hub is not the national capital.

The report also highlights Catalonia’s broader regional strength. Seven Catalan cities appear among the world’s top 700 startup ecosystems: Barcelona (32), Girona (429), Lleida (439), Tarragona (463), Reus (518), Manresa (666) and Granollers (693). Catalonia is also the only territory in Spain where all analyzed startup ecosystems recorded growth over the past year.

According to Catalonia Trade & Investment, Catalonia is now home to 2,403 startups - the highest figure on record and a 5% increase year-on-year. Since 2016, the number of startups in Catalonia has more than doubled.

Today, Catalonia’s startup ecosystem generates nearly €3 billion in combined turnover, up 26% from the previous year, and employs more than 30,500 people, representing annual job growth of 34%.

These figures further consolidate Catalonia’s position as one of Europe’s most dynamic destinations for startups, innovation, venture capital and international business expansion.