Startup Genome

Every startup ecosystem is trying to attract more venture capital and more skilled talent — but which one is harder to achieve? Some argue that funding is the lifeblood of any startup scene — without it, even the best talent can’t succeed.Others say that great talent attracts capital naturally, so ecosystems should focus on developing and retaining top entrepreneurs. If you could only solve one problem in your startup ecosystem — more VC funding or more top-tier talent — which would you choose, and why? 💡What does your city need more of? Drop your thoughts below! 👇

🚀 Insights from the #GSER2024: The Mid-East Region of Ireland with counties Meath, Kildare, and Wicklow, encircling Dublin, offers a thriving entrepreneurial scene, with incubators, industrial parks, and innovation hubs supporting a diverse group of startups. Mid-East Region, Ireland’s strong and varied startup support includes: • Meath Enterprise is a commercially-focused local government enterprise-development company with a mission to drive local, regional, and national innovation and enterprise development through the provision of business incubation and support services, collaboration, clustering, and creative thinking. • CEO of Meath Enterprise and Founder and Managing Director of the Boyne Valley Food Innovation District, Gary O'Meara has a clear vision for what the Mid-East Region and Ireland can realize in terms of social and economic value, and has a keen insight to know how to get there. • Co-founder and Managing Director of Complex Nutrition, John Cunningham drives the strategic development of the company. He is also the Business Champion for Meath on the government’s regional enterprise plan committee. • Owen Brennan is the Executive Chairman of Devenish Nutrition (North America), a leading global agri technology company, and current Chair of the Irish governments Regional Enterprise Strategic Plan for the Mid East Region in Ireland. • Allan Shine is the Chief Executive of Kildare Innovation Campus (KIC), Europe’s first Deeptech Valley and a location of choice for new investors, world-leading startups and global multinational companies. • Michael Brougham is the Manager of the Mid East Regional Skills Forum, a government initiative that works with and supports all ecosystem stakeholders to identify and implement proactive responses to address current and future skills needs. • Siobhan Keogh is the Regional Director at Enterprise Ireland for the Mid-East Region of Ireland and member of the government’s Regional Enterprise Strategic Plan committee for the Mid-East Region. Learn more about Mid-East Region, Ireland’s startup ecosystem: https://buff.ly/3y0DfpJ #Ireland #startup #startupecosystem #founder #innovation

🚀 Insights from the #GSER2024: As the first African country to implement a national startup law, Tunisia is the birthplace of African entrepreneurship. Innovation continues to thrive here with local and international collaboration, funding initiatives, and national strategies supporting startup growth. Tunisia’s strong and varied startup support includes: • Smart Capital is in charge of the implementation of Startup Tunisia’s three components: Startup Act, the law and its incentives; Startup Invest, which oversees funding; and Startup Ecosystem, which backs supporting structures such as incubators, accelerators, and startup studios. • CDC Bénin is a Private Equity arm of the government that supports state policies in sustainable development goals and projects. • Part of Yunus Social Business Network, Impact Partner provides financial and non-financial support for startups that have a positive impact on society and a high potential to create jobs. • MEDIN Fund Management is a VC firm that specializes in managing VC funds that link the North African technology ecosystem with the global tech hubs in Silicon Valley, Europe, and Asia. • Minassa منصة is an incubator of the cultural and creative scene that aims to support the creative and cultural industries in Tunisia. • Makers Factory is a support structure dedicated to creative digital projects and content creators. • NOVATION CITY runs a full program from ideation to prototyping for AI startups and Industry 4.0 solutions. • 216 Capital Ventures is a venture capital firm focusing on early-stage technology companies. Learn more about Tunisia’s startup ecosystem: https://buff.ly/3zHDYN1 #Tunisia #startup #startupecosystem #founder #innovation

🌍✨ Samantha Evans, Managing Director, MENA at Startup Genome, took the stage at LEAP 2025 in Riyadh last week, sharing insights on "The Role of National Government in Building World-Class Ecosystems." Invited by the وزارة الاتصالات وتقنية المعلومات،Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, she explored the key ingredients that drive startup success — customers, capital, a center of gravity, and deep networks. What do the Pyramids, the Circus, and Snake Oil have to do with building world-class tech ecosystems? 🤔 Read Samantha’s reflections: https://buff.ly/41aUKhH #LEAP2025 #StartupEcosystems #Innovation #TechHubs

🚀 Insights from the #GSER2024: Since becoming the fastest-growing startup ecosystem in the region, Abu Dhabi continues to excel as a city championing startup growth. The region showcases startups thriving across sub-sectors, with major strengths in Fintech, Climatech, and Web3 and Digital Assets. Highlights include: • First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) partnered with Microsoft to launch the AI Innovation Hub, leveraging Azure AI for Banking as a Service and Risk as a Service solution. • Abu Dhabi invested $1.4 billion of the total $1.85 billion investment in energy and mobility-related technology companies in the region. • Klumi Ventures, the UAE's first Web3 VC firm, launched two specialized funds: a $15 Million Qualified Investors Fund for early-stage Web3 startups and a $100 million fund promoting technologies and decentralized sectors. Discover more about Abu Dhabi’s sub-sector strengths: https://buff.ly/4b0elFA #AbuDhabi #Fintech #Climatech #Web3 #DigitalAssets #startup #startupecosystem #founder #innovation

🚀 We are thrilled to announce that a feature by Forrest Wright, Research Assessment Lead, is spotlighted on Technical.ly ! In this article, Forrest examines the cost advantage paradox in startup ecosystems. He explains that while affordability can attract startups, long-term success depends on developing specialized resources and strong networks. Discover how Austin, Texas, and North Carolina's Research Triangle highlight regions where cost advantages, combined with strategic specialization, have led to thriving innovation hubs: https://buff.ly/4gQXqqr Thank you to Technical.ly for featuring this study!

🚀 Insights from the #GSER2024: Valencia's thriving ecosystem, supported by talent, government initiatives, and connectivity, positions it as a global startup hub. The region showcases startups thriving across sub-sectors, with major strengths in AI & Big Data, Life Sciences, and Gaming. Highlights include: • According to the Valencia Region Startup Observatory, 20.71% of firms are developing solutions with AI, and 15.61% are utilizing Big Data. Quibim doubled its turnover to $1.7 million by using AI models. • A network of research institutions (Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe (CIPF), La Fe Health Research Institute | IIS La Fe, INCLIVA Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Fundació Fisabio, Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV)), industrial clusters (BIOHUB VLC, BIOVAL Clúster BIO Comunidad Valenciana, Parc Científic de la Universitat de València), alongside private organizations and investment funds, synergize with a vibrant startup scene to establish a thriving biotech hub. • Educational institutions include ESAT - Escuela Superior de Arte y Tecnología - Valencia, which was ranked the top videogame school in Spain and seventh worldwide by GAMEducation, and UNIVERSAL ARTS SCHOOL, ranked the 15th best animation school in the world by ACR. Discover more about Valencia’s sub-sector strengths: https://buff.ly/3z6r7Uv #Valencia #AI #BigData #LifeSciences #Gaming #startup #startupecosystem #founder #innovation

🚀 Insights from the #GSER2024: Philadelphia, an ecosystem that has strong roots in innovation and has emerged as a center for technology and diversity, has gained national recognition for its Life Sciences and Cleantech sectors. Philadelphia’s strong and varied startup support includes: • Ranked among the most active seed and early stage investors in the U.S., Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania is a venture development organization that helps high-growth innovative enterprises plant and nurture their roots in the Philadelphia region. • Drexel University is a comprehensive global research university with a unique model of experiential learning that combines academic rigor with one of the nation’s premier cooperative education programs. • Established in 1963, The University City Science Center, a nonprofit, has been recognized by The Brookings Institution as a best-in-class investor, mentor, and economic development partner for young technology companies. • Created by founders for founders, Philly Startup Leaders supports current and future entrepreneurs by providing them with the education, mentorship, and network needed to scale their businesses. • Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator and their strategic innovation programs give global founders access to the company’s network of mentors and brands to foster rapid breakthroughs in media, entertainment, and connectivity. • Independence Health Group, Inc. is a leading health insurance company that has built a reputation for seeking innovative partnerships with world-class organizations in Philadelphia and across the country to enable better health for all. • Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT) is the go-to resource for fast-growing companies, as well as a driver of entrepreneurship and innovation in the Philadelphia region and a leader in creating access and equity for underrepresented founders. • 1Philadelphia is a coalition of community partners working together to create an equitable tech industry in Philadelphia. Learn more about the Philadelphia’s startup ecosystem: https://buff.ly/3AWi9do #Philadelphia #startup #startupecosystem #founder #innovation

In a new article series, we introduce the Global Hypergrowth Tokyo cohort companies, exploring the groundbreaking technologies each startup is developing to make a positive impact on the world. In our next profile, meet Tokyo-based I'mbesideyou Inc., a startup that provides continual emotional knowledge based on an increasing repository of AI-analyzed data gathered from tens of thousands of sources. By evaluating facial expressions and voice, it can provide observations and advice on users’ emotions such as causes for anxiety or ways to improve communication skills. Learn more about how I’mbesideyou’s AI therapy solutions are supporting patients with around-the-clock care: https://buff.ly/3CXEEzR #Hypergrowth #Tokyo #I’mbesideyou #Technology #ArtificialIntelligence

🚀 Insights from the #GSER2024: Singapore is a leading startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia, distinguished by its dynamic pro-business climate and attractive position for accessing the Southeast Asian market. The region showcases startups thriving across sub-sectors, with major strengths in AI, Big Data & Analytics, Life Sciences, and CleanTech. Highlights include: • Initiatives such as the partnership between the Singapore Economic Development Board and JLABS to accelerate biotech startups, the establishment of Merck’s first Digital Hub in Asia, and the upcoming Geneo Life Sciences and Innovation Hub solidify Singapore’s position in the industry. • Initiatives including the Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI and partnerships with Google Cloud for AI Trailblazers demonstrate Singapore's commitment to advancing AI. • Projects highlighting Singapore’s Cleantech growth include Swiss engineering company Sulzer’s $7.3 million Innovation Technology Hub (InTecH), opened in March 2024, and the construction of Singapore’s first hydrogen-ready power plant, the Keppel Sakra Cogen Plant, set for completion in H1 2026. Discover more about Singapore’s sub-sector strengths: https://lnkd.in/gkQqraK #Singapore #AdvancedManufacturing #Cleantech #LifeSciences #AI #BigData #Analytics #startup #startupecosystem #founder #innovation