Ho Chi Minh City enters global top 100 startup ecosystems for first time: StartupBlink

The achievement marks the city’s highest position ever in the annual ranking and represents an improvement of 12 places from last year, the municipal Department of Science and Technology said on Tuesday.

The result also allowed the city to achieve its goal of joining the global top 100 four years ahead of schedule, as the target had originally been set for 2030.

Within Southeast Asia, Ho Chi Minh City ranked fifth overall among startup ecosystems, the report said.

It also placed second in the region for ecosystem maturity and seventh in the Asia-Pacific region for startup community activity.

In individual sectors, the city ranked third in Southeast Asia for fintech and fifth for blockchain.

According to StartupBlink, fintech is Ho Chi Minh City’s strongest sector, ranking 60th globally, while blockchain ranked 70th worldwide.

The report also identified Ho Chi Minh City as Southeast Asia’s leading startup ecosystem in terms of maturity, an indicator measuring the ability to generate startups with strong growth and scaling potential.

The city was further recognized as one of the region’s most active startup hubs, supported by growing participation from startups, investors, universities, technology companies and innovation support organizations.

StartupBlink’s index is considered one of the leading international benchmarks for startup ecosystems.

The report evaluates more than 1,500 cities and 100 countries worldwide based on factors including ecosystem activity, quality and the broader innovation-friendly business environment.

Ho Chi Minh City has continued promoting policies and programs aimed at supporting startups and fostering innovation in recent years.

The city has expanded its open innovation model, strengthened investment linkages, promoted international cooperation and launched the Startup and Innovation Hub of Ho Chi Minh City under a public-private partnership model.

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City also hosted several international innovation and startup events, including WISE HCMC, Vietnam Innovation Summit, InnoEx and Mega Us Expo.

The events helped expand the city’s innovation ecosystem network and strengthen its connections with regional and global partners.

Lam Dinh Thang, director of the Department of Science and Technology, said the ranking reflected sustained efforts and contributions from stakeholders across the ecosystem.

These included startups, investors, universities, research institutes, support organizations and government agencies.

According to Thang, the achievement also demonstrated the city’s consistent focus on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as key drivers of rapid and sustainable development.

He said joining the global top 100 would enhance Ho Chi Minh City’s international profile while helping attract investment capital, experts and innovation partnerships.

“This result should be viewed as a foundation for the city to continue improving a favorable environment for science and technology enterprises and innovative startups,” Thang said.

It will also contribute to the goal of achieving double-digit economic growth and strengthening the city’s competitiveness in its next phase of development, he added.