According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026 released by StartupBlink, Vietnam climbed five positions compared to last year to rank 50th globally, achieving its highest position ever in the annual international ranking.

The announcement, published by Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology on May 20, highlighted Vietnam as one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems among countries ranked between 21st and 50th worldwide. StartupBlink described this group as the most dynamic segment of the global rankings, with growth rates significantly outpacing many already established ecosystems.

Within Southeast Asia, Vietnam and Thailand were identified as the region’s strongest emerging startup ecosystems in terms of growth momentum and innovation development.

At the city level, Ho Chi Minh City entered the global Top 100 startup ecosystems for the first time after rising 12 places to rank 98th worldwide. The report stated that Ho Chi Minh City currently leads Southeast Asia in ecosystem maturity and shows particularly strong performance in fintech and blockchain sectors, ranking 60th and 70th globally in those categories.

Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem is also expanding beyond its traditional startup hubs. Alongside Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, the 2026 report marked the first appearance of Hai Phong among the world’s Top 1,000 startup ecosystems.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said the achievement reflects the effectiveness of Vietnam’s recent policies promoting science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

In recent years, Vietnam has introduced several major policy reforms aimed at supporting technology enterprises and innovative startups. For the first time, the country has formally incorporated the concepts of “strategic technology” and “strategic technology products” into law, creating a legal framework for the development of key high-tech industries.

The government recently issued a national list of strategic technologies and strategic technology products, covering 10 major technology groups across critical sectors.

Under the implementation plan for the Politburo’s Resolution 57 on science, technology development, innovation and digital transformation in 2026, Vietnam aims to increase the number of startups by 30% while establishing between 30 and 50 spin-off companies originating from research institutes and universities. The country also plans to build at least three innovation and startup centres in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

In addition, Vietnam is targeting the commercialisation of at least five strategic technology products, including semiconductor chips, 5G network equipment, industrial robots, artificial intelligence technologies, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Technology sandbox models are also expected to be launched in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City to create controlled testing environments and accelerate the deployment of emerging technologies into real-world applications.

The Global Startup Ecosystem Index has been published annually by StartupBlink since 2017 and evaluates startup ecosystems across countries and cities based on factors including ecosystem size, quality, and business environment.

Vietnam’s startup ecosystem currently includes approximately 4,000 startups, 208 investment funds, 84 incubators, and more than 20 startup support centres operating at national and local levels.

Ho Chi Minh City listed among global Top 100 startup ecosystems

Ho Chi Minh City has entered the list of the world’s Top 100 startup ecosystems for the first time, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026 released by StartupBlink.