Singapore ranks best in Asia for Startups

The Startup Friendly Cities Index 2026 was just released, and Singapore ranks fourth globally, making it not only one of the highest-ranking cities worldwide but the top city in Asia. Compiled by Multipolitan, the index assesses how effectively cities support start-up performance across factors such as capital access, connectivity, talent, and livability. Singapore’s strong performance is largely due to its governance, infrastructure, and strategic positioning, clearly marking it as one of the world’s most conducive environments for entrepreneurship.

“The numbers confirm what founders already feel on the ground. Singapore may not shout the loudest, but it works the best,” said Nicholas Michael, Group Head of Marketing Development at Multipolitan. “When you combine regulatory speed, digital maturity, and quality of life, you get a city where teams can ship faster and stay longer. This Index simply puts data behind Singapore’s status as a global home for borderless entrepreneurs.”

The rankings are built through a two-stage methodology. Multipolitan first evaluates countries, shortlisting those with sufficient financial resources and strong scaling potential for start-ups. Financial resources are measured through total venture capital funding and average deal size, while scaling potential is assessed by the number of unicorns produced per country. Cities within those shortlisted countries are then evaluated across five pillars: Regulatory Transparency, Digital Readiness, Talent Density, Infrastructure Quality and Livability.

It is at this city-level assessment that Singapore distinguishes itself. The report notes that the city performs strongly across all five pillars, allowing it to outperform larger American cities and regional competitors alike. While Singapore may not match countries like the United States in absolute venture capital volume, its regulatory efficiency, infrastructure reliability and quality of life combine to create an environment where start-ups can operate with fewer frictions.

The report attributes much of Singapore’s strength to its role as a gateway between Asia, the West and the Middle East, enabling startups to scale across borders with relative ease. Furthermore, this geographic and economic positioning likely supports the city’s high talent density, attracting founders and skilled professionals who see the potential in the country.

“Singapore has quietly become the operating system for ambitious founders,” said Nirbhay Handa, the CEO of Multipolitan. “You don’t just come here for capital, you come for clarity. The rules are predictable, the infrastructure works, and from one city you can plug into Asia, the Middle East, and the West. Singapore’s real advantage is that it lets entrepreneurs focus on building.”

In particular, the index refers to Singapore as “the benchmark for founder mobility and cross-border scalability in Asia.” It highlights the city’s efficient and transparent business regulations, predictable tax environment and strong intellectual property protections as key factors that appeal to entrepreneurs. Together, these governance and structural advantages place Singapore ahead of other global cities, including its Asian peers of Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Jakarta.

Beyond the rankings themselves, this exemplary result bodes well for the future of the country. As a city with limited natural resources, Singapore’s continued success has long been attributed to its strategic clarity and human capital. According to the report, startups renew urban economies and train the next generation of builders. In this context, start-ups enable Singapore to grow in the present, but also in the future. As new startups take root in Singapore, they seed the companies of the future, develop talent, evolve the economy, and move the country Onward, Singapore.