Seoul has ranked within the top 20 of the global startup city rankings for the first time this year. Five cities, including Ulsan, Jeju, Gangneung, Pohang, and Cheongju, also made the rankings.
The Korea Startup Promotion Agency announced the '2025 Startup Ecosystem Analysis Report' from Startup Blink, which contains this information, on the 23rd. Startup Blink is a global startup ecosystem research organization that maps the global entrepreneurial ecosystem and publishes reports evaluating the quantitative and qualitative aspects of each country's and city's ecosystem.
The Startup Ecosystem Analysis Report, published annually since 2017, evaluates over 100 countries and more than 1,000 cities worldwide. The 2025 edition includes a total of 118 countries and 1,473 cities in its analysis.
In terms of countries, South Korea has maintained its position as the global 20th for three consecutive years and 5th in Asia. The annual ecosystem growth rate is 23.7%, surpassing the global average. Startup Blink analyzed that Korea's 'Startup Korea Policy,' including the cultivation of unicorn corporations, the attraction of global companies, and the inflow of foreign startups, has influenced the growth of the Korean entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In particular, Seoul recorded an ecosystem growth rate of over 30% for three consecutive years, ranking 24th in 2023, following 21st last year, and entered the global city top 20 for the first time this year. Daejeon ranked second among domestic cities at 366th, while Ulsan (546th), Jeju (852nd), Gangneung (887th), Pohang (903rd), and Cheongju (1,048th) also made the rankings for the first time this year.
Startup Blink noted that 'Korea is generating results in the number of unicorn corporations and the growth rate of corporations as policy support and global networks expand rapidly,' while also stating that 'the absence of super-large innovative corporations, a lack of a culture of challenge, and the need for continuous improvement in regional balanced development' require attention.