Dubai Ranks Third in the Startup Friendly Cities Index 2026
Placed behind only San Francisco and Zurich, the emirate outperformed traditional entrepreneurial hubs such as London, New York and Paris.
Dubai has been named the third most startup-friendly city in the world, highlighting its rapid rise as a global tech and startup hub. The Startup Friendly Cities Index 2026, published by Multipolitan, has placed Dubai behind only San Francisco and Zurich, ahead of traditional heavyweights like London, New York and Paris. The ranking validates the emirate’s long-term strategy of fast-tracked company setup processes and a digital infrastructure designed specifically to support international entrepreneurs.
A major driver of this success has been the lack of friction for new businesses, with Dubai streamlining its regulatory environment by focusing on digital governance and specialised frameworks of zones like the DIFC and ADGM. This streamlining means that new startups can be operational in around a week.
As the only MENA city on the index, Dubai’s ability to retain talent is also a core pillar of its global standing. On a combined measure of safety, healthcare and purchasing power, Dubai outperformed several major tech hubs including Tokyo and Los Angeles. For the modern startup ecosystem, high quality of life has become a critical asset, allowing startups to recruit and retain highly skilled professionals, many of whom stay within the local economy when transitioning into new employment.
The report does note that more mature markets still hold a lead in the total number of unicorns and venture capital depth, but as traditional innovation hubs face challenges with rising costs and administrative bureaucracy, Dubai’s consistency in providing a streamlined process and an aspirational lifestyle offers the global startup community a combination of factors rare in other major locations.
