Tel Aviv, the city that never stops, ranks fourth among global cities in the worldwide start-up ecosystem list, with a valuation of $250 billion. Ahead of it in the ranking are Silicon Valley in the San Francisco area in California, New York, and London. The report was prepared by the global rating firm Start-up Genome in collaboration with Tel Aviv Global City, a company of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality.

The ranking was unveiled yesterday at the Viva Tech exhibition in Paris, and it is based on the world’s most comprehensive database dedicated to the global start-up ecosystem. It covers 71 countries and is based on data analysis of 5.5 million companies and more than 350 innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.

One of the report’s key insights is that artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, life sciences, and deep tech continue to reshape the global economy, and Tel Aviv remains committed to investing in these fields. The sectors driving Tel Aviv’s start-up momentum are supported by world-class research institutions, a close and well-established connection with the defense technology industry, and ongoing continuous international investments. The facts on the ground speak for themselves.

In 2025 and since the beginning of 2026, the company Apple acquired the Tel Aviv-based company Q.ai for approximately $2 billion; 130 Israeli cybersecurity start-ups raised $4.4 billion; and the government launched a national initiative for a supercomputer in the field of AI worth $280 million; and the Israel Biomed Conference 2026 brought together global health leaders to advance the life sciences industry.

Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo: “Innovation in the city is not just an industry, but part of the city’s identity and way of life. This is also taking place in light of global changes and the AI revolution.”

According to Marc Penzel, founder and president of Start-up Genome, “What distinguishes Tel Aviv globally is not only its ranking, but the concentrated depth of talent and innovation that drives it, especially in the fields of AI and big data, cybersecurity, and life sciences. Maintaining fourth place in the world year after year signals a sustained competitive advantage in the sectors that define the global economy.”

Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital: “The value of Israel’s assets, and especially its intellectual assets, far exceeds its liabilities. This is a country that has proven itself in an extraordinary way over the past two years, both militarily and technologically.”

Start-up Genome is the world’s leading organization for developing innovation ecosystems, working with 221 clients across six continents and 71 countries. Its mission is to accelerate start-up success in a way that aims to ensure all cities and countries receive their fair share in the new economy. Start-up Genome’s strategy clients have grown 59% faster than their peers and generated an additional $1.4 billion in value per year.