The National Innovation Agency (NIA), has officially announced the results of the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026. Published by StartupBlink—a global research and analytics platform monitoring startup ecosystem activities across 120 countries and more than 1,500 cities—the index reveals that Thailand has advanced to 49th place globally. This marks the country’s entry into the Top 50 for the first time in six years, ranking 4th in Southeast Asia.
Additionally, Thailand registered a startup ecosystem growth rate of 62.6 percent and was named the best startup ecosystem for MedTech in ASEAN. Locally, Bangkok climbed to 76th globally and 4th in ASEAN, while securing the No. 1 position for Robotics in the region (17th globally). Chiang Mai and Phuket demonstrated strong growth rates of 91.6 percent and 85.9 percent, respectively. Furthermore, four emerging cities—Pattaya, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, and Nakhon Pathom—entered the global rankings for the first time, positioning Thailand as the 3rd most represented country by the number of ranked cities in Southeast Asia.
Prof. Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), stated that the achievement represents another milestone for Thailand’s innovation journey. The country’s rise to 49th globally, entering the Top 50 for the first time in six years and positioning 4th in Southeast Asia behind Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia, reflects continuous progress in building an innovation ecosystem supported by sustained policy efforts across government, academia, and the private sector.
Prof. Dr. Yodchanan emphasized that the government has consistently prioritized innovation-led economic development and the nurturing of technology entrepreneurs, as startups serve as a critical mechanism for building new growth engines for the country’s digital economy, driving target industries, creating high-skilled jobs, and enhancing global competitiveness. He added that Thailand’s elevation to the global Top 50, its No. 1 MedTech ranking in Southeast Asia (8th globally), and Bangkok’s No. 1 Robotics ranking in the region signal rising confidence from international investors, entrepreneurs, and global innovation networks.
Currently, MHESI and NIA are accelerating efforts to strengthen Thailand’s national innovation ecosystem through key initiatives. These programs include Area-Based Innovation Ecosystems, Matching Fund and University Holding Company programs, community Makerspaces, the Startup Thailand League, and systematic intellectual property management. The primary objective is to develop DeepTech startups and advanced technology industries within strategic fields, including MedTech, AI, Robotics, Climate Tech, and FoodTech. These measures are being deployed alongside high-skilled workforce development, commercialization-driven research, and enhanced collaboration between academia, industry, and investment sectors to build new knowledge- and innovation-driven economic foundations that will advance Thailand toward becoming a fully-fledged “Innovation Nation.”
Prof. Dr. Yodchanan further highlighted Thailand’s emergence as a leader in MedTech startups, demonstrating the nation’s readiness to align with the global trend toward a Wellness Economy, which serves as a new economic engine for the country’s future. He noted that Thai entrepreneurs possess strong knowledge and innovation capabilities required to develop new technologies that address healthcare and medical market demands. However, persistent challenges remain, such as access to capital funding, opportunities to test innovations prior to full product development, and the requirement for stronger growth support networks. He reaffirmed that the government stands ready to support collaboration across public, private, university, and investor sectors to jointly generate opportunities toward the national goal of becoming a high-income country driven by research and innovation.
Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency (NIA), remarked that the index findings reflect multidimensional growth across Thailand’s startup ecosystem. Aside from entering the global Top 50 for the first time in six years, Thailand secured the 4th fastest growth rate among the global Top 50 at 62.6 percent, making it the 2nd fastest-growing ecosystem in Southeast Asia. This growth reflects the capability of Thai entrepreneurs, the expansion of technology investments, and the robustness of nationwide startup networks. Thailand also achieved 2nd place in the Asia-Pacific region for Startup Community Activity, underlining the ongoing vibrancy of its innovation activities and entrepreneurial communities. Dr. Krithpaka noted that this year highlights a visible structural development within Thailand’s innovation ecosystem, particularly through stronger linkages between entrepreneurs, investors, universities, and support agencies, combined with the expansion of innovation activities into regional areas.
Dr.Krithpaka detailed that Bangkok rose five places to 76th globally and 4th in Southeast Asia, claiming the No. 1 spot for Robotics in the region and 17th globally. Secondary cities like Phuket and Chiang Mai experienced explosive growth, demonstrating the decentralization of the national innovation ecosystem and showing the potential of secondary cities to attract international entrepreneurs, investors, and digital nomads to build businesses and innovations. She explained that StartupBlink evaluates rankings based on three key assessment criteria:
- Quantity Score: The overall volume of ecosystem activity, measuring the number of startups, investors, accelerators, co-working spaces, and ecosystem actors.
- Quality Score: The quality and impact of the ecosystem, evaluating unicorn startup growth, investment flows, the strength of technology companies, and global ecosystem influence.
- Startup Business Environment Score: Assessing the readiness of the business environment across infrastructure, regulation, internet quality, business operating conditions, talent readiness, and other support services.
Dr. Krithpaka concluded that Thailand is shifting from being solely a tourism destination to becoming a primary location for international tech entrepreneurs, investors, and digital nomads to live, work, and build businesses, especially in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket due to their strong infrastructure, quality of life, and growing creative entrepreneur communities. To further strengthen Thailand’s global position, NIA intends to develop the Ari Innovation District into a flagship startup community hub that connects knowledge, capital, technology, and international innovation networks to create future economic opportunities.
She stated that this growth is a clear signal that the Thai innovation ecosystem is transforming into a Global Startup Hub, and the NIA will continue working with all stakeholders to generate opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs, connect the country to global innovation networks, and drive Thailand toward its vision as a Startup Nation.
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