Sharjah has been ranked in the top in high growth activation phase ecosystems in the newly launched Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER), marking a milestone in the emirate’s journey towards becoming a thriving global startup hub.

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has partnered with Startup Genome, the world’s leading policy advisory and research organization for governments and public-private partnerships, to benchmark Sharjah’s entrepreneurial performance and contribute towards the 2020 GSER, powered by Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, reported state-run news agency Wam.

Launched at the Ecosystems Couch Conference on June 25, the GSER is the world’s most comprehensive and widely read research on startups, with 250 ecosystems studied, a ranking in the top 30 and 10 runner up global ecosystems, and a top 100 ranking of emerging ecosystems, as well as a ranking of high-growth ecosystems based upon the Ecosystem Lifecycle Model.

"It is a proud moment for Sheraa, and Sharjah, to be recognized as a top high-growth ecosystem by Startup Genome. This achievement is a testament to our dedicated efforts over the past five years to cultivate a world-class entrepreneurship ecosystem. We look forward to further advancing Sharjah's reputation as a vibrant startup hub - one that is home to high-impact ventures that contribute to our communities and the growth of our economy," said Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa.

The 2020 GSER cites Sharjah’s commitment to research and innovation, its access to high-calibre talent through University City, and the presence of regional sub-sector strengths, such as education technology and the creative economy, as key assets in the Sharjah ecosystem.

Sharjah also ranks as among the Top 20 in Africa and Middle East for "Bang for Buck" and the Top 30 Africa and Middle East Ecosystems for Affordable Talent.

"This is the time for policymakers, community leaders and foundations to double down on their support of local startups, the number one engine of job creation and economic growth," said JF Gauthier, Founder and CEO of Startup Genome. "The GSER is the foundation of global knowledge where we, as a network, come together to identify what policies actually produce economic impact, and to what context."

With an expanding footprint, the 2020 GSER provides insights and guidance to public and private leaders about how to foster thriving startup ecosystems, particularly forwarding the conversation on how governments can support and leverage tech ecosystems to restart stalling economies, now recovering from the Covid-19 lockdowns.