In 2023, as many as 14 startup hubs look attractive to more than 5% of European founders. Most often, these locations were not the first, but the second or third chosen option.
The startup hubs that received the most votes as founders' first choice were Vienna (68%), Madrid (56%), and Tallinn (49%).
In 2023, Paris made the biggest jump in popularity among European hubs (+4 points compared to last year's ranking).
In addition, the attractiveness of cities such as Spanish Malaga (entering the top 20 for the first time, adding 3 points), Munich (+2.5 points), Copenhagen (+2.2 points) and Stockholm (+2.1 points) has increased.
London, which took over from Berlin, gained 1.8 points, while Berlin benin number data lost 3.3 points. Only Lisbon showed the biggest decline (-4 points).
71.3% of European founders are optimistic
Over the past few years, the founders' mood has experienced many ups and downs.
Back in 2019, the future seemed bleak, and in 2020 the pandemic began. The decline in mood is especially noticeable among startup founders from the UK and the Mediterranean.
Optimism: Share of European startup founders who are positive about the future of their ecosystem. Chart: Startup Heatmap Europe
In 2021, the mood improved, and positive prospects appeared on the horizon.
The following year, the founders' views on the future generally became more negative.
66% of founders prefer Europe to the US
According to the Startup Heatmap Survey, if European founders were free to choose, 66% would start over in Europe.