Kenya has leaped into the global top 60 of the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index by StartupBlink, rising five places to rank 58th—the country’s highest position to date.
This achievement is underpinned by a remarkable ecosystem growth rate of over 30%, the fastest among countries ranked between 51st and 61st. The milestone also restores Kenya’s status as Africa’s second most robust startup ecosystem, behind South Africa, while reaffirming its leadership in Eastern Africa.
According to the report, Kenya’s startup ecosystem is now six times stronger than that of Uganda, its closest regional rival.
Two Kenyan cities featured in the global top 1,000 startup hubs. Nairobi climbed six places to 107th globally, strengthening its dominance in the region with a startup score nearly 50 times that of Mombasa and five times that of Victoria, Seychelles. Mombasa made a strong comeback into the rankings with an impressive 104% growth rate.
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“In Africa, Kenya is demonstrating what’s possible when innovation, policy, and partnerships align,” the report noted. “Nairobi is inching closer to the global top 100, and that’s a sign of sustained progress.”
Kenya now outpaces Nigeria and Egypt in ecosystem growth among Africa’s top five, thanks largely to a flourishing fintech sector led by pioneers like M-Pesa.
Key government initiatives—such as the Kenya National Innovation Agency’s (KeNIA) Innovation Bridge platform and the upcoming National Innovation Master Plan—have been instrumental in fueling this upward momentum.
However, the recent enactment of the Startup Bill has sparked debate in the tech community. While it mandates that 15% of startup spending go to research and development and prioritizes recognition for fully Kenyan-owned startups, critics warn that it may stifle innovation and deter foreign investment.
