#1 Small City in Canada for Startups for Seventh Consecutive Year
Kingston, Ontario – May 20, 2026 – StartupBlink has released its Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, recognizing Kingston as Canada’s #1 small city for startups for the seventh consecutive year and the fastest-growing startup ecosystem among Canada’s top 10. The city posted +19.1% growth, the highest rate of any top-10 Canadian city. This year’s index evaluates startup ecosystems across more than 1,500 cities and 120 countries.
Kingston climbed three places in the global standings to rank #175 worldwide, placing #9 in Canada overall across all city sizes and #18 among small cities globally. The city also earned a #5 ranking in Canada for Ecosystem Stakeholder Strength, reflecting a top-five Canadian network of accelerators, investors, and support organizations. Closely aligned with the City’s strategic focus on sustainable manufacturing, Kingston further demonstrated strong sector-specific performance, ranking #5 globally among small cities for Cleantech and #9 globally among small cities for Energy & Environment.
“Kingston’s startup ecosystem continues to demonstrate that world-class innovation is not limited to the largest cities,” said Mayor Bryan Paterson, City of Kingston. “Our growth in the StartupBlink rankings reflects the hard work of our entrepreneurs, institutions, and community partners who are together building an economy that is competitive on the global stage. Being recognized as Canada’s fastest-growing startup ecosystem is something our entire community can take pride in.”
“Kingston in this case, is really punching above its weight,” Eli David Rokah, CEO Startup Blink. “It’s not a large city, but such high quality. Kingston has been interested in startup ecosystem development for many, many years. It’s an ecosystem of people who are very ambitious and are achieving great things.”
Kingston’s performance reflects the city’s integrated approach to ecosystem development, which brings together partnerships with businesses, academic institutions, and leading innovation hubs to support entrepreneurs at every stage. The city’s sustained strength in cleantech and energy and environment sectors underscores its commitment to building a sustainable, innovation-driven economy.
“The highest growth rate among Canada’s top 10 startup ecosystems reflects the collective effort of our entire community,” said Donna Gillespie, CEO, Kingston Economic Development Corporation. “These rankings validate the strategy we’ve built together: attracting the right talent, supporting entrepreneurs at every stage, investment in infrastructure and wet lab research and commercialization facilities, and ensuring Kingston remains a place where bold ideas become successful businesses.”
“Kingston’s rise in the global rankings reflects years of intentional collaboration across our innovation community. We work closely with StartupBlink to understand what strengthens ecosystems, then turn those insights into action with our partners. A great example within our priority sectors is a high-growth company like Cyclic Materials that regularly participates in panels and events, openly sharing the lessons and strategies behind their growth. That kind of leadership is what continues to strengthen Kingston’s startup community.”
To learn more about Kingston’s vibrant startup ecosystem, visit www.investkingston.ca/start
Media Contacts:
Daniel Solorio
Marketing & Communications Manager
Kingston Economic Development Corporation
613-329-9270
solorio@investkingston.ca
