Startup Ecosystem Stars Awards

Global Recognition for Innovation Ecosystems That Deliver Impact

The SES Awards celebrate governments and organizations driving the growth, internationalization, and excellence of innovation ecosystems worldwide.

SES Awards: The Global Benchmark for Innovation Ecosystems That Drive Impact

The Startup Ecosystem Stars (SES) Awards celebrate the world's most impactful public and public-private initiatives driving innovation, investment, and international collaboration.

By spotlighting best practices and success stories from across six continents, SES connects "glocal" networks that accelerate ecosystem growth and create new opportunities worldwide.

Learn from the best

Gov. JB Pritzker

Governor of Illinois

Carlos Santiso

Head of Division, OECD

Jonathan Ortmans

President, Global Entrepreneurship Network

Isidro Laso

European Innovation Council, EU Commission

Why It Matters?

Credibility & Benchmarking

Get independently evaluated against global best practices

Global Visibility

Put your ecosystem on the map: reach policymakers, investors, and innovation leaders across six continents.

Strategic Connections

Join a powerful network of the world’s leading ecosystem builders.

Collaboration Opportunities

Build lasting cross-border partnerships that accelerate your ecosystem’s growth.

Built on Research. Backed by Experience.

The SES Awards are supported by world-class research and over a decade of experience analyzing and scaling innovation ecosystems globally.

10+

years of
Research

10,000+

Organizations
evaluated

6

Continents

Award Categories

Best-in-Class Startup Programs

Training and supporting homegrown startups, and helping them scale internationally (outbound) Fueling ecosystems of innovation by attracting startups (inbound).

Exceptional Industry Support

Boosting open innovation practices of local companies and industrial clusters through training, internationalization, and immersion programs in the most advanced global innovation hubs.

Outstanding Investment Boost

Financially empowering the growth of ecosystems of innovation through co-investments, matching programs, FDI attraction, and international exposure.

Top Talent & Research

Nurturing the top entrepreneurial talent Supporting the creation of IP and tech transfer.

Visionary Public Procurement

Looking for public authorities that are leaders when it comes to using procurement to bring in innovation and to unlock more value through using procurement.

Innovation Policy

Shaping innovation policies by engaging stakeholders in policy dialogue, sharing data and insights and piloting new regulatory approaches, helping to ensure policies are aligned with the evolving needs of innovators.

Ready to Showcase Your Impact?

Submit your initiative and join a global community of leading innovation ecosystems.

Discover our agenda

2025 Winners

Startup Ecosystem Stars & Rising Stars

Discover the ecosystems that are setting new global benchmarks in innovation, collaboration, and growth.

Explore All 2025 Winners

Startup Ecosystem Stars – 2025

Startup Ecosystem Stars Report 2025
"The Calm Before the AI Storm"

Gain insights into the strategies, policies, and programs driving the world’s most successful innovation ecosystems.

We mapped the global startup economy across 900+ ecosystems, five continents, and 25 years of venture capital data: who holds the innovation lead, which regions are gaining ground, how ecosystems mature over time, what drives their growth, and whether AI will level the playing field or widen it further. This report presents the key findings from that analysis.

Read the report

Join the Global Innovation Ecosystem Community in 2026

November 12, 2026 — Stanford University

Be part of a unique gathering of policymakers, ecosystem leaders, and innovation experts shaping the future of global innovation.