Namibia hits best-ever ranking in global start-up index

Namibia has risen two places to 85th in the 2025 StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index, marking its highest position in the rankings to date.

The country’s performance was boosted by Windhoek, which recorded the strongest growth among southern African cities, jumping 104 places to rank 512th globally.

Windhoek is now Namibia’s only city in the global top 1 000 and is expected to break into the top 500 in the near future.

Regionally, Namibia retained its position as the second-highest ranked country in southern Africa, while Windhoek climbed one spot to become the fourth-highest ranked city in the region. The capital also posted a growth rate of over 74%, the most significant in southern Africa.

Despite the improvement, the index highlighted several ongoing challenges, including weak infrastructure, limited market access, low funding levels and bureaucratic hurdles. The country’s small population also contributes to a shortage of skilled entrepreneurial talent.

A breakthrough came in 2022 when Jabu, a Namibian logistics start-up backed by Y Combinator, became the first in the country to secure Series A funding. This marked a significant milestone, demonstrating the ecosystem’s potential despite broader limitations.

StartupBlink identified key organisations helping to strengthen the local ecosystem, including the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and StartUp Namibia.

StartUp Namibia’s Basecamp hub and its programmes supporting digital skills and incubation have been particularly active in assisting early-stage businesses in targeted regions.

Public sector efforts have also been supported by the Namibia Investment Centre, which offers guidance to foreign investors. These are complemented by private sector initiatives such as Impact Tank, which focuses on social entrepreneurship and venture-building.

In 2025, Namibia launched the ScaleUp Namibia initiative, a national programme developed with the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology.

“The programme aims to bridge the gap between start-up ideas and market-ready businesses by offering mentorship, investment support, co-working spaces, and digital transformation centres across the country,” the index notes.

The initiative also plays an advocacy role, working to reduce business registration hurdles and promote regulatory reforms.

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