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Startup Ecosystem Podcast

Startup Ecosystem Podcast

Startupblink 53 Episodes Aug 6, 2026

The Global Startup Ecosystem Podcast by StartupBlink explores major and emerging startup ecosystems worldwide. It features interviews with ecosystem developers who share insights on fostering startup growth and discusses trends in urban innovation and economic development. The podcast targets startup organizations, governments, and municipalities seeking to boost local innovation and economy.

Episodes

EP 54: The Impact of Corporations on Startup Ecosystems
EP 54: The Impact of Corporations on Startup Ecosystems Aug 6, 2026 26:49 Building a successful startup ecosystem requires more than supporting founders through investment, grants, or accelerator programs. In this episode, StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah and co-host Aleksandra Ilieska explore how corporations contribute to startup ecosystems as customers, partners, investors, buyers, and gateways to expertise, infrastructure, and larger markets. The episode also examin
EP 53: How to Build a Strong Startup Ecosystem: Lessons from StartupBlink's Ecosystem Index
EP 53: How to Build a Strong Startup Ecosystem: Lessons from StartupBlink's Ecosystem Index Jul 6, 2026 24:09 Building a successful startup ecosystem requires more than launching accelerators, distributing grants, or organizing events. In our latest episode, StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah explores what the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index reveals about the policies, business conditions, and entrepreneurial mindset that help innovation ecosystems grow. The episode also examines how governments, policy
EP 52: Is Your Startup Ecosystem Ready for AI?
EP 52: Is Your Startup Ecosystem Ready for AI? Oct 13, 2025 20:24 Artificial Intelligence is becoming an integral part of every startup ecosystem. In our latest episode, Eli David Rokah explores how governments, policymakers, and ecosystem developers can ensure their ecosystems are ready for the rise of AI. StartupBlink is an innovation economy research center, working with more than 100 government entities, multilateral organizations and corporations. Its globa
EP 51: Does Population Size Matter for Startup Ecosystems?
EP 51: Does Population Size Matter for Startup Ecosystems? Sep 8, 2025 23:15 Comparing a giant like China, with more than a billion people, to Estonia, with just over a million, shows why raw startup numbers only tell part of the story. In this episode, host Andrej Vaklinski and StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah explore the Absolute Power of Startup Ecosystems Report. Unlike the Global Startup Ecosystem Index, this ranking does not adjust results by population, revealing ne
EP 50: What Governments Should Know About Startup Acts
EP 50: What Governments Should Know About Startup Acts Aug 14, 2025 22:17 In this episode, StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah joins host Andrej Vaklinski to explore the growing global trend of Startup Acts. They discuss what these acts are, why some countries adopt them, and whether they truly boost startup ecosystems. The conversation covers when Startup Acts work, when they risk doing more harm than good, and why improving the broader business environment is often the m
EP 49: Global Startup Ecosystem Trends in 2025
EP 49: Global Startup Ecosystem Trends in 2025 Jun 6, 2025 34:05 In this episode, StartupBlink's CEO Eli David Rokah dives deep into most interesting trends in the global startup ecosystem in 2025, driven from our research in Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025. Download the full report here! StartupBlink is an innovation economy research center, working with more than 100 government entities, multilateral organizations and corporations. Its global startup ecos
EP 48: How We Built the Corporate Startup Activity Index – and What We Found
EP 48: How We Built the Corporate Startup Activity Index – and What We Found Apr 24, 2025 17:07 In this episode, I sat down with StartupBlink CEO Eli David Rokah to talk about the launch of our Corporate Startup Activity Index. We discussed what corporate startup activity really means, how the Index was built, and some of the most surprising findings from the rankings. StartupBlink is an innovation economy research center, working with more than 100 government entities, multilateral organiza
EP 47: From a Service-Based to a Product-Based Economy - Lessons from North Macedonia
EP 47: From a Service-Based to a Product-Based Economy - Lessons from North Macedonia Apr 11, 2025 33:07 In this special episode, we revisit a conversation between our CEO, Eli David Rokah, and Igor Madjov, Founder of Startup Macedonia, recorded during Eli's visit to North Macedonia, 2 years ago. They explore how Skopje is emerging as a tech hub, the city's transition from service-based agencies to product-driven innovation, and what ecosystem builders everywhere can learn from this journey.   Startu
EP 46: Stakeholder Engagement in Startup Ecosystems - Lessons from Bulgaria
EP 46: Stakeholder Engagement in Startup Ecosystems - Lessons from Bulgaria Feb 20, 2025 19:50 In this episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we're traveling back in time by revisiting an old recording to explore the state of Bulgaria's startup ecosystem in 2022. This episode features an interview by Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, with Momchil Vassilev, the Managing Director of Endeavor Bulgaria, discussing how different stakeholders' involvement transformed the Bulgarian startu
EP 45: Best Practices for Building a Startup Ecosystem in a Small City
EP 45: Best Practices for Building a Startup Ecosystem in a Small City Jan 16, 2025 48:56 In this episode, our host, Plamen Ivanov, welcomes Norman Musengimana, the Business Development Manager of Kingston Economic Development Corporation, to discuss best practices for building a startup ecosystem in a small city. The Canadian city of Kingston, with a population of less than 500,000, serves as an inspiring example, demonstrating how such challenges can be overcome to rank your city in
EP 44: Global Startup Ecosystem Trends in 2024
EP 44: Global Startup Ecosystem Trends in 2024 Jun 20, 2024 35:38 In this episode, our new host, Plamen Ivanov welcomes the CEO of StartupBlink, Eli David Rokah to discuss the latest findings from the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Index. Released on May 30, 2024, the Index ranks 1,240 cities and 119 countries, highlighting the latest trends in the global startup ecosystem. StartupBlink is the startup ecosystem map and research center, working with more than 1
EP 43: How to Attract Foreign Startups to Your City - Lessons from Vienna
EP 43: How to Attract Foreign Startups to Your City - Lessons from Vienna Mar 12, 2024 36:29 Discover the secrets of attracting foreign startups to your city, with lessons learned from Vienna Business Agency. In this episode, Mahmod Shamsil welcomes Gabriele Tatzberger, Head of Startup Services at the Vienna Business Agency diving into Vienna's formula of attracting foreign startup to the city. StartupBlink is the startup ecosystem map and research center, working with more than 100 gover

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