Ghent Surges to 10th in Global Tech Hub Rankings

The historic Belgian city of Ghent has emerged as one of the world’s most surprising technology powerhouses, ranking 10th globally and 4th in Europe in the Dealroom Global Tech Ecosystem Index 2026 — jumping nine places from its previous 19th position and outperforming New York (11th), Munich (19th), and Amsterdam (20th).

According to the RTBF, Dealroom analyzed 325 cities across 77 countries to identify “Density Leaders” — cities ranked by innovation capacity relative to population size. Ghent now sits behind only Cambridge (UK), London, and Stockholm in the European rankings, a remarkable feat for a city of just 300,000 inhabitants.

A Tech Ecosystem Worth €61 Billion

Ghent’s technology sector is now valued at over €61 billion, representing a staggering 68% of all Flanders’ tech value, according to The Brussels Times. The city is home to four unicorns — privately held startups valued at over $1 billion — accounting for half of all Belgian unicorns: Deliverect, team.blue, Lighthouse, and Aikido Security.

The value of Ghent’s startups and scale-ups has surged from just €1 billion to €50 billion over the past decade, Dealroom data shows. The city also hosts 108 AI startups, more than any other Belgian city, according to figures from Ghent University (UGent) and the Planning Bureau.

Adding to its biotech credentials, Ghent-based Argenx — a biopharmaceutical company focused on autoimmune disease therapies — is valued at approximately €41 billion, making it the highest-valued biotech company in Europe, as reported by Euronews.

The Three Drivers of Success

According to Dealroom’s analysis, Ghent’s success rests on three pillars, as detailed by RTBF. First, Ghent University (UGent) acts as a powerhouse knowledge centre, transforming scientific research into commercial enterprises — much like Cambridge in the UK or Lausanne in Switzerland.

“Together with our researchers, students, entrepreneurs, businesses, investors and policymakers, we are turning knowledge into progress: from biotech and healthtech to AI and sustainability,” said Rector Petra De Sutter of Ghent University. “At Ghent University, we are extremely proud to be playing a crucial role in the international recognition that Ghent is receiving today.”

Second, a generational effect has taken hold: a first wave of entrepreneurs created successful models, former employees founded their own companies, and those entrepreneurs became investors in the next generation — a classic Silicon Valley phenomenon of talent, capital, and experience circulation.

Third, Ghent has carved a unique niche in deep tech and life sciences. Unlike many tech hubs focused solely on software, the city excels in cutting-edge technologies and biotechnology, particularly AI applied to pharmaceuticals.

The Wintercircus: A Physical Hub for Innovation

At the heart of Ghent’s tech scene is the Wintercircus, a converted 19th-century building that once housed a riding school and garage. Now redeveloped into a major technology and innovation hub, it hosts roughly 40 startups alongside event spaces and cultural venues.

“With the Wintercircus, Ghent has grown into a major tech city in Europe at record speed,” said Hilde Schuddinck, Managing Director of Voka East Flanders, as reported by Belga News Agency. “Start-ups and scale-ups are flourishing, spin-offs continue to expand, and companies from outside the region are also increasingly finding their way to Ghent.”

The ecosystem around the Wintercircus includes companies specializing in AI, cybersecurity, logistics software, biotech, and sustainability innovation — all within walking distance of one another.

Why Ghent, Not Brussels or Antwerp?

Ghent’s unique position within Belgium stems from its scale and cohesion. According to Louis Jonckheere, CEO of Wintercircus and co-founder of Aikido Security, larger cities face different dynamics.

“In those cities [Leuven, Antwerp], you have massive players that attract all the attention and resources,” Jonckheere told The Brussels Times. “In Leuven, it’s KU Leuven, the university hospital, and Imec. In Antwerp, you have the port and the chemical cluster. These are so large that they leave little room for the development of an entrepreneurial environment.”

Veroniek Collewaert, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Vlerick Business School, added: “There is no single element that explains this success; it’s a jigsaw puzzle where the pieces have finally clicked into place. One key factor is undoubtedly the presence of numerous research and knowledge institutions. This provides a massive reservoir of talent.”

Europe’s Broader Tech Renaissance

Ghent’s rise is part of a broader European trend. Europe now places 45 cities in the global top 100 “Density Leaders,” compared to 40 for North America. London reclaimed its position as Europe’s leading tech ecosystem (4th globally), overtaking Paris, driven by record AI investment of €6 billion in 2025.

AI now represents nearly 30% of venture capital investment in Europe, according to Dealroom. Meanwhile, rising stars including Zagreb, Athens, Sofia, Prague, and Vilnius signal that Central and Eastern Europe is emerging as a new frontier for tech innovation.

Challenges Ahead

Despite its success, Ghent faces significant challenges. Its small population of 300,000 means the talent pool, while deep, is not infinite. Entrepreneurs are calling for more flexible labour laws and special visas for top tech profiles — similar to Italy’s approach.

For larger funding rounds, Ghent-based companies must look abroad to the UK and US. And unlike Stockholm, which retained Spotify as an anchor company, Ghent has yet to keep a major player at scale — though Aikido Security aims to fill that role.

“Ghent is growing,” Jonckheere said. “It won’t be easy to compete with Stockholm or others, but we must have that ambition. Belgium certainly has the talent — people just as capable as their American counterparts. What we lack is the mindset to think bigger. We’ve forgotten how to be ambitious, and that is costing us our prosperity. We want to reverse that.”

What to Watch

As Ghent consolidates its position as a top-tier tech hub, several questions will define its trajectory: Can the city maintain growth despite talent pool limitations? Will successful companies like Aikido remain headquartered in Ghent as they scale globally? And can the Ghent model be replicated in other Belgian and European cities?

What is clear is that Ghent has proven that size is not a barrier to tech dominance. In an era of increasing concentration of capital in megacities, this historic Flemish city has shown that density, cohesion, and a strong university-industry pipeline can create a tech ecosystem that punches far above its weight.