Best startup cities in South Africa in 2027
4 cities in South Africa make our ranking of 1,000 startup cities worldwide. Cape Town leads at #145 with a total score of 4.05, followed by Johannesburg (#152) and Pretoria (#490).
For women founders, Cape Town scores highest in South Africa on the MeanCEO Index with 69/100. Each city page covers funding, company registration, taxes, founder visas, pros and cons, and the ten MeanCEO factors.
Startup cities in South Africa, ranked
| # | City | World rank | Total | Quantity | Quality | Business | MeanCEO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | #145 | 4.05 | 0.8 | 0.94 | 2.31 | 69 |
| 2 | Johannesburg | #152 | 3.86 | 0.5 | 1.05 | 2.31 | 57 |
| 3 | Pretoria | #490 | 0.38 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.26 | 57 |
| 4 | Durban | #568 | 0.3 | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.21 | 64 |
Total = quantity (startups, accelerators, coworking spaces) + quality (traction of top startups, unicorns, exits) + business environment (national conditions), from the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index (2024 edition). The MeanCEO Index (0 to 100) is our own score of how livable and welcoming a city is for women founders.