Namibia Reaches Highest-Ever Startup Ecosystem Ranking, Driven by Windhoek’s Rapid Rise

(3 Minutes Read)

Namibia has climbed to its highest-ever position in the 2025 StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index, rising two spots to rank 85th globally. This advancement was largely fueled by impressive progress in the capital, Windhoek, which surged 104 places to 512th — the strongest growth among Southern African cities.

Windhoek is now the only Namibian city in the global top 1,000 and is poised to enter the top 500 soon. Regionally, Namibia retained its status as the second-highest ranked country in Southern Africa. Windhoek, meanwhile, moved up to become the fourth-highest ranked city in the region, registering a remarkable 74% growth rate — the most significant in Southern Africa.

“The Namibian startup ecosystem continues its positive momentum,” the report noted, highlighting this as the country’s best performance to date.

However, several structural challenges remain. The report pointed to underdeveloped infrastructure, limited access to markets and capital, bureaucratic obstacles, and a shortage of skilled entrepreneurial talent — challenges partly stemming from the country’s small population.

A turning point came in 2022 when Jabu, a logistics startup backed by Y Combinator, became the first in Namibia to secure Series A funding, signalling the ecosystem’s untapped potential.

Key players like the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and Startup Namibia have been instrumental in strengthening the ecosystem. Startup Namibia’s Basecamp hub has played a vital role in providing digital skills training and incubation for early-stage startups across targeted regions.

Public sector efforts, such as those from the Namibia Investment Centre, are complemented by private initiatives like Impact Tank, which supports social entrepreneurship and venture building.

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In 2025, Namibia launched the ScaleUp Namibia (SUN) initiative through the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology. SUN offers startups mentorship, investment access, co-working spaces, and support for digital transformation. It also champions regulatory reforms to make the business environment more startup-friendly.