Newcastle Defies Trend: Ecosystem Booms
While Australia’s broader startup landscape faced headwinds in 2025, Newcastle has emerged as a powerhouse of resilience and growth. According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025, our region is not just surviving; it is thriving, delivering one of the standout performances in the country.
For Hunter iF members, this report validates the hard work, collaboration, and innovation that defines our community. Here are the key takeaways that highlight why Newcastle is the region to watch.
Surging on the Global Stage
In a year where many established hubs lost ground, Newcastle achieved a massive leap forward. The city climbed 127 places to rank 563rd globally. This upward trajectory places us firmly in the middle tier of the world’s top 1,000 ecosystems, signalling to international investors and talent that Newcastle is a maturing, globally visible hub.
A National Outlier
The report reveals a challenging year for Australian startups, with the nation slipping to 12th place globally and major cities like Brisbane and Perth facing declines. Newcastle bucked this trend completely. Alongside Wollongong, Newcastle was one of only two Australian cities to climb the national rankings, successfully re-entering the Top 10 Startup Ecosystems in Australia. This achievement underscores our region's unique ability to foster growth even when the macroeconomic climate is difficult.
Massive Ecosystem Growth
Perhaps the most impressive metric is our Annual Ecosystem Growth rate of +78.8%. To put this in perspective, the national growth rate was 24.8%, and Melbourne’s was 22.8%. Newcastle is developing at more than triple the national pace relative to its size. This "boom" phase suggests that our foundational investments in innovation infrastructure are paying dividends, creating a fertile environment for new ventures to scale.
Strategic Strengths
The report highlights specific industry strengths that align with the Hunter’s transition toward a new economy. Newcastle ranked 235th globally for Energy & Environment, reflecting our region's pivot toward clean tech and sustainable solutions. This specialization is a critical asset, differentiating us from capital cities and positioning us as a leader in solving real-world industrial challenges.
What This Means for Hunter iF Members
This report is a call to action. We have momentum, we have data proving our success, and we have the attention of the global community. For our startups, this is leverage for investment discussions. For our support organisations, it is proof that our collaborative model works.
As we look toward the 2026 Hunter Innovation Festival, let’s use this success to fuel our next chapter. The data proves what we already knew: the Hunter is where the future is being built.
You can access the full report here.
