TOKYO, JAPAN
Ranking #13
Maybe the world’s first high-tech city, Tokyo is home to one-fifth of the nation’s information technology companies. And there’s much more to come with preparations well underway for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympic Games, and the recent creation of a 5G testing laboratory in a joint venture between Japan and India (through companies Rakuten and Tech Mahindra), which will help develop and set the standard for services delivered to one-sixth of the world’s population.
Population: 9.3M
‘18 VC: $8.3B
Flying Time from LA: 12 hours
Flying Time from NY: 14 hours, 2 minutes
TORONTO, CANADA
Ranking #11
A recent report suggests that in the past five years, Greater Toronto’s tech industry has grown by 50%, making the city the fourth-largest tech hub in North America, employing 240K people. The exchange rate, combined with Canada’s friendlier immigration policies, have been credited (or blamed) for company and talent moves from the US to Canada. Or it could be the coffee: According to the flat white index, a decent latte will set you back $2.50 in Toronto, well below the $3.42 tech city average.
Population: 2.7M
‘18 VC: $2.8B
Flying Time from LA: 4 hours, 35 minutes
Flying Time from NY: 1 hour, 11 minutes
DUBLIN, IRELAND
Ranking #19
In Ireland, the closest English-speaking (EU) nation to the United States geographically, the road is rising up to meet tech companies, and the Grand Canal Dock area in Dublin has become known as the Silicon Docks. It’s already home to the European headquarters of giants Google, Facebook, Twitter, AirBnB, Apple BT Ireland, and IT consultants Accenture—and is attracting more companies by the day. Nearly $500M was invested in Ireland by technology firms in 2017.
Population: 500K
‘18 VC: $3.2B
Flying Time from LA: 10 hours, 35 minutes
Flying Time from NY: 6 hours, 52 minutes
