The Global Startup Ecosystem Repot: Life Sciences Edition dives deep into the globally competitive landscape of technology-based startups focused on diagnosing, treating, and managing diseases and conditions. This includes startups in Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Medtech—which is also referred to as medical devices.

Within the report, Life Sciences ecosystems all over the world are ranked based on many factors including funding, performance, and founder knowledge.

Read the full report here. 

Key Findings

• The Top Five Global Life Sciences ecosystems are Silicon Valley, Boston, New York City, London, and San Diego. North America and Europe dominate the Top 25 Life Sciences ecosystems, with 48% and 24% of the Top 25 respectively, followed by Asia at 20%, and MENA and Oceania with one ecosystem each in the Top 25.

• 49% of the unicorns between 2015-2020 were created in the top five ecosystems.

• There are now 108 Life Sciences unicorns globally, with 34 companies achieving unicorn status in the first half of 2021 alone.

• Series A investment in this sub-sector crossed $10 billion in 2020.

• The average deal size for a Series A investment in 2020 was over $15 million.

• The total amount of Series B+ investment in 2020 was over $18 billion, nearly double the global amount in 2019.

• The average deal amount for Series B+ is four times higher than it was ten years ago.  

• In 2020, global Life Sciences exits totalled a whopping $96 billion, double the value in 2019.

• A special focus on the burgeoning Life Sciences Ecosystem in Melbourne

• Melbourne, with three exits over $50 million dollars, created nearly 100 new Life Sciences startups in the last ten years, 17% of which were created in 2017.

• Over 70% of the deals in the Life Sciences sector in the large Oceania tech hubs are made in Melbourne, accounting for about 88% of the amount invested.

• On a regional level, Melbourne-based companies received over 60% of Life Sciences investment in Oceania.