Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2026 ranks Bengaluru 15th globally, second-best AI-native cluster in Asia

Exam-focused facts from the 18 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Bengaluru ranked 15th in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2026 and 6th in the Asia Startup Ecosystem.
Bengaluru emerged as the second-best AI-native cluster in Asia after Beijing.
Bengaluru scored 9 out of 10 in performance and R&D, 8 in AI-native cluster, and 7 in funding and market reach.
The city has 30 active unicorns, an ecosystem valued at $153 billion, and total venture capital (VC) funding of $39 billion between 2021 and 2025.
The average salary of a software engineer in Bengaluru is $19.6K, significantly lower than the global average of $54K and the Asian average of $27K.