NovaUCD, the hub of innovation and start-up activities at University College Dublin (UCD) since 2003, has been named as one of Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs by the Financial Times for the third year in a row.
Incubator and/or accelerator programmes
The Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs 2026 special report, a ranking of the top centres across Europe offering incubator and/or accelerator programmes to founders who want to build or grow a company, was published online today by the Financial Times.
The 2026 Report, the third annual report, showcases the top 180 startup hubs located in 25 countries across Europe, with NovaUCD ranked in the Top 150.
NovaUCD is the only university-based hub in Ireland included in the rankings and is one of only three start-up hubs in Ireland to be included in this year’s ranking.
Pictured at NovaUCD is Liam Cronin, Director of Innovation, University College Dublin. Image: Paul Sharp/Sharppix.
Liam Cronin, director of innovation, UCD, said: “The competition to feature in this prestigious ranking has become tougher each year so I am delighted that NovaUCD has again been recognised by the Financial Times as one of the Top 150 startup hubs in Europe, for the third year in a row, and is again the only university-based startup hub in Ireland to feature in the report.
“The publication of this ranking is timely as it follows on from last month’s announcement that Equal1, a quantum semiconductor company and a member of the NovaUCD ecosystem, had closed a $60m funding round, the largest single investment round in a UCD spin-out to date. We welcome the recognition and look forward to continuing to support and scale the next generation of entrepreneurs, start-ups and established companies with global ambitions and reach following in the footsteps of Equal1.”
To create the ranking the FT co-operated with the data and research company Statista as well as Sifted, the FT-backed media start-up that covers European tech. To qualify, hubs had to have been operating since at least 2021, maintain a physical location in Europe and run at least one incubation or acceleration programme.
The views of investors, entrepreneurs and academics were taken into account along with the success of “graduates” of these hubs. Alumni which participated in programmes between 2019 and 2024 were asked to assess how well the hubs provided mentoring and training, infrastructure, legal assistance and networking and funding opportunities.
AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme
Since 2003, UCD has supported more than 650 companies and early-stage ventures, through the services and supports provided across the university by NovaUCD, and through business support programmes, including dedicated accelerator programmes, such as the AI Ecosystem Accelerator programme and the UCD VentureLaunch programme, run and managed by NovaUCD. NovaUCD is also partnering with IADT Media Cube to deliver an Enterprise Ireland funded New Frontiers Programme and is a member of the ESA BIC Ireland consortium.
The application process for the third six-month AI Ecosystem Accelerator Programme, delivered by NovaUCD in partnership with CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for AI, is currently open until February 27.
For further details and to apply via: https://www.ucd.ie/innovation/start-ups/aiecosystemaccelerator/
In addition to NovaUCD (ranked 130th), Catalyst (Belfast, ranked 76th), and Furthr (ranked 98th) are the only other start-up hubs in Ireland included in the 2026 ranking of Europe’s Leading Startup Hubs.
UnternehmerTUM, the start-up lab of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany, is again ranked in first place.
Click here to read more about Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs 2026.