Vienna: The Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS), an independent interdisciplinary research institute, has released its 2026 Global Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (DEE) Index Report, highlighting a widening gap between digital readiness and the capacity to scale entrepreneurial ventures worldwide.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, VIGS Director, Prof Dr Zolt¡n cs, in a statement, emphasized that the global digital economy is at a turning point. He noted that digital access is no longer the main constraint, but the real challenge lies in enabling entrepreneurship so that digital readiness can be transformed into economic value.
The report, one of the most comprehensive global assessments to date, evaluates how digitalisation drives entrepreneurial and economic outcomes across 170 economies. Its findings show that while infrastructure, connectivity, and basic digital skills have expanded rapidly, many countries struggle to convert these foundations into scalable business activity.
The DEE Index, covering 2017 to 2022, measures the systemic interaction between digital infrastructure, platforms, institutions, and entrepreneurial agency. Despite improvements in global digital capabilities, startup scaling, access to venture finance, and innovation commercialisation continue to lag, creating a structural bottleneck in the global digital economy.
High-income economies such as the United States, Denmark, and the United Kingdom top the rankings, benefiting from balanced ecosystems that combine strong institutions, deep capital markets, and mature digital platforms. At the same time, emerging regions, including Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia, recorded the fastest relative growth, driven by foundational investments in connectivity and digital skills.
The report calls on policymakers, investors, and ecosystem leaders to shift attention from merely expanding access toward strengthening venture finance, entrepreneurial talent, and platform-based innovation ecosystems. Without targeted interventions, the gap between digital capability and entrepreneurial impact is expected to widen.