In the global knowledge economy, the ability of countries to grow sustainably and redistribute income depends largely on whether they can translate productivity gains into better welfare for the population. Innovation and the creation of new firms are essential in this virtuous process of productivity growth. Start-ups of all kinds – those that use new technologies, those that offer new services and products, and those that provide solutions to emerging problems – play an important role in transforming a country's production and can boost and diversify the economy. Today, start-ups are no longer exclusive to Silicon Valley; many ecosystems have emerged in other regions too. However, start-ups must overcome major hurdles to get up and running and to expand, especially in developing countries. Despite the growing number of start-ups in emerging and developing countries, data on start-up ecosystems, pro-startup policies and the impact of support instruments are still in short supply. This report provides valuable new knowledge about the state of start-ups and policy actions implemented by emerging and developing countries.