Vilnius city in Lithuania has received the award for Best Foreign Direct Investment Strategy in fDi’s Mid-Sized European Cities of the Future 2025 ranking. 

The city also ranked 4th in Economic Potential, 2nd in Human Capital and Lifestyle, and 4th in Business Friendliness. Overall, it secured third place in the Mid-Sized European Cities of the Future category, further strengthening its place as an attractive foreign investment destination.

This recognition builds on Vilnius’ history of strong performances in fDi rankings. In 2019, it led the Tech Start-up FDI Attraction Index and placed second overall in 2022’s Mid-Sized European Cities of the Future ranking. The city already won first place for FDI Strategy in 2022.

Mayor Valdas Benkunskas says the success is down to the thriving technology ecosystem]. “Innovation, strategic cooperation, and a progressive ecosystem are the key elements that work together in Vilnius. Our capital city is one of the most important fintech hubs in Europe and is also renowned for its cybersecurity, ranking first among EU cities in this area. In addition, the city’s commitment to sustainability is also worth noting” he says.

To ensure lasting economic and environmental impact, Vilnius evaluates each investment project through a structured process that prioritizes sustainable development. Such focus on sustainability has already attracted Cleantech investments at a rate 5.7 times higher than expected based on GDP.

Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, Head of the Vilnius business and tourism development agency Go Vilnius, adds: “Business-friendly environment, smooth integration of foreigners, city’s economic potential, talent pool and institutional support are essential components for attracting global companies to Vilnius.”

The pool of highly skilled talent remains one of Vilnius’ key strengths. The city’s ecosystem is dedicated to fostering specialists across ICT, engineering, and life sciences, with ambitions to train an additional 19,000 professionals by 2026.

Aleksandravičienė concludes by emphasizing growing international visibility for the city: “The international recognition we have received shows that Vilnius is strengthening its position in European and global markets. The city is becoming an important financial center, actively promoting business ties and partnerships in various industries. This contributes to the development of the local ecosystem and the emergence of new billion-dollar start-ups.”