Thanks to its excellent universities, international transport links and super bright, skilled workforce, this former mining city in Germany’s Ruhr valley has been transformed into a hive for hi-tech firms.

Montpellier is the fastest-growing city in France and for Monocle it ranks as one the best cities for business. It supports new ventures, with many hi-tech companies setting up there, and has an enviable quality of life to…

Bolzano, capital of South Tyrol, is experiencing a business boom quite beyond traditional tourism. Local initiatives have seen hi-tech start-ups soar in what is now the richest province in Italy. Is this Europe’s Boulder…

Poland’s cluster of aviation companies balances local expertise with heavy foreign investment. Monocle flew in to see the collaboration.

New Zealand’s capital is driving to establish itself as a major hub for innovation. It’s small enough to create an intimate working environment – and big enough for the plan to work.

Taking home-cooking to Singaporeans, tying the knot in Cyprus, making kangaroo-hide sneakers Down Under, and other business news and happenings.

This Tennessee city used to be known for its smog and stench. However, Chattanooga has cleaned up its act, establishing itself as an emerging technology hub and the home of Volkswagen’s only US factory. How did that happen…

Kyoto is the traditional home of Japanese artisans who make highly detailed ceramics and perfectly woven silks. That same set of skills has also helped it become the country’s hi-tech heartland.

Offering an alternative lifestyle to Shanghai and Beijing, Dalian is a vibrant student city with an easier pace of life. You might not have heard of it but this is one of the world’s biggest outsourcing centres.

While post-industrial towns such as Detroit languish in a ‘rust belt’, Pittsburgh is bucking the trend, teeing itself up as a major hi-tech hub and an alternative to California’s Silicon Valley. Monocle visits its thriving…