London and Dublin among the 10 most successful cities in 2016

The top scoring cities offer an environment that “nurtures talent and an innovation-orientated economy”

London ranks first for the second year in a row (Getty)

London has topped a list of most successful cities for its innovation, liveability and capacity to reinvent itself.

The top scoring cities offer an environment that “nurtures talent and an innovation-orientated economy”, according to the City Momentum Index (CMI) of innovative cities by Jones Lang LaSalle, a professional services and investment management company.

The CMI tracks the speed of change in a city’s economic base and its commercial real estate market. It aims to provide information to help developers choose which cities will see growth and success in the future.

London ranks first for the second year in a row for its economic growth and real estate structure. It has also been praised for initiatives that are transforming transport in the city, such as the research centre currently being developed at White City.

The unrivalled technology sector in the Bay Area of San Francisco pushed Silicon Valley to second place and San Francisco to tenth place in the index.

JLL said the two regions had the caracteristic to sustain future growth.

Real estate attracts corporations, according to Jeremy Kelly, director, global research for JLL.

He thinks cities need smart and productive buildings to appeal to the best companies.

“Real estate is a major factor in city momentum as it can enable productivity, creativity and entrepreneurship while creating a sense of community for its citizens in a sustainable urban model,” said Kelly.

London and Dublin are the only European cities in the CMI top 20.

Dublin scored high on the ranking thanks to its high concentration of tech start-ups, which generate demand for commercial property. It has cemented its position as one of Europe’s most dynamic cities with projects such as the regeneration of the Docklands, where up to 350,000 sq metres of commercial space is set to be built.

The 120 cities shortlisted by the CMI were chosen for their population, GDP, corporate presence, air connectivity, real estate investment activity and commercial real estate stock

These are the 20 most successful cities in 2016:

1. London

(GETTY IMAGES)

2. Silicon Valley

(Getty)

3. Dublin

4. Bangalore

Visitors look at exhibits of stamps and postal related material at a philatelic exhibition in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru

5. Boston

(Getty)

6. Shanghai

7. New York

8. Sydney

(Getty)

9. Beijing

(AFP or licensors)

10. San Francisco

11. Nairobi

Nairobi where the Upendo Childrens' Home is based (Jorge Lascar/Creative Commons)

12. Shenzhen

The capacity of the airport will increase by 58%, allowing to handle up to 45 million passengers per year (Leonardo Finotti)

13. Seattle

(Getty)

14. Tokyo

People release balloons to celebrate the New Year at the Prince Park Tower in Tokyo (Reuters)

15. Nanjing

A rickshaw run at 6 centuries old city wall of Ming Dynasty on July 29, 2014 in Nanjing, Jiangsu province of China. (ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

16. Austin

(Creative Commons)

17. Hyderabad

An Indian artist works on eco-friendly figures of Hindu God Lord Ganesh made with mud, jute and bamboo at a blue tarp-covered workshop on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The statues of eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols made with mud, jute and bamboo will reduce pollution during the Ganesh immersion.

18. Melbourne

This is the fifth year that Melbourne has won top place

19. Seoul

Seoul, South Korea. (Getty Images)

20. Auckland

The Auckland skyline, New Zealand (Photo by Alex Livesey - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)