The Global Entrepreneurship Network has just recognized Kansas City as one of the most entrepreneurial-minded cities on the planet.

Kansas City didn’t win the entrepreneurism group’s GEC Cities Challenge—that honor went to Buenos Aires. But our city was among the top five finishers, a group that included Madison, Wis.; Yerevan, Armenia; and Genk, Belgium. More than 50 cities were vying for the title.

Surprised that better-known startup hubs like Silicon Valley didn’t make the list? The contest organizers said they wanted to highlight communities that were on the rise and that have developed innovative policies and program for encouraging startups. Buenos Aires, for example, was praised for a new accelerator program that offers seed funding to startups in the country’s financial sector.

“As city officials around the world continue to expand their understanding of the economic importance of new and young firms, more and more are moving away from traditional economic development efforts,” said Jonathan Ortmans, president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network. “For them, the approach is no longer attract and retain but rather start and scale.”

Buenos Aires will be feted at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress on March 16-19 in Milan, Italy. It’s a conference where communities can share their best ideas for encouraging business creation and growth.