Wikipedia

Global Innovation Index

The Global Innovation Index is an annual ranking of countries by their capacity for and success in innovation, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It was started in 2007 by INSEAD and World Business,[1]: 203  a British magazine. Until 2021, it was published by WIPO in partnership with Cornell University, INSEAD, and other organisations and institutions.[2]: 333 [3] It is based on both subjective and objective data derived from several sources, including the International Telecommunication Union, the World Bank, and the World Economic Forum.[1]: 203 

Global Innovation Index
Report cover of the Global Innovation Index Report 2026
LanguageEnglish, French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, German, Korean, Portuguese, Japanese
Publication details
History2007–present
Publisher
FrequencyAnnual
LicenseCC BY 4.0
Standard abbreviations
ISO 4Glob. Innov. Index
Indexing
ISSN2263-3693
Links
Framework showing the elements of the index

History

edit

The Global Innovation Index was started in 2007 by INSEAD and World Business,[1]: 203  a British magazine. It was created by Soumitra Dutta.[4]

Methodology

edit

The Global Innovation Index is computed by taking a simple average of the scores in two sub-indices (the Innovation Input Index and Innovation Output Index), which are composed of respectively five and two pillars. Each of those pillars describes an attribute of innovation and have to five indicators, and their score is calculated by the weighted average method.[5]

Since its inception in 2007, the index has had its results analyzed by an increasing number of governments annually, which design policy responses to improve their performance.[6][7][8][9][10] The index is mentioned in a resolution on science, technology and innovation for sustainable development adopted on 19 December 2019 by the General Assembly of the United Nations.[11]

Criticism

edit

Several scholars have criticized the index for giving excessive significance attributed to factors that are not integral to innovation. For instance, "Ease of Paying Taxes", "Electricity Output" (half-weightage), and "Ease of Protecting Minority Investors" are factors alongside "Ease of Getting Credit" and "Venture Capital Deals."[12] A 2024 study by Sarcina, Paolantonio, Valentini, and Iannone argued that the analysis of the GII pillars is "too aggregated to provide the necessary visibility of the determinants of innovation performance." The research found that indicators within a single pillar "contribute with different weights and have different statistical significance." The authors suggested that the model for calculating the ranking should be redefined to not only consider the "most statistically representative variables" but also to include "geographical, demographic, and socio-economic factors," noting that the importance of various innovation determinants likely differs between countries at different stages of development.[13]

Themes

edit

Every two years, the index covers a theme related to innovation that goes beyond the innovation rankings. In 2020, the theme was "Who will finance innovation?" and shed light on the state of innovation financing by investigating the evolution of existing mechanisms and by pointing to progress and remaining challenges. Previous themes covered topics such as health innovation, environmental innovation, and agricultural and food innovation.[14]

2026 Ranking

edit

The 2026 ranking was released on September 29 as part of the report titled Global Innovation Index 2026: Powering Entrepreneurs at the Frontier of Science. The ranking covered 139 economies and used around 80 indicators. According to estimates for that year, global R&D expenditure grew by more than 3.3% in real terms in 2025, and the estimation for 2026 is that it will expand by 3.6% to $3.4 trillion. The 2026 ranking was led by Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, South Korea, and Singapore.[15][16]

The report identified more than 30,000 deep-science startups founded since 2000, with a combined valuation of $7.6 trillion.[15]

Global Innovation Index, 2026[16]
Rank Country and region Score Income group Region
1 Switzerland 66.7 High-income Europe
2 Sweden 63.2 High-income Europe
3 United States 62.3 High-income Northern America
4 South Korea 61.4 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
5 Singapore 61.0 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
6 United Kingdom 59.6 High-income Europe
7 Netherlands 58.4 High-income Europe
8 Finland 57.9 High-income Europe
9 Denmark 57.7 High-income Europe
10 China 57.0 Upper middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
11 Germany 56.8 High-income Europe
12 Japan 54.1 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
13 France 54.0 High-income Europe
14 Hong Kong 53.2 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
15 Israel 52.2 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
16 Canada 51.1 High-income Northern America
17 Estonia 50.4 High-income Europe
18 Austria 50.2 High-income Europe
19 Ireland 50.1 High-income Europe
20 Australia 49.6 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
21 Norway 48.5 High-income Europe
22 Belgium 48.5 High-income Europe
23 Luxembourg 46.6 High-income Europe
24 New Zealand 46.4 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
25 United Arab Emirates 46.4 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
26 Iceland 46.3 High-income Europe
27 Italy 46.2 High-income Europe
28 Spain 45.4 High-income Europe
29 Cyprus 45.3 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
30 Portugal 44.5 High-income Europe
31 Malta 43.8 High-income Europe
32 Lithuania 43.2 High-income Europe
33 Czech Republic 42.8 High-income Europe
34 Malaysia 41.8 Upper middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
35 Slovenia 41.1 High-income Europe
36 Hungary 40.7 High-income Europe
37 Bulgaria 40.3 High-income Europe
38 India 40.1 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
39 Poland 39.5 High-income Europe
40 Latvia 38.3 High-income Europe
41 Greece 38.2 High-income Europe
42 Saudi Arabia 37.9 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
43 Vietnam 37.7 Lower middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
44 Thailand 37.6 Upper middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
45 Turkey 37.5 Upper middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
46 Croatia 36.9 High-income Europe
47 Qatar 36.6 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
48 Slovakia 36.5 High-income Europe
49 Romania 35.3 High-income Europe
50 Mauritius 34.1 Upper middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
51 Chile 33.8 High-income Latin America and the Caribbean
52 Philippines 33.8 Lower middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
53 Brazil 33.5 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
54 Morocco 32.8 Lower middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
55 Indonesia 32.7 Upper middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
56 Serbia 32.5 Upper middle-income Europe
57 Georgia 32.2 Upper middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
58 Russia 31.8 High-income Europe
59 Armenia 31.6 Upper middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
60 Jordan 31.5 Lower middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
61 North Macedonia 31.2 Upper middle-income Europe
62 Kuwait 30.9 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
63 South Africa 30.9 Upper middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
64 Bahrain 30.8 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
65 Mexico 30.6 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
66 Uruguay 30.5 High-income Latin America and the Caribbean
67 Ukraine 30.4 Upper middle-income Europe
68 Moldova 30.3 Upper middle-income Europe
69 Oman 30.0 High-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
70 Costa Rica 29.8 High-income Latin America and the Caribbean
71 Tunisia 29.3 Lower middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
72 Mongolia 29.1 Upper middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
73 Kazakhstan 29.1 Upper middle-income Central and Southern Asia
74 Bhutan 28.9 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
75 Argentina 28.8 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
76 Montenegro 28.8 Upper middle-income Europe
77 Uzbekistan 28.7 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
78 Colombia 28.6 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
79 Albania 28.3 Upper middle-income Europe
80 Peru 27.9 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
81 Iran 27.6 Upper middle-income Central and Southern Asia
82 Botswana 27.1 Upper middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
83 Egypt 26.1 Lower middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
84 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26.1 Upper middle-income Europe
85 Azerbaijan 25.8 Upper middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
86 Lebanon 25.6 Lower middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
87 Jamaica 24.9 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
88 Belarus 24.5 Upper middle-income Europe
89 Panama 24.4 High-income Latin America and the Caribbean
90 Senegal 24.4 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
91 Barbados 24.2 High-income Latin America and the Caribbean
92 Kyrgyzstan 24.1 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
93 Cambodia 23.8 Lower middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
94 Sri Lanka 23.7 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
95 Pakistan 23.7 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
96 Rwanda 23.3 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
97 Kenya 23.0 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
98 Brunei 23.0 High-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
99 Dominican Republic 22.9 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
100 El Salvador 22.8 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
101 Ghana 22.6 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
102 Namibia 22.5 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
103 Cape Verde 22.4 Upper middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
104 Nepal 22.3 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
105 Bangladesh 21.5 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
106 Ecuador 21.3 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
107 Trinidad and Tobago 21.2 High-income Latin America and the Caribbean
108 Laos 21.2 Lower middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
109 Paraguay 21.1 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
110 Ivory Coast 20.8 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
111 Algeria 20.5 Upper middle-income Northern Africa and Western Asia
112 Tajikistan 20.3 Lower middle-income Central and Southern Asia
113 Madagascar 20.2 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
114 Bolivia 19.7 Lower middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
115 Zambia 19.5 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
116 Honduras 19.2 Lower middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
117 Benin 19.1 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
118 Nigeria 19.1 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
119 Tanzania 19.0 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
120 Guatemala 19.0 Upper middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
121 Cameroon 18.9 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
122 Togo 18.7 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
123 Uganda 18.4 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
124 Nicaragua 18.0 Lower middle-income Latin America and the Caribbean
125 Myanmar 17.4 Lower middle-income South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania
126 Malawi 17.2 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
127 Venezuela 16.7 - Latin America and the Caribbean
128 Lesotho 16.5 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
129 Mozambique 16.1 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
130 Burkina Faso 16.1 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
131 Mauritania 16.1 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
132 Zimbabwe 16.1 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
133 Ethiopia 15.7 - Sub-Saharan Africa
134 Mali 15.2 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
135 Burundi 15.1 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
136 Angola 13.0 Lower middle-income Sub-Saharan Africa
137 Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.6 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
138 Niger 12.1 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa
139 Chad 9.5 Low-income Sub-Saharan Africa

2025 ranking

edit
Economies climbing the ladder in global innovation. Top climbers since 2013 and 2019. Year-on-year comparisons of GII rankings must take into account changes to the GII model that have occurred over time, as well as data availability.

In 2025, for an economy to feature in the GII 2025, the minimum data coverage requirement is at least 35 indicators in the Innovation Input Sub-Index and 15 indicators in the Innovation Output Sub-Index, with scores for at least two sub-pillars per pillar. In the GII 2025, 139 economies had sufficient data available to be included in the Index. They represent 93.6 percent of the world's population.[17] This year's conceptual framework includes 78 different indicators.[18]

The Global Innovation Index 2025 scores 139 countries and regions.[19][20]

RankCountry and regionScoreIncome group
1 Switzerland66.0High-income
2 Sweden62.6High-income
3 United States61.7High-income
4 South Korea60.0High-income
5 Singapore59.9High-income
6 United Kingdom59.1High-income
7 Finland57.7High-income
8 Netherlands57.0High-income
9 Denmark56.9High-income
10 China56.6Upper middle-income
11 Germany55.5High-income
12 Japan53.6High-income
13 France53.4High-income
14 Israel52.3High-income
15 Hong Kong51.5High-income
16 Estonia51.1High-income
17 Canada51.1High-income
18 Ireland50.4High-income
19 Austria50.1High-income
20 Norway49.2High-income
21 Belgium48.5High-income
22 Australia48.0High-income
23 Luxembourg47.3High-income
24 Iceland47.0High-income
25 New Zealand45.5High-income
26 Cyprus45.5High-income
27 Malta45.4High-income
28 Italy44.9High-income
29 Spain44.6High-income
30 United Arab Emirates44.2High-income
31 Portugal43.9High-income
32 Czech Republic42.0High-income
33 Lithuania40.8High-income
34 Malaysia40.6Upper middle-income
35 Slovenia40.1High-income
36 Hungary40.0High-income
37 Bulgaria39.1High-income
38 India38.2Lower middle-income
39 Poland37.7High-income
40 Croatia37.7High-income
41 Latvia37.5High-income
42 Greece37.4High-income
43 Turkey37.2Upper middle-income
44 Vietnam37.1Lower middle-income
45 Thailand36.7Upper middle-income
46 Saudi Arabia36.0High-income
47 Slovakia35.5High-income
48 Qatar34.6High-income
49 Romania34.3High-income
50 Philippines33.6Lower middle-income
51 Chile33.1High-income
52 Brazil32.9Upper middle-income
53 Mauritius32.5Upper middle-income
54 Serbia31.7Upper middle-income
55 Indonesia31.3Upper middle-income
56 Georgia31.2Upper middle-income
57 Morocco31.1Lower middle-income
58 Mexico30.5Upper middle-income
59 Armenia30.5Upper middle-income
60 Russia30.3High-income
61 South Africa30.1Upper middle-income
62 Bahrain30.0High-income
63 North Macedonia29.8Upper middle-income
64 Montenegro29.8Upper middle-income
65 Jordan29.7Lower middle-income
66 Ukraine29.7Upper middle-income
67 Albania29.6Upper middle-income
68 Uruguay28.8High-income
69 Oman28.7High-income
70 Iran28.5Upper middle-income
71 Colombia28.5Upper middle-income
72 Costa Rica28.4Upper middle-income
73 Kuwait28.2High-income
74 Moldova27.4Upper middle-income
75 Seychelles27.2High-income
76 Tunisia27.0Lower middle-income
77 Argentina26.8Upper middle-income
78 Mongolia26.7Upper middle-income
79 Uzbekistan26.5Lower middle-income
80 Peru26.5Upper middle-income
81 Kazakhstan26.3Upper middle-income
82 Panama25.9High-income
83 Jamaica25.2Upper middle-income
84 Barbados25.1High-income
85 Belarus25.1Upper middle-income
86 Egypt24.7Lower middle-income
87 Botswana24.6Upper middle-income
88 Brunei24.5High-income
89 Senegal23.8Lower middle-income
90 Lebanon23.6Lower middle-income
91 Namibia23.5Upper middle-income
92 Bosnia and Herzegovina23.4Upper middle-income
93 Sri Lanka22.9Lower middle-income
94 Azerbaijan22.9Upper middle-income
95 Cape Verde22.6Lower middle-income
96 Kyrgyzstan22.6Lower middle-income
97 Dominican Republic22.6Upper middle-income
98 El Salvador22.2Upper middle-income
99 Pakistan22.1Lower middle-income
100 Cambodia21.9Lower middle-income
101 Ghana21.9Lower middle-income
102 Paraguay21.4Upper middle-income
103 Kenya21.4Lower middle-income
104 Rwanda21.1Low-income
105 Nigeria21.1Lower middle-income
106 Bangladesh21.0Lower middle-income
107 Nepal20.2Lower middle-income
108 Tajikistan20.2Lower middle-income
109 Laos20.1Lower middle-income
110 Ivory Coast19.7Lower middle-income
111 Bolivia19.6Lower middle-income
112 Zambia19.6Lower middle-income
113 Ecuador19.5High-income
114 Trinidad and Tobago19.3High-income
115 Algeria18.9Upper middle-income
116 Cameroon18.2Lower middle-income
117 Togo18.1Low-income
118 Benin17.8Lower middle-income
119 Honduras17.7Lower middle-income
120 Madagascar17.6Low-income
121 Tanzania17.5Lower middle-income
122 Myanmar17.3Lower middle-income
123 Guatemala17.1Upper middle-income
124 Uganda17.1Low-income
125 Malawi16.0Low-income
126 Burkina Faso15.9Low-income
127 Burundi15.8Low-income
128 Mozambique15.4Low-income
129 Zimbabwe15.4Lower middle-income
130 Nicaragua15.4Lower middle-income
131 Mauritania15.4Lower middle-income
132 Lesotho14.9Lower middle-income
133 Guinea14.9Lower middle-income
134 Ethiopia14.4Low-income
135 Mali14.0Low-income
136 Venezuela13.7-
137 Republic of the Congo13.6Lower middle-income
138 Angola13.0Lower middle-income
139 Niger11.9Low-income
Movement in the Global Innovation Index top 10 countries and territories between 2018 and 2022

References

edit
  1. 1 2 3 Jean-Eric Aubert (editor) (2010). Innovation Policy: A Guide for Developing Countries. Washington, DC: World Bank. ISBN 9780821382691.
  2. ↑ Charles H. Matthews, Ralph Brueggemann (2015). Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Competency Framework. London; New York: Routledge. ISBN 9780415742528.
  3. ↑ "UK ranked as world-leader in innovation". Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "Academic Network – Portulans Institute". portulansinstitute.org. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  5. ↑ Soumitra Dutta, Bruno Lanvin, Sacha Wunsch-Vincent (editors) (2015). Global Innovation Index Report 2015. Fontainebleau; Ithaca; Geneva: INSEAD, Cornell and WIPO. ISBN 9782952221085. Archived 18 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Republic Act No. 11293 : The Philippine Innovation Act declares the GII as a measure of innovation". lawphil.net. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  7. ↑ In July 2021, the Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, under the Japanese Prime Minister's Office, decided on the Intellectual Property Promotion Plan 2021, which set forth a plan of annual action related to intellectual property for all ministries and agencies. In the first part of the plan, WIPO's GII is cited (p. 5): https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/singi/titeki2/kettei/chizaikeikaku20210713.pdf
  8. ↑ The GII is also cited throughout the official Malaysian Government report, the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK12): https://rmke12.epu.gov.my/en Archived 4 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP on solutions for implementation of socio economic development plan in 2021". LuatVietnam. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "UK ranked as world-leader in innovation". Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  11. ↑ A/RES/74/229: Seventy-fourth session: Agenda item 20 (b): Globalization and interdependence: science, technology and innovation for sustainable development: Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2019. Accessed December 2021.
  12. ↑ Dašić, Predrag; Dašić, Jovan; Antanasković, Dejan; Pavićević, Nina (2020). "Statistical Analysis and Modeling of Global Innovation Index (GII) of Serbia". In Karabegović, Isak (ed.). New Technologies, Development and Application III. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems. Vol. 128. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 515–521. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-46817-0_59. ISBN 978-3-030-46817-0. S2CID 218917874.
  13. ↑ Sarcina, Angela; Paolantonio, M. R.; Valentini, P. P.; Iannone, R. V. (2024). "Innovation's Performance: A Transnational Analysis Based on the Global Innovation Index". Procedia Computer Science. 235: 451–460. doi:10.1016/j.procs.2024.01.043. ISSN 1877-0509.
  14. ↑ "Publications: Global Innovation Index". Wipo.int. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  15. 1 2 World Intellectual Property Organization (29 September 2026). "WIPO Global Innovation Index 2026: Switzerland, Sweden, US, Republic of Korea and Singapore Top Ranking; AI Reshaping Innovation Investments as Deep Science Startups Top $7.6 Trillion". www.wipo.int. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  16. 1 2 World Intellectual Property Organization (29 September 2026). Global Innovation Index 2026: Powering Entrepreneurs at the Frontier of Science. World Intellectual Property Organization. p. 16. doi:10.34667/TIND.59194.
  17. ↑ "The Global Innovation Index. Appendix I – Conceptual and measurement framework of the Global Innovation Index". wipo.int. 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  18. ↑ "Global Innovation Index 2025. Appendix III - Sources and definitions". wipo.int. 2025.
  19. ↑ "Global Innovation Index 2025 - GII 2025 results". wipo.int. 2025.
  20. ↑ "Global Innovation Index 2025 Executive Version". wipo.int. 2025.
  •  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Further reading

edit
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_Innovation_Index&oldid=1379776035"