GII 2025 results

This results section showcases the leading findings from the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, highlighting the top-performing economies across income groups and world regions. It identifies who are innovation leaders and who are the innovation overperformers achieving results beyond expectations.

The GII 2025 rankings primarily reflect data from 2023 to 2025 (representing approximately 80 percent of all data points). Appendix I provides comprehensive guidance on how to properly interpret these results, explaining the methodological considerations that affect a direct comparison being made between annual rankings.

Innovation leaders in 2025

Switzerland remains the world's innovation leader in 2025. China enters the top 10 for the first time, while middle-income economies – India, Türkiye, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Morocco, Albania and Iran – are the fastest climbers since 2013.

Switzerland tops the Global Innovation Index (GII) for a 15^th consecutive year (Figure 1). It remains the global leader in the Creative outputs pillar and secures a top five position across all other pillars, except for Human capital and research (6^th).

Sweden and the United States of America retain their 2^nd and 3^rd positions for the third year in a row.

Sweden ranks 2^nd globally in both Business sophistication and Creative outputs and leads in the indicators Researchers (1^st), Global brand value (2^nd), Gross expenditure on R&D  (3^rd) and Knowledge-intensive employment (3^rd).

The United States holds the top spot in both Market and Business sophistication. It leads in gross expenditure on R&D (4^th), in Global corporate R&D investors (1^st) and performs exceptionally well in R&D performed and financed by business (4^th and 5^th, respectively), underscoring the central role of the private sector in driving innovation. It is backed by having one of the world's largest Domestic market scales (2^nd), robust Domestic credit to the private sector (4^th) and dynamic startup funding. However, its performance in Infrastructure (32^nd) remains lower in comparison. The United States is also home to 22 innovation clusters, characterized by having a high level of Venture Capital (VC) activity, vibrant startup ecosystems and close ties between universities and industry (Clusters section). The San Jose–San Francisco cluster ranks 3^rd globally and leads in innovation intensity (1^st), driven by Silicon Valley's tech giants and strong patent and VC output.

The Republic of Korea climbs to 4^th place in 2025 – its highest position to date. It leads globally in the Human capital and research pillar and ranks among the top three worldwide for Researchers (2^nd), overall R&D expenditure (2^nd), R&D performed by business (1^st), Researchers in businesses (1^st), and PCT patents by inventor origin (3^rd).

Singapore remains within the top 5, despite slipping down one rank to 5^th in 2025. It maintains its position as the economy with the greatest number of GII indicators ranked 1^st globally (10 out of 78), ahead of both the United States and China. Singapore continues to lead in innovation inputs overall, but still trails behind the top eight in innovation outputs, particularly in Creative outputs (15^th).

Finland (7^th) and the Netherlands (8^th) maintain a strong position within the top 10. Finland excels in Infrastructure (3^rd), while the Netherlands ranks 6^th in Creative outputs, reflecting a balanced innovation ecosystem. Denmark advances one position to 9^th, supported by a top-tier performance in Institutions (2^nd), ICT access (1^st), and Online creativity (5^th).

China enters the GII top 10 for the first time, leading globally in Knowledge and technology outputs. As the only middle-income economy within the top 30, China continues to lead its income group and ranks 3^rd in its region, behind Singapore and the Republic of Korea. China is set to become the top R&D spender in 2024, according to WIPO estimates. China leads globally in patent filings and hosts the most top 100 innovation clusters (24), including Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou – now ranked 1^st – and Beijing, both hotspots for patents, science and, increasingly, VC. Its high-tech exports and position within global value chains continue to strengthen, especially within strategic sectors such as AI, semiconductors and green technologies. While traditionally lagging in terms of private innovation finance, China is quickly closing the gap. It now ranks 2^nd in both Late-stage VC deals and business-financed R&D, and 3^rd among the world's top corporate R&D investors – underscoring the growing role of its private sector in driving innovation.

Figure 1 The GII dynamo: the top 15 innovators, 2021–2025 Note: Changes in methodology and variations in data availability may affect the year-to-year comparison of GII rankings. The GII model undergoes periodic refinements, which should be a consideration when interpreting longitudinal performance trends.

Source: Global Innovation Index Database, WIPO, 2025.

Japan moves up one position to 12^th in 2025 – its highest rank since 2011. It continues to excel in high-technology and R&D, ranking 2^nd in Patent families and 3^rd in R&D performed by business. Strong results in Business sophistication (6^th) further reflect the depth of Japan's industrial innovation capabilities. Israel climbs one position to 14^th. It ranks 1^st in overall R&D expenditure, VC received, University–industry R&D collaboration, and R&D performed by business, showcasing a vibrant and well-funded innovation ecosystem.

Hong Kong, China rises three positions to 15^th – its highest since 2018 – reflecting its enduring strength as a financial and logistics hub. It performs particularly well in Market sophistication (2^nd) and Institutions (8^th). Moreover, Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou is the globally first ranked innovation cluster this year.

Estonia holds 16^th place and continues to lead among smaller economies. It ranks 2^nd in ICT use and 3^rd in Government online services, underscoring its digital leadership. Estonia also leads in VC, ranking 1^st in both VC received and VC investors.

Ireland rises one rank to 18^th and solidifies its place within the top 20. It continues to benefit from its strong ICT sector, ranking 1^st in ICT services exports and Intellectual property (IP) payments, 2^nd in Intangible asset intensity, and 3^rd in Software spending. 

Belgium climbs three positions to 21^st – its best result since 2013. It stands out in Business sophistication (10^th), with a particularly strong performance in R&D performed by business (6^th), Knowledge-intensive employment (11^th), Researchers in businesses (11^th), and University–industry and international engagement (14^th). Australia ranks 22^nd and continues its upward trend within the top 25. It performs exceptionally well in university quality (3^rd), the  impact of its Scientific publications (6^th), and Tertiary inbound mobility (5^th), reinforcing its appeal as a hub for global talent and research.

Economies soaring to new heights in innovation in 2025

Several economies soar to new heights in innovation in 2025 (Figure 2).

Norway enters the top 20 at 20^th place. It leads the world in Infrastructure (1^st) and performs strongly in Institutions (9^th), supported by a robust innovation input profile.

The United Arab Emirates advances to 30^th place, in 2025, marking continued progress and its best rank to date. The United Arab Emirates has top-tier rankings in Institutions (7^th), Business sophistication (28^th), plus a highly internationalized higher education system. It performs well in Business environment (2^nd) and remains a benchmark in areas such as ICT access (6^th), ICT use (7^th) and Government online services (16^th).

Croatia (40^th) makes it into the top 40.

Figure 2 Economies soaring to new heights in innovation, 2025Note: Year-on-year comparisons of GII rankings must take into account changes to the GII model that have occurred overtime, as well as data availability.

Source: Global Innovation Index Database, WIPO, 2025.

The Philippines (50^th) continues to improve, breaking into the top 50, and reinforcing its position as one of the most consistent innovation climbers in South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. It also claims 3^rd place among lower middle-income economies (Table 1).

A defining strength of the Philippine innovation ecosystem is its integration into global markets and its trade driven economy, that is both producing and absorbing advanced technologies and digital services and increasingly focused on applied innovation. The Philippines leads the world in High-tech exports (1^st), ranks 4^th in High-tech imports, and performs strongly in Creative goods exports (16^th) and ICT services exports (20^th). Though infrastructure and R&D spending remain relatively weak, the presence of high-tech manufacturing (20^th), a growing production complexity and a budding creative sector – including an increasingly recognized brand landscape, and notable improvements in Intangible asset intensity (35^th) – suggest that innovation is being embedded across multiple industries and reflects ongoing progress within knowledge-based sectors.

Morocco climbs to 57^th place, joining the top 60 and marking its highest rank to date and major milestone in its long-term innovation trajectory. Morocco's progress reflects its industrial capacity, IP generation, and knowledge investment. At the heart of Morocco's progress is a shift toward high value-added production. Its economy has gradually moved beyond providing raw materials and low-cost manufacturing toward more sophisticated outputs – ranking 12^th globally in High-tech manufacturing, which now accounts for nearly 50 percent of its total manufacturing output. The country performs strongly in industrial designs relative to GDP (6^th), in Trademarks (24^th) and Intangible asset intensity (26^th), reflecting a private sector that is increasingly able to build brand value and move up the value chain. It has also top ranks in Expenditure on education (16^th) and Labor productivity growth (24^th).

Armenia (59^th) makes notables strides and enters the top 60.

Bahrain (62^nd), Jordan (65^th) and Oman (69^th) are making big strides; all three entering the top 70. These economies share a common foundation of strong institutions, expanding infrastructure and a growing pool of human capital. Bahrain shows strong performance in Infrastructure (15^th), and particularly in ICT (11^th), ranking 1^st in ICT access, 11^th in ICT use and 23^rd in Government online service. It also stands out for having a highly supportive business environment, placing 7^th in Entrepreneurship policies and culture, Policy stability for doing business, and Business environment overall. Oman stands out for its human capital, ranking high for its share of Graduates in science and engineering (12^th).

Albania (67^th) joins the top 70.

Tunisia moves up in the rankings this year, rising to 76^th place and entering the top 80. Its 2025 improvement signals a renewed momentum and potential for future gains. Tunisia continues to leverage its strong human capital base and emerging innovation ecosystems, particularly in higher education and science. It holds top ranks for its Graduates in science and engineering (2^nd) and its Scientific and technical articles (17^th).

Uzbekistan rises to 79^th – its best position ever and entering the top 80. It performs well in Labor productivity growth (6^th), a sign of rising economic efficiency, and stands out for its growing pool of Graduates in science and engineering (13^th). Uzbekistan also shows strength in creating an enabling Business environment, ranking 9^th in this sub pillar, and continues to make progress in education financing – ranking 24^th in Expenditure on education.

Seychelles (75^th) returns to the GII in 2025, re-entering the rankings for the first time since 2015 and landing within the top 80. It establishes itself as one of the stronger performers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Innovation climbers

China (10^th), India (38^th), Türkiye (43^rd), Viet Nam (44^th), the Philippines (50^th), Indonesia (55^th), Morocco (57^th), Albania (67^th) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (70^th) are the middle-income economies within the GII top 70 which have climbed fastest in the ranking since 2013 (Figure 3).

Since 2019, Saudi Arabia (46^th), Qatar (48^th), Brazil (52^nd), Mauritius (53^rd), Bahrain (62^nd) and Jordan (65^th) have been the fastest innovation climbers. Bahrain and Jordan join this group thanks to progress made in 2025 (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Economies climbing the ladder in global innovationNote: Year-on-year comparisons of GII rankings must take into account changes to the GII model that have occurred overtime, as well as data availability.

Source: Global Innovation Index Database, WIPO, 2025.

China continues to lead all middle-income economies (Table 1).

India strengthens its lead in Central and Southern Asia, rising to 38^th place. It performs exceptionally well in areas such as ICT services exports (1^st), Late-stage VC deals (4^th), Intangible asset intensity (8^th), and Unicorn valuation (11^th), reflecting its growing innovation-driven economy.

Brazil ranks 52^nd and continues to overperform relative to its level of development, anchored by strong research infrastructure, sustained R&D investment, and strong academic and corporate research capabilities. The São Paulo innovation cluster remains among the top 50 globally, reinforcing Brazil's regional leadership in scientific output and technological development.

Innovation momentum is rising in Northern Africa and Western Asia – especially in the Middle East – and in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Northern Africa and Western Asia region is building innovation momentum in 2025, with 14 economies improving their ranking. In Northern Africa, Morocco climbs nine ranks, marking one of the most significant improvements within the region.

Innovation performance in the Middle East is also gaining ground. The United Arab Emirates advances to 30^th place in 2025. Saudi Arabia moves up to 46^th, while Qatar (48^th) continues its ascent within the top 50. Saudi Arabia and Qatar also benefit from high input scores – ranking 31^st and 34^th, respectively – driven by strengths in areas such as market sophistication, policy stability, and university–industry collaboration. Qatar stands out for attracting international talent, ranking 1^st globally in Tertiary inbound mobility, and shows strong ICT use.

Ten out of the 32 economies from Sub-Saharan Africa covered this year have improved their ranking. Namibia (91^st) has made the biggest improvement in the region, followed by South Africa (61^st) and Nigeria (105^th).

Sub-Saharan Africa leads in the number of economies overperforming on innovation, with six economies: South Africa (61^st), Senegal (89^th), Rwanda (104^th), Madagascar (120^th), Malawi (125^th), and Burundi (127^th). Malawi is a new entrant to this group.

Five Sub-Saharan African economies enter the GII in 2025, thanks to improved data collection: Seychelles (75^th), Malawi (125^th), Lesotho (132^nd), Guinea (133^rd) and Congo (137^th) (Box 1), with Congo joining for the first time.

Singapore tops the most indicators globally, ahead of the United States and China; middle-income economies like Cambodia, Namibia, Nepal and Nigeria stand out in specific areas

Singapore maintains its leadership position in 2025, ranking 1^st globally in 10 out of 78 innovation indicators (Figure 4). It excels in Government effectiveness, Policy stability for doing business, FDI net inflows, Unicorn valuation, High-tech manufacturing, and GitHub commits.

The United States follows closely, ranking 1^st worldwide in nine indicators (unchanged from 2024). It leads in Late-stage VC deals, Global brand value, Global corporate R&D investors, Unicorn valuation, Software spending, and Intangible asset intensity. Israel and Hong Kong, China, share third place, each dominating seven innovation indicators. Israel tops indicators that include VC received and Unicorn valuation, while Hong Kong, China, leads in FDI net inflows and University industry and international engagement. China ranks fifth, achieving top position in six indicators, including Creative goods exports, Utility models, Trademarks, and Industrial designs. Iceland and Cyprus tie for sixth place, each ranking 1^st in five indicators – Iceland excels in Low-carbon energy use, while Cyprus leads in Mobile app creation.

Several economies demonstrate exceptional performance in specific areas. Namibia leads in Expenditure on education, while Malaysia tops Graduates in science and engineering. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates lead in Tertiary inbound mobility, whereas Saudi Arabia dominates ICT use. Cambodia and Nepal rank 1^st in Loans from microfinance institutions, while the Philippines and Viet Nam excel in High-tech exports. Nigeria achieves top position for Unicorn valuation, and India leads in ICT services exports.

Box 1 outlines important "dos and don'ts" to bear in mind when using the GII to improve an economy's innovation performance.

Innovation overperformers: a consistent group amid global competition

India and Viet Nam remain the longest-standing innovation overperformers, having maintained this status for 15 consecutive years. Rwanda and Ukraine follow closely, while Tunisia and Malawi are new entrants to the group of overperformers

The GII 2025 identifies 17 economies – two less than in 2024 – performing above expectation relative to their development level, thereby establishing themselves as the year's innovation overperformers (Figure 5 and Table 2).

India (38^th) and Viet Nam (44^th) maintain their remarkable streak as innovation overperformers for a 15^th consecutive year since 2011. These lower middle-income economies outperform their income group across all seven GII pillars, even surpassing upper middle-income benchmarks.

South Africa (61^st) and Senegal (89^th) secure their overperformer status for an eighth time, both advancing in this year's rankings. Senegal excels in areas such as capital formation (1^st), microfinance (9^th), and VC received (32^nd), signaling a relatively healthy investment climate for startups and enterprises. It also has one of the highest unicorn valuations relative to GDP in the world (10^th), pointing to a private sector that can scale new technologies within a context of constrained infrastructure and R&D capacity.

Morocco (57^th) retains its overperformer designation this year and now breaks into the top 60.

Brazil (52^nd) is an overperformer for a fifth consecutive year, while Indonesia (55^th) and Uzbekistan are overperformers for a fourth year in a row. Tunisia (76^th) and Malawi (125^th) join this prestigious group in 2025.

Regionally, Sub-Saharan Africa leads in overperformers, with six economies (Table 2).

Conversely, 38 economies underperformed on innovation relative to expectations in 2025, with Latin America and the Caribbean having the largest share (13 economies). Among high-income economies that perform below their expected innovation levels, resource-driven economies from Northern Africa and Western Asia predominate, including Saudi Arabia (46^th), Qatar (48^th), Bahrain (62^nd), Oman (69^th) and Kuwait (73^rd). Nevertheless, most of these economies (Kuwait excepted) improved in the innovation rankings in 2025, with Bahrain and Oman breaking into the top 70. The lower middle-income group includes 10 underperforming economies, six of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Innovation efficiency leaders: maximizing output from available inputs

China surpasses several high-income economies in terms of innovation output, while other middle-income economies – the Islamic Republic of Iran, India, Mexico, Tunisia and Nigeria – demonstrate an enhanced innovation efficiency

Switzerland (1^st) leads high-income economies in the transformation of innovation inputs into exceptional outputs, outperforming Sweden (2^nd), the United States (3^rd) and the United Kingdom (6^th). The United Kingdom generates stronger outputs than Finland (7^th), the Netherlands (8^th) and Denmark (9^th), achieving greater efficiency with lower input levels. Germany (11^th) and Italy (28^th) similarly demonstrate a high level of efficiency in output generation relative to input investment (Figure 6).

China (10^th) dominates the upper middle-income group, producing innovation outputs that match or exceed those of several high-income economies, among them Singapore (5^th), Germany (11^th) and Australia (22^nd), while deploying fewer resources. The Islamic Republic of Iran (70^th) delivers outputs that exceed expectations based on its input level, surpassing Brazil (52^nd) and the Russian Federation (60^th). Mexico (58^th) maintains robust output levels relative to inputs, outperforming Indonesia (55^th), Chile (51^st) and Colombia (71^st).

In the lower middle-income category, India (38^th), Tunisia (76^th), Pakistan (99^th), Nigeria (105^th) and Zimbabwe (129^th) emerge as efficient economies, converting limited innovation inputs into disproportionately high outputs. Madagascar (120^th) continues to distinguish itself among low-income countries for innovation efficiency, while Ethiopia (134^th) improves its efficiency in 2025, despite dropping in overall rank.

Several economies demonstrate enhanced innovation efficiency this year. Sweden, the United States, Malta (27^th), India, Mexico, Tunisia, Nigeria and Ethiopia have advanced in terms of aligning innovation investment with output, optimizing their innovation ecosystems for a greater return.

Most innovation leaders (top 25) continue to showcase balanced strength across all seven pillars of the index – except for China – the only middle-income economy within the top 10, but which continues to perform less well on the Institutions pillar (ranked 44^th) than it does on all other pillars. Beyond the top 10, Germany (11^th), Japan (12^th), France (13^th), Hong Kong, China (15^th), Canada (17^th), Austria (19^th), Norway (20^th) and Australia (22^nd) all exhibit a well-rounded ecosystem, excelling across both input and output dimensions (Table 3).

Among lower-ranked economies, several stand out for their exceptional performance in individual innovation pillars. Rwanda (104^th overall) performs notably well in Institutions (35^th), while Kyrgyzstan (96^th) scores much better in Human capital and research (58^th) relative to its overall ranking. Paraguay (103^rd) places well in Infrastructure (58^th) and Cambodia (100^th) ranks solidly in Market sophistication (29^th). In terms of Business sophistication, Namibia (91^st) and Nigeria (105^th) both perform well (49^th and 55^th, respectively). The Philippines (50^th overall) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (70^th) perform relatively well in Knowledge and technology outputs (38^th and 46^th), while Mongolia (78^th) scores well in Creative outputs (54^th). These diverse strengths represent valuable innovation assets that these economies can leverage to improve their overall innovation performance and global ranking.

Innovation across the world's regions

Driven by stronger innovation outputs, Central and Southern Asia edges ahead of Latin America and the Caribbean, while Sub-Saharan Africa shows promising gains

For the first time, Central and Southern Asia overtakes Latin America and the Caribbean in the regional GII rankings, based on the unweighted average GII score of all the economies within a region. While Northern America and Europe continue to lead, followed by South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania, and Northern Africa and Western Asia, the most notable shift has occurred between Central and Southern Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. This shift represents a milestone and is largely driven by Central and Southern Asia's edge in innovation outputs, where the region now scores on average higher than Latin America and the Caribbean. In contrast, Latin America and the Caribbean still leads on innovation inputs, though the gap is narrowing.

Central and Southern Asia's performance has been buoyed by economies like India (38^th), Uzbekistan (79^th) and Kazakhstan (81^st), which show improved results across knowledge creation, technological outputs, and human capital development. These economies have built a strong culture of technology adoption and entrepreneurship, and are demonstrating that a focus on innovation outputs – whether through high-tech exports, research linkages or entrepreneurship – can allow an economy to leap ahead in the rankings, even if that economy does not have the most advanced innovation system.

In contrast, many Latin American and Caribbean economies remain stuck in the "input–output" gap –often as a result of having weak linkages in the innovation ecosystem or a rigid institutional environment. In this case, they invest in education and policy reforms, but struggle to connect these investments to innovation results.

Sub-Saharan Africa, while still behind other regions on average, now surpasses both Central and Southern Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean in the Institutions and Business sophistication pillars – a clear sign of an increasing potential and a deepening capacity within the region.

The sections that follow highlight the most significant economy-level developments happening across the seven world regions.

Northern America

Northern America remains the most innovative world region in 2025. Comprised of the United States and Canada, the region continues to maintain a wide lead over other global regions in terms of overall innovation capacity and output.

Canada ranks 17^th in 2025, slipping three positions compared to last year. Despite this setback, Canada stands out for its innovation inputs, ranking 13^th globally, backed by a robust institutional framework, a high-quality education and research base, and a vibrant VC ecosystem. Canada ranks among the top economies for Market sophistication (8^th), University–industry R&D collaboration (6^th), and Late-stage VC deals (8^th). Its innovation ecosystem is anchored by world-class universities and dynamic firms. Conversely, Canada's shortcomings include lower Labor productivity growth (101^st), fewer Industrial designs (95^th) and Trademarks (85^th), and modest High-tech exports (37^th) relative to its peers. Nevertheless, with three major innovation clusters in Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver, and relatively good Intangible asset intensity (17^th) and Software spending (7^th), Canada remains a dynamic innovation leader with room to boost its output performance.

Europe

Europe remains the world's leading region in terms of the number of economies ranked among the top 25 of the GII, with 15 economies in this elite group – including six within the top 10. While most of the top performers hold steady, 13 of the 39 European economies move up the ranking in 2025, a notable increase from nine last year: namely, Denmark (9^th), Ireland (18^th), Norway (20^th), Belgium (21^st), Malta (27^th), Lithuania (33^rd), Bulgaria (37^th), Poland (39^th), Croatia (40^th), Latvia (41^st), Greece (42^nd), Montenegro (64^th) and Albania (67^th). Norway enters the top 20, Croatia the top 40 and Albania the top 70 (Figure 2).

Belgium moves up three ranks – one of the highest jumps within the region. It has a strong base of Researchers (7^th) and high Gross expenditure on R&D (6^th) – equaling 3.3 percent of its GDP in 2023 – with significant contributions from business (high ranks in GERD performed and financed by business, ranked 6^th and 7^th, respectively). It also ranks well in University industry and international engagement  (14^th), and in Research talent (11^th) and Knowledge-intensive employment (11^th).

Eastern European economies and the Baltic States continue to gain ground in the innovation landscape, with several showing marked improvement, and with Albania, Croatia and Lithuania gaining the most. Estonia (16^th), Lithuania and Latvia increasingly position themselves as agile, digitally savvy economies. Estonia remains a digital pioneer, consistently ranked among the best globally for ICT infrastructure, e-government, and online services.

Lithuania stands out for its vibrant startup scene. It performs well in VC received (20^th) and has the world's highest Unicorn valuation relative to GDP (1^st), signaling an early-stage funding landscape with potential to scale-up its enterprises globally. Lithuania also excels in Females employed with advanced degrees (3^rd) and Knowledge-intensive employment (16^th). The country's performance in Mobile app creation (8^th) and Knowledge impact (13^th) further showcases its growing digital and innovation outputs.

Latvia continues to advance by leveraging a skilled workforce and its integration into European value chains, while maintaining solid performance in infrastructure. Bulgaria (37^th) and Poland (39^th) are also making strides. Poland remains one of the most diversified economies in the region and continues to grow its digital technologies and creative exports.

Europe also contributes a diverse group of innovation clusters. Germany leads with seven clusters, including Munich, Berlin, and Stuttgart. In the United Kingdom, with four clusters, Cambridge and Oxford stand out for their high scientific productivity and intensity. Other strong performers by intensity include Helsinki (Finland), Eindhoven (the Netherlands), Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Dublin (Cluster section). However, European clusters generally rank lower than US counterparts, because of their weaker VC ecosystems.

South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania

Six economies in the region rank among the world's innovation leaders in 2025 – one less than in 2024. They are the Republic of Korea (4^th), Singapore (5^th), China (10^th), Japan (12^th), Hong Kong, China (15^th) and Australia (22^nd).

This group continues to dominate global innovation indicators: the Republic of Korea leads in R&D performed by business, and Researchers in business; Singapore ranks 1^st globally in Unicorn valuation, High-tech manufacturing and GitHub commits; China maintains its 1^st place in Trademarks, Utility models, and Industrial designs, and newly claims 1^st overall in the Knowledge and technology outputs pillar; Japan leads in Production and export complexity; Hong Kong, China, ranks 1^st in High-tech imports; and Australia ranks 2^nd in Regulatory quality.

Nine of the 17 economies covered in the region improved their rankings in 2025, with Hong Kong, China (15^th), the Philippines (50^th), Cambodia (100^th) and Myanmar (122^nd) making the greatest advances.

The Philippines advances to 50^th(Figure 2), and claims 3^rd place among lower middle-income economies (Table 1).

Cambodia (100^th) leads in financial inclusion and access to credit. It ranks 1^st worldwide in Loans from microfinance institutions, 2^nd in Credit, and 10^th in Domestic credit to the private sector. Other areas of strength include FDI net inflows (13^th), Gross capital formation (15^th) and Labor productivity growth (19^th), underscoring Cambodia's transformation and capital investment momentum.

Lao People's Democratic Republic (109^th) also moves up the ranking.

Central and Southern Asia

India continues to lead innovation within the Central and Southern Asia region, rising one spot to 38^th place in 2025. It remains the top performing lower middle-income economy (Table 1). Its strengths lie in its scale, entrepreneurial activity and a growing ability to translate scientific knowledge into commercial impact. India ranks 1^st in ICT services exports and has a strong business landscape backed by a dynamic VC scene – it is placed 4^th in Late-stage VC deals and 9^th in Finance for startups and scaleups. Indian Unicorn valuation (11^th) and its growing Intangible asset intensity (8th), reflect its knowledge and tech-driven economy. Yet, challenges remain. India continues to lag in Infrastructure and R&D spending – equal to only 0.65 percent of its GDP in 2020, reflecting the need for further investment to be made.

Three other economies within the region move up the ranking: Uzbekistan (79^th) –entering the top 80 for the first time– Kyrgyzstan (96^th) and Nepal (107^th). Uzbekistan retains the 3^rd place within the region, behind the Islamic Republic of Iran (70^th).

Kyrgyzstan standouts in Expenditure on education (5^th globally) and ranks among the top 15 for Low-carbon energy use (14^th), reflecting strengths in environmental sustainability. Nepal ranks 1^st globally in Loans from microfinance institutions. It also performs well in Credit (7^th) and Gross capital formation (11^th), pointing to  access to finance and capital investment.

Northern Africa and Western Asia

The Northern Africa and Western Asia region is  building innovation momentum in 2025, with 14 economies improving their ranking.

Israel (14^th) continues to lead the region, gaining one rank and reinforcing its position among the top 15 global innovation economies. It tops several critical indicators, including overall R&D expenditure, VC received, ICT services exports, and Unicorn valuation, reflecting a dynamic innovation ecosystem.

Innovation performance in the Middle East is also gaining ground, with eight economies moving up. The United Arab Emirates rises two ranks to a new high of 30^th, marking upward momentum. Bahrain (62^nd), Jordan (65^th) and Oman (69^th) make the most strides and enter the top 70. Saudi Arabia (46^th) and Qatar (48^th) move one position.

Cyprus (25^th) moves up 2 spots and Georgia (56^th) moves one. Morocco (57^th) and Armenia (59^th) make notables strides and enter the top 60; while Tunisia (76^th) enters the top 80 (Figure 2).

Morocco climbs nine ranks in 2025, marking one of the most significant improvements within the region – second only to Bahrain. Its innovation performance reflects a clear shift from traditional sectors toward a more diversified, value-added economy. Looking ahead, Morocco's key challenge will be to deepen investments into R&D, and improve its innovation linkages and infrastructure. While the country has proven to be an innovation overperformer, further progress will depend on strengthening investment, in order to scale and sustain its innovation gains over time.

Lebanon (90^th) and Azerbaijan (94^th) also climb the ranking, this year gaining four and one rank, respectively.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Latin America and the Caribbean, momentum slowed in 2025, with most economies either losing ground or stagnating. The region's persistent innovation input–output gap underscores the need for stronger linkages between research institutions and the private sector, as well as improved innovation governance and more effective financing mechanisms.

Chile (51^st) is followed by Brazil (52^nd) and Mexico (58^th) in the regional rankings.

Chile obtains strong results in Tertiary enrolment (5^th), Market capitalization (17^th), and FDI net inflows (22^nd). Brazil (52^nd) drops two places, but continues to anchor the region's innovation output capacity, ranking highest within the region in terms of Knowledge and technology outputs (50^th) and Creative outputs (50^th). It also ranks among the top 25 globally in Expenditure on education (23^rd) and Global corporate R&D investors (24^th). The country leverages its sizable Domestic market scale (7^th) to attract Late-stage VC (16^th) and ranks highly in High-tech imports (19^th) and ICT services imports (17^th), indicating there is a demand for advanced technologies and digital services. Brazil is the only economy within Latin America and the Caribbean that performs on innovation above expectations for its level of development and has kept this status since 2021 and for five consecutive years (Table 2).

Mexico (58^th) also slips down two ranks, but remains a strong performer in trade-related innovation indicators. It ranks 6^th in Creative goods exports, and performs strongly in High-tech imports (16^th), High-tech exports (13^th), and High-tech manufacturing (13^th), reflecting the continued strength of its industrial base and export-led model. Mexico City enters the top 100 innovation clusters for the first time, debuting at 79^th place.

Despite setbacks this year, Uruguay (68^th), Colombia (71^st) and Costa Rica (72^nd) follow the region's top 3. Uruguay retains leading positions in Institutions (31^st) and Infrastructure (46^th). Colombia is an emerging hub for corporate R&D and startup development. It remains a strong performer in High-tech imports (15^th) and Unicorn valuation (24^th). Panama (82^nd), the Dominican Republic (97^th) and El Salvador (98^th) maintain a stable position in the 2025 rankings.

Panama continues to leverage its strategic geographical location and strong general infrastructure in support of trade, investment, and service-based innovation. It benefits from having a relatively strong financial sector, which helps attract foreign investment. Labor productivity growth (18^th) is improving, and the country performs competitively in High-tech exports (21^st). It also shows promise in the creative economy, with measurable outputs in Creative goods and services (24^th) and Creative goods exports (12^th), reflecting a growing cultural and digital industries base. While its research capacity remains limited, its service-based economy provides a platform for innovation.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela returns to the GII for the first time since 2016 (136th).

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to make measured progress, with 10 economies improving in the ranking and several solidifying their position. Mauritius (53^rd) remains the region's top performer. It leads in VC investors (5^th), while maintaining top regional ranks in Institutions (32^nd), Market sophistication (28^th) and Creative outputs (37^th). South Africa (61^st), Seychelles (75^th), Botswana (87^th) and Senegal (89^th) follow in the regional ranking – with all improving their ranking, except for Botswana. Seychelles returns to the GII in 2025, re-entering the rankings for the first time since 2015 and landing within the top 80.

Namibia (91^st) registers the largest improvement in Sub-Saharan Africa, climbing 11 positions. It leads the world in Expenditure on education (1^st) and ranks within the top 40 for FDI net inflows (10^th), University–industry R&D collaboration (38^th) and Public research–industry co-publications (31^st), reflecting its emerging research partnerships and growing capacity. South Africa (61^st) also advances in 2025 and continues to be a regional leader in Human capital and research (75^th) and Infrastructure (67^th). It performs strongly in ICT services imports (18^th) and Global brand value (23^th), underlining its growing branding ecosystem.

Senegal rises three positions and shows notable strengths in Unicorn valuation (10^th), FDI net inflows (8^th) and Loans from microfinance institutions (9^th), signaling an expanding base for both startups and capital inflows. Nigeria (105^th) emerges as one of Sub-Saharan Africa's fastest climbers in 2025. It ranks 1^st globally in Unicorn valuation and performs well in Knowledge-intensive employment (35^th), High-tech imports (8^th) and Late-stage VC deals (36^th) indicating a growing depth in its knowledge economy and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Cameroon (116^th) also advances and performs well in Graduates in science and engineering (17^th).

Rwanda (104^th), Madagascar (120^th), Malawi (125^th), Senegal, South Africa and Burundi (127^th) are innovation overperformers. Rwanda has been the longest overperforming economy within the region – overperforming for 13 years.

Five Sub-Saharan African economies join the GII this year, owing to improved data coverage: Seychelles, Malawi (125^th), Lesotho (132^nd), Guinea (133^rd) and Congo (137^th).

Conclusion

The 2025 edition of the Global Innovation Index reveals a world in transition, where innovation remains a critical driver of competitiveness and resilience – but one that is evolving rapidly in character and geography. While the group of top innovation leaders remain largely stable, the global innovation landscape is becoming more diverse, with several middle-income economies making steady progress and regional dynamics shifting.

Three broad messages emerge from this year's findings:

First, there is broad participation in innovation. Innovation capacity is expanding across regions and income groups. While it is not possible for every economy to rise in the rankings, several economies – from Central and Southern Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe – are demonstrating stronger innovation performance. These economies are strengthening innovation through investment, education and business dynamism. Countries like India, Morocco, and the Philippines show that with focused strategies, they can build innovation capacity over time.

A standout development this year is the rise of Central and Southern Asia, which surpasses Latin America and the Caribbean in the regional GII rankings for the first time. This shift is driven by a strong output performance from India, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In Sub-Saharan Africa, countries like Nigeria and Namibia have made notable gains, and the region as a whole now outperforms others in selected institutional and business sophistication indicators.

Momentum is also building in Northern Africa and Western Asia, with 14 economies improving their ranking. Morocco and Bahrain are among the fastest risers, while Israel and Türkiye continue to lead in R&D and intangible assets. In Eastern Europe, countries such as Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania and Albania post gains linked to investment into education, digital transformation and startup ecosystems.

Second, there is diversity in how economies engage in innovation. Some are leveraging strengths in high-tech manufacturing or digital services, while others are tapping into creative industries, natural resource linkages or regional market dynamics. This diversity means that there is no single path to innovation success. Rather, countries are finding ways to adapt innovation models to their unique economic structures and capabilities.

Northern America and Europe remain the most innovative regions globally, bolstered by strong ecosystems for research, VC and high-impact scientific outputs. China's remarkable trajectory to reach the top 10, reflects its sustained investment in R&D and technological leadership. India reinforces its role through having strong ICT service exports, startup dynamism and a large domestic R&D base. Türkiye, Viet Nam and Thailand – despite setbacks in 2025 – all edge closer to the top 40, supported by strengths in trade, their industrial base and high-tech manufacturing. The Philippines climbs thanks to global leadership in high-tech exports and ICT services.

Third, innovation ecosystems are increasingly shaped by agility and responsiveness. Economies that can adapt quickly – by embracing new technologies, supporting startups and strengthening linkages across sectors – are gaining ground. Innovation is no longer only about long-term investment into science, but also about the ability to act in response to global shifts, including digital transformation and sustainability. As the world navigates economic uncertainty, the ability to adapt and innovate across sectors and borders will remain a defining advantage.

Still, barriers remain. Long-term innovation capacity still depends on key investments. Moreover, many economies struggle to scale their innovation ecosystem, commercialize research, and integrate more fully into global value chains.

Policymakers, business leaders and academic institutions must together act decisively to unlock innovation's full potential. First, they must invest in long-term R&D and education systems that support frontier knowledge and its diffusion. Second, promote a deeper collaboration between universities and the private sector, in order to turn research into economic value. Third, ensure access to finance, especially for startups and high-growth firms in developing regions. Finally, improve measurement and data systems, so as to better track innovation performance and guide evidence-based policymaking.

As the global economy faces mounting sustainability and growth challenges, innovation remains the most powerful tool with which to respond. The GII will continue to serve as a platform for measuring progress and fostering cooperation across all sectors and regions.

References

Arundel, A., S. Athreye and S. Wunsch-Vincent (eds) (2021). Harnessing Public Research for Innovation in the 21st Century: An International Assessment of Knowledge Transfer Policies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Intellectual Property, Innovation and Economic Development).

Perkmann, M., V. Tartari, M. McKelvey, E. Autio, A. Broström, P. D'Este, R. Fini, A. Geuna, R. Grimaldi, A. Hughes, S. Kabel, M. Kitson, P. Llerena, A., Salter and M. Sobrero (2013). Academic engagement and commercialisation: A review of the literature on university–industry relations. Research Policy, 42(2), 423–442. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2012.09.007.

WIPO (2024). Enabling Innovation Measurement at the Sub-National Level: A WIPO Toolkit. Authors: Gaétan de Rassenfosse (EPFL) and Sacha Wunsch-Vincent (WIPO). Geneva: World Intellectual Property Organization, Department for Economics and Data Analytics. Available at: www.wipo.int/publications/en/details.jsp?id=4746.