The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ranked Switzerland number one in the world for innovation for the tenth consecutive year, according to its latest Global Innovation Index (GII) published this week.
Switzerland, Sweden, U.S., U.K and Netherlands lead the innovation ranking, which ranks more than 130 nations. The biggest change in Switzerland’s score this year related to its performance on patents.
The GII shows year-on-year stability at the top, but a gradual eastward shift in the locus of innovation as a group of Asian economies – notably China, India, the Philippines and Viet Nam – continue to rise in the ranking.
The only developing country among the top 30, China remains among the 14th most innovative. South Korea becomes the second Asian country in the top ten, joining Singapore (8th), which has been near the top for a decade.
This year’s report looks at the effects of Coronavirus on innovation. It finds financing for innovation is drying up, affecting young firms, R&D intensive start-ups and developing economies the most. However, it also points to emerging opportunities from creative destruction, particularly in areas such as healthcare, teleworking, education, e-commerce and mobility.
More on this:
WIPO 2020 innovation report (in English)
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