Swiss top innovation league

Europe dominates the top 10 positions in the Global Innovation Index (GII) released today by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Switzerland comes out on top, with Sweden, America, and the UK all securing top five rankings for the fourth year in a row.

The GII, now in its 14th year, reveals tech intensive companies are continuing to perform strongly, with the Index’s new Global Innovation Tracker highlighting the uneven impact the pandemic is having across different sectors. While nearly two-thirds of biotechs are spending more on R&D, industries restricted by COVID containment measures – including transport and travel, have suffered.

“This year’s Global Innovation Index shows us that in spite of the massive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lives and livelihoods, many sectors have shown remarkable resilience – especially those that have embraced digitalisation, technology and innovation”, said WIPO Director General Daren Tang. “As the world looks to rebuild from the pandemic, we know that innovation is integral to overcoming the common challenges that we face and to constructing a better future. The Global Innovation Index is a unique tool to guide policy-makers and businesses in charting plans to ensure that we emerge stronger from the pandemic.”

The GII 2021 was Published by WIPO, in partnership with the Portulans Institute and our corporate partners: The Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Ecopetrol (Colombia) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM).