Switzerland is still the most innovative country in the world

(CONNECT) Switzerland has ranked top for innovation out of nearly 140 economies worldwide. This is once again the conclusion reached by the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization, an agency of the United Nations, in its Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025.

In this 18th edition of the GII, Sweden and the US follow in second and third place, as in the previous year. The top 10 also includes South Korea, Singapore, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and, for the first time, China, which moved up one place. Germany ranks 11th and France 13th. In total, 15 European economies feature in the world's top 25. Thirteen of the 39 European economies surveyed improved their rankings, compared to nine last year. These include Ireland, Belgium, and Norway.

The GII uses around 80 indicators, including research and development (R&D) expenditure, venture capital transactions, high-tech exports, and patent applications. It is considered the leading reference for policymakers, business leaders, and other stakeholders when it comes to promoting innovation. These indicators also include dynamic innovation clusters, led in Europe by Germany with seven and the United Kingdom with four. However, European innovation clusters lag behind the US in terms of venture capital strength.

Particularly noteworthy is the low R&D growth, which fell from 4.4 per cent in the previous year to 2.9 per cent, representing the lowest growth since the 2010 financial crisis. Venture capital transactions increased by 7.7 per cent, solely due to mega deals in the US and rising investments in generative artificial intelligence. Overall, investors returned to focusing on US-based IT companies. Finally, according to the report, socioeconomic indicators improved in 2024: labor productivity and life expectancy rose, while poverty continued to decline. ce/mm