PCT Newsletter
October 2026 | No. 10/2026
Global Innovation Index 2026 reveals world’s most innovative economies
Switzerland heads the ranking once again, but developing countries are rising
WIPO has released the 2026 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII), its annual analysis of innovation performance.
The report uses 79 indicators to comprehensively evaluate and rank the innovation ecosystems of 139 economies and identify major global innovation trends.
As in 2025, Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Singapore are once again the world’s most innovative economies. No new economy has entered the top 15, and China, in 10th place, is the only middle-income economy in the top 30.
But India (now at number 38), Viet Nam (43), Türkiye (45), the Philippines (52), Morocco (54) and Indonesia (55) continue their long-term move up the rankings, while Saudi Arabia (42), Qatar (47), Mauritius (50), Brazil (53), Jordan (60) and Bahrain (64) have also made sustained advances in recent years.
This year’s report includes a special analysis of deep science entrepreneurship – startups and spinouts in fields such as advanced materials, energy science and health technology, where development cycles are typically longer and more capital-intensive than in software and other digital-native industries. The research highlights the critical importance of patenting for such businesses: 49% of deep science startups hold patents, while the rate for other startups is just 15%.
Access the full GII report and explore the data on the WIPO website.