Global Innovation Index 2024

This edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) ranks the most innovative economies in the world in 2024 amongst 133 economies and unveils the world’s top S&T innovation clusters.

This year, the Global Innovation Index also reveals how to foster innovation via social entrepreneurship to make a societal impact that benefit everyone everywhere.

The GII’s top Science and Technology innovation clusters are the areas with the highest numbers of inventors and scientists globally and can include entire regions or cities.

The top science and technology innovation hub in 2024 is Tokyo–Yokohama (Japan), followed by Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou, Beijing, Seoul and Shanghai–Suzhou.

For the second consecutive year, China is the economy with the most S&T innovation clusters followed by the United States.

The Global Innovation Tracker gives an overview of the current state of global innovation within the four stages of the innovation journey.

It reveals how rapidly technology is progressing in the face of higher interest rates and geopolitical conflicts. According to this year’s Global Innovation Tracker, whilst levels of investments in R&D are still high, international patenting has decreased.

Social enterprises aim to address economic, social and environmental challenges to alleviate poverty and other complex issues. The GII reveals how to drive innovations via social entrepreneurship.

To make a societal impact, social enterprises must innovate by adopting one or several organizational models.

Before profit comes into play, the prime objective of social enterprises is to produce a social impact (facilitating access to education, promoting peace in conflict zones, providing sustainable solutions, preserving indigenous cultures, etc.). Whilst some enterprises protect their intellectual property rights via patents and trademarks, other social entrepreneurs do not engage in filing their intellectual property rights to make it open source.

There are multiple ways policymakers can help foster innovations, the GII will explore eight ways that can help social enterprises innovate.