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  • Writer's pictureMagdalena Gołębiewska

Innovation improves worldwide, but inequalities remain

Global Innovation Index (GII), that INSEAD co-authors with Cornell University and WIPO is live!


Key findings: Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country for the ninth year in a row, followed by Sweden, the US, the Netherlands and the UK, according to the Global Innovation Index 2019, published by INSEAD, WIPO, and Cornell University. Based on indicators such as research and development investments, the GII ranks 129 economies.


Worth to mention (3 quick thoughts):

  • First, innovation worldwide is in constant flux. In this year’s report, Israel enters the top 10 for the first time, and China continues its progression at rank 14 (17 last year). For more, see list below.

  • Second, while not in the top 20, India's 52nd place ranking is noteworthy — its 29-place move-up since 2015 represents the biggest jump by any major economy — due in part to the quality of its scientific publications and universities, per the report. 

  • Third, every year the GII picks a particular theme. Entitled “Creating Healthy Lives – The Future of Medical Innovation”, GII 2019 focuses on healthcare, an area where technology and scientific discoveries have contributed to narrow the gap between rich and poor (successfully addressing huge challenges such as malaria, infant mortality for example); yet, such inequalities may reappear as innovation in health focuses more and more on artificial intelligence, and generates new business models.


First 20 places below. For a full report click here.

  1. Switzerland (Number 1 in 2018)

  2. Sweden (3)

  3. United States of America (6)

  4. The Netherlands (2)

  5. United Kingdom (4)

  6. Finland (7)

  7. Denmark (8)

  8. Singapore (5)

  9. Germany (9)

  10. Israel (11)

  11. Korea, Republic of (12)

  12. Ireland (10)

  13. Hong Kong (China) (14)

  14. China (17)

  15. Japan (13)

  16. France (16)

  17. Canada (18)

  18. Luxemburg (15)

  19. Norway (19)

  20. Iceland (23)

Watch the video with Bruno Lanvin, CEO, INSEAD Global Indices


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