The World’s 10 Most Innovative Economies
In the 21st century, innovation has become the heart and soul of economic policy. Developed and developing nations alike are in the race to leave industrialization behind, adapting instead to technology-focused, entrepreneurial societies.
Customized cancer treatment, faux meat products, and the smart home technologies are frequently positioned as ‘the next big thing’. But which countries are consistently innovating the most?
Today’s graphic comes from the seventh annual Bloomberg Innovation Index and highlights the 10 most innovative economies, and the seven metrics used to rank 2019’s top contenders.
Measuring Innovation
Bloomberg calculated each country’s innovation score using seven equally-weighted metrics.
- R&D Spending
All research and development funding invested in an economy each year. - Patent Activity
Number of domestic patents filed, total patent grants, patents per population, filings per GDP, and total grants awarded measured against the global total. - Tertiary Efficiency
Total enrollment at post-secondary institutions, graduation levels, and number of science and engineering graduates. - Manufacturing Value-added
Manufacturing output levels that contribute to exports and domestic economic growth. - Productivity
Overall productivity levels of the working-age population. - High-tech Density
Number of domestic high-tech public companies, measured against the number of domestic public companies and the global total of public high-tech companies. - Researcher Concentration
Number of professionals currently engaged in research and development roles.
More than 200 countries were initially considered for Bloomberg’s Innovation Index. Any country reporting in less than six categories was automatically eliminated, leaving 95 countries remaining. Bloomberg publishes the results for the top 60 most innovative economies each year.
Notable Countries in the Top 60
The U.S. rejoined the top 10 after dropping to 11th in 2018 for low scores in education. Israel moved up five spots to 5th place, while Romania made the largest overall gain, jumping six spots to rank in the top 30.
| 2019 Rank | Economy | Total Score | Change in Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 87.38 | 0 |
| #2 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 87.3 | 2 |
| #3 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 85.57 | 4 |
| #4 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 85.49 | 1 |
| #5 | 🇮🇱 Israel | 84.78 | 5 |
| #6 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 84.49 | -3 |
| #7 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 84.15 | -5 |
| #8 | 🇺🇸 United States | 83.21 | 3 |
| #9 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 81.96 | -3 |
| #10 | 🇫🇷 France | 81.67 | -1 |
| #11 | Denmark | 81.66 | -3 |
| #12 | Austria | 80.98 | 0 |
| #13 | Belgium | 80.43 | 1 |
| #14 | Ireland | 80.08 | -1 |
| #15 | Netherlands | 79.54 | 1 |
| #16 | China | 78.35 | 3 |
| #17 | Norway | 77.79 | -2 |
| #18 | United Kingdom | 75.87 | -1 |
| #19 | Australia | 75.38 | -1 |
| #20 | Canada | 73.65 | 2 |
| #21 | Italy | 72.85 | -1 |
| #22 | Poland | 69.1 | -1 |
| #23 | Iceland | 68.41 | 1 |
| #24 | New Zealand | 68.12 | -1 |
| #25 | Czech Republic | 68.09 | 3 |
| #26 | Malaysia | 67.61 | 0 |
| #27 | Russia | 66.81 | -2 |
| #28 | Luxembourg | 66.37 | 4 |
| #29 | Romania | 64.78 | 6 |
| #30 | Spain | 64.52 | -1 |
| #31 | Slovenia | 64.11 | – |
| #32 | Hungary | 63.05 | -5 |
| #33 | Turkey | 62.89 | 0 |
| #34 | Portugal | 62.79 | -4 |
| #35 | Greece | 62.05 | -4 |
| #36 | Estonia | 61.79 | 0 |
| #37 | Lithuania | 59.73 | -3 |
| #38 | Hong Kong | 58.9 | -1 |
| #39 | Slovakia | 58.03 | -1 |
| #40 | Thailand | 57.77 | 5 |
| #41 | Bulgaria | 56.36 | 0 |
| #42 | Latvia | 55.46 | -2 |
| #43 | Malta | 55.43 | -4 |
| #44 | Croatia | 54.98 | -2 |
| #45 | Brazil | 53.62 | – |
| #46 | U.A.E. | 52.93 | – |
| #47 | Iran | 52.81 | 2 |
| #48 | Cyprus | 52.05 | -1 |
| #49 | Serbia | 51.35 | -5 |
| #50 | Argentina | 51.31 | – |
| #51 | South Africa | 51.03 | -3 |
| #52 | Tunisia | 48.92 | -9 |
| #53 | Ukraine | 48.05 | -7 |
| #54 | India | 47.93 | – |
| #55 | Kuwait | 47.27 | – |
| #56 | Saudi Arabia | 47.18 | – |
| #57 | Qatar | 46.58 | – |
| #58 | Chile | 46.4 | – |
| #59 | Mexico | 46 | – |
| #60 | Vietnam | 45.92 | – |
Brazil rejoined the list at number 45, after not being included on the 2018 list. The United Arab Emirates made the list for the first time, marking the highest debut ever at number 46.
Tunisia and Ukraine were the two countries with the largest losses, which both fell out of the top 50 this year. To date, South Africa is the only Sub-Saharan nation to be ranked in the index.
Newcomers to the Innovation Index in 2019 are some of the largest emerging economies, such as India, Mexico, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia.
Impact of Global Innovation
Innovation is complex─many factors play a role in the ideation, development, and commercialization of any new technology. And while innovation success can fuel economic growth, it is generally more accessible in high-income economies, where R&D funding is readily available.
“The battle for control of the global economy in the 21st century will be won and lost over control of innovative technologies.”
—Tom Orlik, Bloomberg Economics
The focus of an economy that prioritizes innovation, however, is not simply allocating resources for a group of people─it’s discovering new methods, models, and products that create a better quality of life for society.
