Global Innovation Index 2025

Global Innovation Index 2025

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has published a new edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII). This report analyzes the innovation performance of 139 economies and studies global innovation trends using 80 indicators and criteria, including institutions, human capital and research infrastructure, investment, knowledge diffusion, and creative outputs, among others.

Switzerland leads the innovation ranking for another year, followed by Sweden, the US, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, with China standing out in the top 10.

The GII 2025 ranks Spain in 29th place, down one position from the previous index, with results in line with its level of development and income. In relation to Europe, Spain remains in the same position as in previous editions, ranking 18th among the 39 European economies. In the “Innovation Outputs” sub-index, Spain climbs to 24th place.

Among the short-term indicators, there is a 4.3% increase in international patent applications, a 9% increase in R&D investment, and technology adoption rates reaching 25% in the case of electric vehicles.

With regard to the areas analyzed in the GII 2025, Spain ranks an impressive 11th in Infrastructure. Our country also ranks in the top half of the classification in the areas of Knowledge and Technology Production (23rd and 26th, respectively). However, it ranks last in the area of Institutions.

This edition also includes the ranking of innovation clusters, in which Spain has two of the world's leading innovation clusters according to the GII: Barcelona and Madrid. In these innovation hubs, the patents obtained mainly belong to the sectors of Other Special Machinery and Digital Communication.

In its 18th edition, the Index offers important conclusions at the global level. R&D growth fell to 2.9% in 2024, the lowest growth since the 2010 financial crisis, and R&D spending by private sector companies in real terms slowed to 1%. International patent applications filed under WIPO rebounded (+0.5%), with strong growth in the Republic of Korea (+7%), but continued to decline in the US, Japan, and Germany.

More information

https://www.wipo.int/es/web/global-innovation-index