Where innovation is born

Where does innovation come from? Bloomberg annually publishes a ranking of the most innovative countries, those that can therefore be considered global leaders in research and development, patent activity, high-tech density and so on. Here is the 2021 ranking based on 2020 data.

The Bloomberg index annually analyses the world landscape using various criteria and relating them to seven equally weighted metrics: R&D spending intensity, patent activity, efficiency of tertiary education, value-added manufacturing, productivity, high-tech density and researcher concentration. The ranking of the most innovative countries is then drawn up on the basis of this index.

The 2021 ranking [based on 2020 data] obviously also reflects the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that it has brought innovation to the fore, from governments’ efforts to contain the spread of the virus, to infrastructure digital technology that has allowed economies to work with it, from the rush to develop vaccines to tools created or strengthened to support smart working.

The Bloomberg ranking sees South Korea return to first place, stealing the sceptre from Germany, which from first place drops down to fourth. In 2020, South Korea in fact collected 90.49 points out of 100 possible, recovering the head of the rankings that it had held continuously from 2014 to 2019.

Also on the podium were Singapore [87.76 points] and Switzerland [87.60]. The Netherlands and Denmark, compared to 2019 improved more than the others, climbing respectively four and two places in the standings. However, the United States finished eleventh, losing three positions in two years and exiting the Top10 for the first time. Here’s the video with some more details.

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