6 of the world’s top 10 innovators are European, but VC tells another story
Europe may regularly be criticised for struggling to turn scientific excellence into global technology giants, but data published this week by the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 offers a useful counterweight to that narrative. According to the findings, 6 of the world’s 10 most innovative economies are European, giving the […] The post 6 of…
The World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 highlights that Europe boasts six out of the top 10 most innovative economies globally. Switzerland leads the GII for the 16th consecutive year, followed by Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark. The region accounts for 14 out of the world's top 25 innovation economies, with Norway, Belgium, and Luxembourg close behind.
Twelve European economies improved their positions in the 2026 edition. However, despite Europe's concentration of highly ranked innovation economies, the region accounts for only 9.9% of global venture capital deal value. European venture firms continue to raise substantial capital, with notable fund launches and investments in DeepTech, AI, defence, climate, life sciences, and university-linked innovation.
Europe's research ecosystem is strong, with numerous cities and universities ranking among the world's most innovation-intensive clusters.
Written by urgent.news from EU-Startups's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
