This year, the authors of the report have focused on the future of medical innovation, with a separate healthcare section, which looks at the ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI), genomics, and mobile-phone based health applications, will transform the delivery of healthcare.
The World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, named Switzerland as
the world’s most innovative country on Wednesday, during the launch of its
latest
Global Innovation Index, (GII) in the Indian capital New Delhi.
Following
Switzerland in the rankings are Sweden, the United States, the Netherlands and
the United Kingdom. India has risen most in the rankings since 2018, jumping
five places to fifty-second most innovative country.
The
annual Index, which has been published for the last 12 years by WIPO, and a
number of partners, is designed to help policy makers better understand
innovation activity, which WIPO describes as a “main driver of economic and
social development”.
Overall,
this year’s Index finds that, despite the global economic slowdown, innovation
is “blossoming”, particularly in Asia, but trade disruptions and protectionism
are putting this at risk. It also notes that planning for innovation is
critical for success:
“The
Index shows us that countries that prioritize innovation in their policies have
seen significant increases in their rankings,” said WIPO Director General,
Francis Gurry. “The rise in the GII by economic powerhouses like China and
India has transformed the geography of innovation, and this reflects deliberate
policy action to promote innovation”.
Focus on
future medical innovation
Key
findings of the Index include concerns that public expenditure on research and
development – a major element in basic and ‘blue-sky” research, which are
crucial for future innovations – is stagnating, particularly in high-income
countries. The report also notes that, unless it is contained, increased
economic protectionism will lead to a slowdown of growth in innovation
productivity.
This
year, the authors of the report have focused on the future of medical
innovation, with a separate healthcare section, which looks at the ways in
which Artificial Intelligence (AI), genomics, and mobile-phone based health
applications, will transform the delivery of healthcare.
The
Global Innovation Index is a leading benchmarking tool for business executives,
policy makers and others seeking insight into the state of innovation around
the world. Innovation is rated in the report by using 80 indicators, from the
level of Research and Development investment, for example, to mobile-phone app
creation and high-tech exports.