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Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou has overtaken Tokyo-Yokohama to claim the title of the world's leading innovation hub, according to the United Nations. In its 2025 Global Innovation Index, the U.N.'s World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) reported that the Chinese cluster surpassed its Japanese counterpart after the agency expanded its assessment criteria.
Previously, the rankings had been based solely on patent filings and scientific publications. Still, this year, WIPO also factored in levels of venture capital investment. The agency explained that such investment provides a clearer picture of how research and technology are being converted into start-ups, products, and services that reach the marketplace.
Previously, the rankings had been based solely on patent filings and scientific publications. Still, this year, WIPO also factored in levels of venture capital investment. The agency explained that such investment provides a clearer picture of how research and technology are being converted into start-ups, products, and services that reach the marketplace.
Top 15 innovation clusters in 2025
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou (China)
- Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan)
- San Jose-San Francisco (United States)
- Beijing (China)
- Seoul (South Korea)
- Shanghai-Suzhou (China)
- New York City (United States)
- London (Britain)
- Boston-Cambridge (United States)
- Los Angeles (United States)
- Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto (Japan)
- Paris (France)
- Hangzhou (China)
- San Diego (United States)
- Nanjing (China)
Chinese cluster now world's top innovation hotspot: UN
Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou has overtaken Tokyo-Yokohama to become the world's top cluster for innovation, the United Nations said Monday.The agency said Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou and Tokyo-Yokohama "make a massive contribution to global scientific publications and patenting outputs"...