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Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou has overtaken Tokyo and Yokohama as the world’s top innovation cluster in WIPO’s 2025 Global Innovation Index. The United Nations (UN) agency said adding venture capital metrics to patent and publication data reshaped the rankings and brought market creation into the score.
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) said venture capital investment activity helps capture how scientific and technological knowledge translates into start up creation and ultimately new goods and services in the marketplace. The agency noted that the top clusters together account for a large share of global patent filings and scientific output. WIPO chief Daren Tang said innovation clusters form the backbone of strong national innovation ecosystems. His comment framed the agency s logic for the methodological change.
The methodology shifts boosted US and Indian clusters while altering standings for some East Asian centres. China leads with 24 clusters in the top 100. The United States follows with 22 clusters. WIPO said the index now better shows which regions turn research into commercial activity.
Top 15 clusters in 2025 are Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou, Tokyo and Yokohama, San Jose and San Francisco, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai and Suzhou, New York City, London, Boston and Cambridge, Los Angeles, Osaka Kobe Kyoto, Paris, Hangzhou, San Diego and Nanjing. The list highlights where universities investors and firms combine to drive innovation.
Policy makers and investors will use the findings to target R and D partnerships and funding. Cities that seek to convert ideas into products will study the report for lessons on linking capital to research and on building start up pipelines.
