Singapore, September 18, 2025 – In the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII), Singapore has been ranked fifth among 139 economies, marking the third consecutive year in the top five list. It was also rated second in the South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania (SEAO) region. This is the second consecutive year in which Singapore has secured the maximum number of top-ranked indicators, securing first place for 10 out of 78 GII indicators.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) annually publishes the GII, a global assessment of the world’s most innovative economies. Innovation inputs and innovation outputs comprise the GII classification.
- Innovation Inputs refer to factors that enable innovative activities (e.g., institutions, human capital, infrastructure, market sophistication and business sophistication).
- Innovation outputs reflect the results of innovative activity (e.g., knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs).
For the 15th consecutive year, Singapore has maintained its leadership in innovation inputs. It maintained the top position in the institutions pillar, as well as the second position in the human capital and research pillar and the third position in the business sophistication pillar. To be more precise, Singapore’s top-ranked indicators include FDI net inflows, policy stability for conducting business, and government effectiveness.
Singapore achieved its highest ranking in over a decade, rising two positions to 9th in innovation outputs. In the knowledge and technology outputs pillar, the country rose two positions to 7th, and in the creative outputs pillar, it rose four positions to 15th. Intangible asset intensity and brand value of top firms, as well as strengths in high-tech manufacturing, unicorn valuations, and cultural and creative exports, were the driving forces behind this improvement.
This year’s index used 78 indicators from public and private international sources to track innovation performance across 139 economies.
Mr Tan Kong Hwee, Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), stated, “Singapore’s performance in the Global Innovation Index (GII) reflects the collective commitment across government, businesses, and research communities to build a world-class innovation ecosystem. Singapore maintained its leading position in innovation inputs, but more significantly, we improved two positions to 9th in innovation outputs – our highest rank in over a decade. This indicates that we have enhanced our innovation capability to realise tangible benefit for the economy. The GII provides encouragement and affirmation as we plan for the next bound of the Singapore IP Strategy (SIPS) 2030.”
More details on the full GII study are available here.
