Global Innovation Index 2023: German innovation system “stable, powerful, efficient”

Summary:

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has published the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023, which ranks Germany 8th among the most innovative countries. The study highlights the country's strong innovation system, characterized by a high number of patent and design applications, successful companies, high development investments, and important scientific publications. The WIPO praises Germany's efficient innovation system, which is driven by strong and innovative companies on one side and reliable state institutions on the other. However, the study also identifies weaknesses in education and digitalization, which could put Germany's future innovation capacity at risk. The country's education budget is ranked 36th globally, and it lags behind in several digitalization categories. Despite this, Germany's innovation strengths are reflected in its top-100 science and technology clusters, with nine regional clusters ranked among the top 100. The study also highlights the importance of swift and effective protection of intellectual property rights, which is a key responsibility of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA).