WIPO Global Innovation Index: over 3 deep tech startups, total valuation of 7.6 trillion US dollars, half of them hold patents

On 29, 9, 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the "Global Innovation Index 2026" report. The report assesses 139 economies and maps the world's top hundred innovation clusters; this year's theme is "Powering Entrepreneurs at the Frontier of Science," examining how science-based startups and university spin-offs turn frontier research into commercial entities.

In the rankings, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States remain in the top three, with Switzerland first for the 16 consecutive year; Europe holds 14 of the top 25 places, with the Netherlands rising to 7 and Austria at 18. China remains at 10 and is still the only middle-income economy in the top ten; South Korea and Singapore rank 4 and 5 respectively, and Hong Kong, China rises to 14.

On deep tech, the report introduces for the first time the "Dealroom—WIPO deep tech startup tracker," providing the first panoramic mapping of global deep tech startups and university spin-offs. The data show that since 2000, more than 3 deep tech companies have been founded, 9.5 times the figure for 2010, with a compound annual growth rate of about 16%; their combined valuation is 7.6 trillion US dollars, up 23% from 2024; in 2025 they attracted 1220 billion US dollars in venture capital, which, excluding single deals above 2.5 billion US dollars, accounts for 36.5% of global venture capital, nearly double the level of 2015. The fields are concentrated in life sciences, semiconductors, robotics, aerospace, energy and advanced materials.

Geographically, the United States leads with 12,752 companies, China follows with 3,466 and the United Kingdom is third with 2,133; however, from 2020 to 2025 China grew 138% while the United States grew 30%, and Estonia has the fastest growth rate in the world. On patents, 50% of deep tech startups hold patents, versus only 15.4% of other startups; patent use rises with maturity, from about 43% at the seed stage to 69% at later stages. Of the 20 patent holders in East Asia, 19 are Chinese companies, with ChangXin Memory Technologies leading with 8,311 patent families.

The report also identifies bottlenecks: companies often stall at three thresholds—from research to an investable proof of concept, from pilot to commercial deployment, and from technology to a profitable enterprise; the Series B and C funding cliff, regulatory friction and talent shortages compound one another. "The real constraint today is industrialization, not invention."

Policy recommendations include: financing covering the entire translation chain (proof-of-concept funding, pilot and demonstration facilities, late-stage patient capital), professionalized technology transfer, shared laboratories and testing and certification channels, and an intellectual property framework built on "affordable filing, patent pools and IP financing." ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), "Global Innovation Index 2026" executive summary, released on 29, 9, 2026. Disclaimer: This article is compiled from public information and is for informational reference only; it does not constitute legal or other professional advice. Specific data are subject to the original World Intellectual Property Organization report.

Note: The content of this article is compiled from public information and is for informational reference only; it does not constitute legal or other professional advice. For specific conclusions, please refer to official releases and the actual circumstances of each case.