Artificial intelligence is driving a rebound in global research spending and venture capital, with a new generation of deep-science startups turning frontier research into whole new industries, the World Intellectual Property Organization said on Tuesday.
Who leads the 2026 rankings
WIPO's Global Innovation Index 2026 puts Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Singapore at the top of the rankings. China, India, Vietnam, Türkiye, the Philippines, Morocco and Indonesia have climbed the fastest over the past decade, the report found.
Global research and development spending grew by more than 3.3% in real terms in 2025 and is expected to reach $3.4 trillion in 2026. Corporate R&D rose 5.8% last year to a record $1.5 trillion, driven by software, AI and defence-related research.
Venture capital concentrates on AI
Venture capital funding for innovative startups grew 28% to $510 billion in 2025 — the strongest gain since 2021. But the money is increasingly concentrated: AI accounted for 53% of global venture capital deal value even as the number of deals fell for a fourth consecutive year. African startups raised about $3.2 billion, up 40%.
Deep-science startups are booming. More than 30,000 have been created since 2000, nearly ten times the 2010 figure, and they made up 16% of venture-backed startups in 2025. Together they are worth $7.6 trillion, up 23% from 2024. The United States leads with 12,752 such firms, followed by China with 3,466 and the United Kingdom with 2,133. The fastest growth since 2020 has come in Central and Southern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The ventures span semiconductors, robotics, quantum computing, life sciences, space and advanced materials.
"AI is opening new technological frontiers across all fields of science," said WIPO Director General Daren Tang. "Our 2026 GII report shows that a new generation of deep-science startups is translating breakthroughs into products and transforming fields such as life sciences, space, robotics and clean energy."
Published annually, the Global Innovation Index ranks 139 economies on their innovation ecosystems using 79 indicators.
Sources:
CGTN: AI reshaping innovation investment as deep-science startups boom, WIPO says
Who leads the 2026 rankings
WIPO's Global Innovation Index 2026 puts Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the Republic of Korea and Singapore at the top of the rankings. China, India, Vietnam, Türkiye, the Philippines, Morocco and Indonesia have climbed the fastest over the past decade, the report found.
Global research and development spending grew by more than 3.3% in real terms in 2025 and is expected to reach $3.4 trillion in 2026. Corporate R&D rose 5.8% last year to a record $1.5 trillion, driven by software, AI and defence-related research.
Venture capital concentrates on AI
Venture capital funding for innovative startups grew 28% to $510 billion in 2025 — the strongest gain since 2021. But the money is increasingly concentrated: AI accounted for 53% of global venture capital deal value even as the number of deals fell for a fourth consecutive year. African startups raised about $3.2 billion, up 40%.
Deep-science startups are booming. More than 30,000 have been created since 2000, nearly ten times the 2010 figure, and they made up 16% of venture-backed startups in 2025. Together they are worth $7.6 trillion, up 23% from 2024. The United States leads with 12,752 such firms, followed by China with 3,466 and the United Kingdom with 2,133. The fastest growth since 2020 has come in Central and Southern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The ventures span semiconductors, robotics, quantum computing, life sciences, space and advanced materials.
"AI is opening new technological frontiers across all fields of science," said WIPO Director General Daren Tang. "Our 2026 GII report shows that a new generation of deep-science startups is translating breakthroughs into products and transforming fields such as life sciences, space, robotics and clean energy."
Published annually, the Global Innovation Index ranks 139 economies on their innovation ecosystems using 79 indicators.
Sources:
CGTN: AI reshaping innovation investment as deep-science startups boom, WIPO says
