The 17th edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) provides new data and analysis on the state of global innovation and allows readers and policymakers to compare the performance of the innovation ecosystem of more than 130 economies.
The 2024 Global Innovation Index, titled Unlocking the Promise of Social Entrepreneurship, explores the link between innovation and social enterprises, and the impact this delivers for our world. The report highlights that after following years between 2020 and 2022, research and development expenditures decelerated, the number of scientific publications declined, and venture capital investments returned to pre-pandemic levels, including in Africa and Latin America. But on the other hand, it notes that new innovations in digital and deep science – highlighted in the GII 2022 – continue to power progress, with significant advances in areas such as genome sequencing, computer power and electric batteries. There are also improvements in what is termed the socio-economic impact of innovation, with positive trends in key indicators, including a decline in global poverty and rises in labor productivity and life expectancy.
The latest edition gives Spain a score of 44.9 points, ranking it in 28th position out of the 133 countries analysed (one place above the previous edition), 18th among European countries, in the group of countries whose performance is in line with their level of development.