Switzerland ranked highest of 139 countries for the sixth year in a row, while the UK came in at sixth overall.
Ireland is climbing back up the Global Innovation Index (GII), ranking in 18th place this year out of nearly 140 countries.
While the country is slowly gaining steam, improving from the 19th place last year and 23rd in 2022. Though, back in 2015, the country ranked much higher at 8th place.
The GII is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a UN agency. It reviews the innovation performance of 139 countries globally across human capital, infrastructure, market and business sophistication.
This year, Ireland has performed strongly in institutional and business environment where it ranked in 10th place, but ranked in 24th place in human capital and research.
The index also shows that the number of venture capital deals in the country has lowered by 1.9pc over the course of four years, highlighting a long-term slow down. Although, the number has grown by 1.7pc in the short term between 2023 and 2024.
The top ranked countries this year are Switzerland, Sweden and the US, with Switzerland coming out on top for the sixth year in a row. The UK ranked sixth in this year’s index.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD, said that he is “very pleased” by Ireland’s progress at the GII.
“At the same time however, we clearly need to continue to improve this performance in the interests of our national competitiveness and wider policy objectives.
“This is a time globally when Ireland needs to play to its strengths more than ever – and talent and innovation are our most important assets.”
The Minister highlighted Ireland’s new Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity which aims to increase investment in the public research system.
Aside from research and innovation, the Plan hopes to boost foreign direct investments and exports, create and scale more SMEs and increase Ireland’s capacity to deliver on its infrastructure promises.
“The Action Plan rightly places research and innovation at the heart of Ireland’s future competitiveness and productivity,” Minister Lawless added.
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Updated, 2.50pm, 23 September 2025: This article was amended to give Ireland’s correct ranking.
