StartupBlink just released its inaugural Innovators Business Environment Index (IBEI), which evaluates how easily innovators can start and operate a business across the globe. This index measures business environments from the innovator’s point of view and with the understanding that a “strong, stable and genuinely pro-business environment” is what really triggers innovation. More than 125 countries are covered with over 30 parameters used for assessment. There are five main parameter categories: 1) Regulation and Government, 2) Access to Capital & Financial Infrastructure, 3) Taxation, 4) Digital Infrastructure, and 5) Global Mobility & Openness. The top ten countries (in rank order) are United States (#1), Singapore, United Kingdom, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Estonia (#10).
StartupBlink publishes other indices that measure and report on global innovation
- The Global Startup Ecosystem Index (GSEI) measures innovation outcomes and ranks the startup ecosystems of over 1,400 cities and 118 countries and has been updated annually since 2017. The three main parameter subscores are Quantity (measuring the activity level of the ecosystem), Quality (assessing the impact and success of the activity in the ecosystem), and Business Environment (evaluating how supportive the overall conditions are for startup growth). This year the new Annual Ecosystem Growth indicator was added for each country and city. The top ten countries (in rank order) are United States (#1), United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore, Canada, Sweden, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands (#10). Top ranked cities include San Francisco (#1), New York, London, Los Angeles, Beijing, Boston, Shanghai, Paris, Tel Aviv-Yafo, and Bangalore (#10).
- In April 2025, StartupBlink launched their Corporate Startup Activity Index, which analyzes startup activities of more than 370 corporations worldwide. Corporations are ranked for their startup activity globally and across 30 countries, 11 main industries, and 10 selected sub-industries. The top ten companies leading globally in startup activity (in rank order) are Salesforce (#1), Google, Qualcomm, Comcast, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung Electronics, Ansys, and Cisco (#10). All of the top ten are headquartered in the United States with the exception of Samsung, which is in South Korea.
WIPO’s Global Innovation Index (GII), now in its 18th edition, measures innovation performance across 140 economies and the world’s top 100 innovation clusters. Global innovation trends are tracked through investment patterns, technological progress, adoption rates, and socioeconomic impacts. The most innovative economies are (in rank order) Switzerland (#1), Sweden, United States, South Korea, Singapore, United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and China (#10). The world’s top ten largest innovation hubs are Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou (#1), Tokyo–Yokohama, San Jose–San Francisco, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai-Suzhou, New York, London, Boston-Cambridge, and Los Angeles (#10).
The U.S. Chamber’s International IP Index, 13th edition, evaluates intellectual property systems across 55 world economies. The Index consists of 53 indicators across 10 separate categories: 1. Patent Rights and Limitations, 2. Copyrights and Limitations, 3. Trademark Rights and Limitations, 4. Design Rights and Limitations, 5. Trade Secrets and the Protection of Confidential Information, 6. Commercialization of IP Assets and Market Access, 7. Enforcement, 8. Systemic Efficiency, 9. Incentives for Cutting-Edge Innovation, and 10. Membership and Ratification of International Treaties. The top ten economies (in rank order) are United States (#1), United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland, Spain, and South Korea (#10).
February 8, 2026
