The innovation hub formed by Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou has surpassed Tokyo-Yokohama to become the world’s leading innovation cluster, according to the United Nations. The latest global rankings place China ahead of both Japan and the USA in terms of regional innovation cluster strength and output.
The data, published Monday by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), reflects a major shift in how innovation is measured. The 2025 Global Innovation Index now includes venture capital investment as a key factor, alongside traditional indicators like patent filings and scientific publications.
This change in methodology propelled the Chinese cluster to the top spot, displacing Tokyo-Yokohama, which had long held the lead. San Jose-San Francisco rose to third place, surpassing major Asian centers such as Beijing, Seoul, and Shanghai-Suzhou.
Methodology shift alters global rankings
WIPO said the inclusion of venture capital provided a more accurate picture of how research and technology translate into new products and startups.
WIPO Director General Daren Tang noted that innovation clusters serve as the foundation for national innovation systems and play a critical role in moving ideas from laboratories to the market. He said the updated rankings help identify which regions are most effectively converting scientific work into real economic outcomes.
👏The #Shenzhen–#HongKong–#Guangzhou innovation cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has ranked top of the world's 100 leading innovation clusters in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, which was released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). pic.twitter.com/flMalD3Whq
— GO Guangdong (@GO_Guangdong) September 2, 2025
While the top two clusters—Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou and Tokyo-Yokohama—continue to dominate global innovation output, they also account for nearly 20% of all patent applications filed worldwide, according to WIPO.
The updated rankings also reflect broader geographic shifts. Clusters in the US generally moved higher, while several in East Asia fell in rank. Notably, London jumped from 21st to eighth place, and Bengaluru climbed from 56th to 21st, both benefiting from stronger venture capital activity.
Regional trends and global distribution
In contrast, some European Union regions dropped in the rankings. WIPO attributed this to relatively less active venture capital markets compared to the United States.
Overall, the top 100 clusters are spread across 33 economies. China led the count for the third consecutive year with 24 clusters in the top 100, followed by the United States with 22.
On a per capita basis, San Jose-San Francisco emerged as the most innovation-intensive cluster, followed by Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Top 10 innovation clusters in 2025
Here are the world’s top 10 innovation clusters for 2025, as ranked by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):
1. Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou (China)
2. Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan)
3. San Jose-San Francisco (United States)
4. Beijing (China)
5. Seoul (South Korea)
6. Shanghai-Suzhou (China)
7. New York City (United States)
8. London (United Kingdom)
9. Boston-Cambridge (United States)
10. Los Angeles (United States)
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