The top five countries Switzerland, Sweden, USA, Netherlands and UK are closely grouped. You can also see why Angela Merkel is concerned that despite being an economic powerhouse, Germany is down the list. And where is France?
Switzerland has clinched first position yet again in the latest Global Innovation Index – a title it has held since 2011. So is there a Swiss recipe for success? The small, landlocked country punches far above its weight in patenting, intellectual property receipts and manufacturing of high-tech products, according to the report. Sweden is ranked second followed by the United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.