Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou has claimed the No. 1 spot in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 cluster ranking, leaping ahead after five years at No. 2.
At the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), this powerhouse cluster outperformed Tokyo-Yokohama and San Jose-San Francisco, thanks to a winning combination of intellectual property filings, academic research and venture capital.
- International patent filings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty
- Scientific publications
- Number of venture capital deals
China leads with 24 entries among the top 100 global clusters, followed by the U.S. with 22 and Germany with 7, underscoring Asia’s surging R&D momentum.
Officials say this achievement reflects the GBA’s growing creative pulse. Zhang Zhicheng, deputy director at the China National Intellectual Property Administration, highlights a dynamic innovation scene, while Chen Jiachang, vice minister at the Ministry of Science and Technology, credits Hong Kong’s world-class research institutions, international talent pool and robust IP framework. China’s central government has pledged full support for the region’s ambition to become an international innovation and technology centre.
For entrepreneurs, researchers and digital nomads, the GBA is a real-world lab where AI, biotech and green tech breakthroughs are already taking shape—and setting the agenda for global progress.
Reference(s):
Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou tops WIPO's innovation cluster list
cgtn.com
