The Netherlands ranks 8th worldwide and 5th in Europe in terms of innovation. This is evident from the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The Netherlands at 8th place worldwide
The Netherlands has secured a strong position in the Global Innovation Index 2025. The ranking is compiled by WIPO and compares the innovation performance of 139 countries based on 78 indicators. The Netherlands ranks 8th worldwide and 5th in Europe. This places our country among the global leaders in innovation. The top 10 also includes Switzerland (1), Sweden (2), the United States (3), South Korea (4), Singapore (5), the United Kingdom (6), Finland (7), Denmark (9), and China (10).
The list shows that innovation worldwide is at a crossroads. Investments in research and development (R&D) are growing less rapidly, while technological advancement is accelerating. Innovations such as more efficient supercomputers and cheaper batteries contribute to a greener and more digital economy.
Strengths of the Netherlands
The Netherlands scores particularly well in online creativity and innovation networks. In these areas, our country ranks 3e worldwide. A notable result is the high number of registered domain names per 1,000 inhabitants aged 15 to 69. In this area, the Netherlands even leads the world ranking.
Additionally, the Netherlands performs strongly in terms of innovation output. With 3.8 registered patent families per billion dollars of economic output, our country ranks among the top 10 countries in the world. This shows that Dutch innovations are not only developed but also effectively applied.
A key strength of the Netherlands is its well-educated workforce and favorable business climate. This combination makes our country attractive for companies looking to invest in innovation.
Points for improvement
Despite the strong results, there are also areas for improvement. The Netherlands ranked higher in previous years, specifically at 5th place in 2021. The drop to 8th place indicates that other countries are making faster progress.
Moreover, the Netherlands scores less well on infrastructure, with a global position of 30. The growth in labor productivity (0.1%) and the percentage of graduates in technical and exact fields (20.1%) lag behind other countries. Here lie opportunities for further growth.
Want to know more?
- Do you want to know more about how the Netherlands performs in terms of innovation? You can read the full report (in English) on the WIPO website. It provides valuable insights and inspiration for companies, researchers, and policymakers involved in innovation.
