RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has increased its ranking in the latest Global Innovation Index to 46 out of 139 countries as the Kingdom deepens its push to become a regional hub for research and technology.
The rise of one place compared to the previous year’s list from the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization continues Saudi Arabia’s upward trend in recent years, moving from 66th in 2021, to 51, then 48, and 47.
The annual ranking placed Saudi Arabia 40th among 51 high-income economies, citing progress in market sophistication, policy stability, and stronger collaboration between universities and industry.
The report stated that innovation performance in the Middle East is “gaining ground,” with the UAE advancing to 30th place and Qatar ranked 48th.
It added: “Saudi Arabia and Qatar also benefit from high input scores — ranking 31st and 34th, respectively — driven by strengths in areas such as market sophistication, policy stability, and university–industry collaboration.”
