In the latest Global Innovation Index by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Austria has reached 18th place among 139 economies – an improvement of one rank compared to the previous year.
The index comprises two sub-sectors: While the framework conditions for innovation, such as institutions or human capital, fell slightly from 17th to 19th place, there were significant advances in innovation outputs: Austria improved here from 21st to 17th place. With an overall ranking of 18, Austria remains firmly anchored in the group of the top 25 most innovative economies in the world.
Leading in research and tech adoption
Ranked among the world's leaders in R&D, Austria secures 7th place globally for investments in both the public and corporate sectors. The nation also maintains a top 10 position for international patent applications and scientific publications. This is mirrored by a growing adoption of new technologies: the use of robots increased by approximately ten percent per year between 2015 and 2025, while the share of electric vehicles grew by almost 50 percent annually. This shows that innovative solutions are gaining traction rapidly in Austria.
Opportunities for growth
However, the 2026 Global Innovation Index also identifies potential for improvement in unlocking the full economic value of innovation: As in previous years, this concerns the availability of venture capital as well as the economic significance of intellectual property assets.
Looking at the bigger picture, the results confirm a strong position as an innovation hub: Austria consistently performs above the average of high-income countries, both in terms of infrastructure and in research, technology, and creative output.