The innovation landscape in 2025 is fundamentally different from what we knew just a few years ago. In a context marked by a slowdown in global investment and the fragmentation of supply chains due to geopolitical tensions, an engine has emerged that is accelerating everything: Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Global Innovation Hubs Index (GIHI) 2025, developed by Tsinghua University in collaboration with Nature Research Intelligence, provides a precise diagnosis of this shift.
For those leading innovation projects or venturing into technological sectors, understanding where talent and capital are concentrating is not merely a statistical curiosity; it is a competitive advantage. This year, the index not only ranks cities but also reveals a profound transformation in how scientific knowledge is translated into economic impact.
Key Takeaways
- The Hegemony of AI: Artificial intelligence has become the central engine of the innovation economy, attracting 33% of all global venture capital investment.
- A Multipolar World: Although San Francisco-San Jose retains the top spot, Asian cities like Beijing and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are rapidly closing the gap.
- Beijing Leads in Science: For the first time, Beijing has surpassed New York as the world’s number one hub for research innovation.
- Frontier Technologies: The race in quantum computing and controlled nuclear fusion is creating new power poles, with China leading in patents and the U.S. in commercialization.
- The Rise of Mini-Hubs: Small cities like Cambridge, Basel, and Geneva demonstrate that scale is not a barrier to excellence in hyper-specialized sectors.
The 2025 Global Innovation Podium
For the sixth consecutive year, the San Francisco-San Jose region remains the undisputed leader of the global ranking. However, the gap is closing. New York maintains the second spot, while Beijing consolidates its third position, moving significantly closer to Western leaders.
A notable ascent is that of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which has climbed to fourth place, displacing London to fifth. This movement reflects a clear trend: while North American hubs dominate the startup ecosystem, Asian hubs are taking the lead in patent production and research infrastructure.
The Three Pillars of Success: GIHI Methodology
To determine what makes a city an “innovation hub,” the GIHI evaluates three fundamental indicators:
- Research Innovation: Measures human resources (active researchers), institutions (world-class universities), and the creation of original knowledge.
- Innovation Economy: Analyzes the capacity to produce patents, the presence of unicorn companies, and the market value of high-tech firms.
- Innovation Ecosystem: Evaluates international openness, the availability of venture capital, digital public services, and the society’s culture of innovation.
The AI Factor: The Fuel of Growth
If anything defines the GIHI 2025, it is the ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence. AI is no longer just a technology; it is the infrastructure upon which the future is built. In the San Francisco-San Jose area, venture capital destined for AI grew by an impressive 111% over the last period.
But the U.S. is not alone. Beijing leads the world in the total number of AI patents with over 53,000 registrations, while the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region tops the international PCT patent applications in this field. This technological “standoff” has provoked a regionalization of supply chains, where each hub seeks its own technological sovereignty.
Regional Analysis: A Map of Contrasts
The report highlights very different development models depending on geography:
- North America leads in talent and capital: With 12 cities in the top 25, the United States maintains its systemic advantage, especially in retaining scientific award winners and high-performance computing power.
- Asia and the momentum of growth: It is the most vibrant region. China is transitioning from a “scale expansion” phase to one of “quality enhancement.” Cities like Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Wuhan are rapidly climbing positions in the “middle class” of global hubs.
- Europe and the strength of the ecosystem: Although it has fewer cities in the absolute top tier, Europe stands out for the maturity of its ecosystem. Cities like London, Paris, Munich, and Amsterdam excel in digital governance, public services, and a deeply rooted culture of innovation.
Frontier Technologies: Quantum and Nuclear Fusion
This year’s report places special emphasis on two strategic fields that promise massive disruptions:
- Quantum Science and Technology: The market is exploding. China leads in research publications and talent, with Beijing and Hefei as key centers. However, the U.S. (with Boston and New York) maintains the advantage in theoretical innovations and high-impact original discoveries.
- Controlled Nuclear Fusion: The “ultimate solution” for energy has entered an accelerated phase of commercialization. The number of new patents between 2020 and 2024 exceeded the sum of all previous years combined. While China utilizes a strategic state-resource approach, the U.S. leads the way through private capital and commercial enterprises.
The Success of the Small: Mini-Hubs
It is not all about size. The GIHI 2025 dedicates a special section to “mini-hubs”—cities with fewer than one million inhabitants that compete at the highest level. Cambridge (UK) remains the leader in this category thanks to its extraordinary university research capacity and its startup ecosystem. Basel, for its part, dominates the innovation economy thanks to its world-class biotech and pharmaceutical cluster.
Implications for Innovators and Entrepreneurs
What does all this mean for the reader of Innovate or Die?
- AI is the new standard: Any project that does not integrate AI capabilities will face greater difficulty in attracting capital, as investors are prioritizing mature and technologically advanced projects in this sector.
- Cross-border collaboration: Despite political tensions, scientific collaboration remains vital. The cities that best connect their co-authorship and patent networks (like Singapore and Tokyo) are those showing the greatest resilience.
- Opportunities in Deep Tech: Quantum computing and nuclear fusion are leaving the labs to enter the business radar.
Conclusion
The Global Innovation Hubs Index 2025 confirms that we are in an era of transition. Innovation is no longer concentrated in a single geographical point but is distributed in a multipolar network where the speed of applying Artificial Intelligence determines leadership. Whether from a mega-hub like San Francisco or a specialized center like Basel, the message is clear: the ability to unite scientific research with a dynamic economy and an open ecosystem is the formula for not dying in the attempt to innovate.
Reference (open access)
Center for Industrial Development and Environmental Governance (CIDEG) & Nature Research Intelligence. (2025). Global Innovation Hubs Index 2025. Tsinghua University.
Editor and founder of “Innovar o Morir” (‘Innovate or Die’). Milthon holds a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with postgraduate diplomas in Business Innovation (UPV) and Market-Oriented Innovation Management (UPCH-Universitat Leipzig). He has practical experience in innovation management, having led the Fisheries Innovation Unit of the National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture (PNIPA) and worked as a consultant on open innovation diagnostics and technology watch. He firmly believes in the power of innovation and creativity as drivers of change and development.
