A cluster of cities comprising Hong Kong and two others from mainland China has been named the world’s top innovation hub, a feat attributed to a new ranking metric that involves venture capital deals, a UN body has said.
For the first time in five years, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster surpassed Tokyo-Yokohama in Japan to claim top spot in the 2025 Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Monday that the addition of venture capital deals as a key indicator in the index was the essential fuel enabling inspiring ideas to emerge as real-world enterprises.
“Hong Kong is Asia’s premier financial centre. We offer deep liquidity, a wide spectrum of financing channels and a supportive environment for innovation,” Chan said at this year’s index launch event, which was hosted in the city for the first time at the Science Park.
“Hong Kong is blessed with a vibrant ecosystem of angel investors, venture capital and private equity funds, supporting companies at every stage of growth.”
The finance chief also underscored that Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area were exceptionally well positioned to become one of the world’s most dynamic and influential innovation clusters, with the city playing a pivotal role.