Greece Slips to 42nd in Global Innovation Index Despite Strong Talent. Credit: Greek Reporter Archive
Greece continues to struggle with deep-rooted obstacles to innovation, according to the Global Innovation Index 2025, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Despite notable strengths in human capital and research output, the country ranks 42nd among 139 economies, falling behind other countries such as Portugal (31st) and Bulgaria (37th).
Talent and research strengths
One of Greece’s enduring advantages is its skilled workforce, which places the country 29th worldwide.
Greek researchers also achieve a high volume of scientific publications (18th globally) and show progress in producing graduates from in-demand fields like mathematics, engineering, and technology (37th).
The number of researchers per capita is likewise solid (19th), signaling untapped potential for innovation—though underfunded research institutions limit their impact.
Infrastructure and digital performance
In terms of infrastructure, Greece performs moderately well (41st). It ranks 36th in access to digital and ICT infrastructure and 45th in public services.
These scores suggest that while the foundations for technological development exist, their integration into the broader innovation ecosystem remains incomplete.
Institutional and business barriers
The business environment continues to be one of Greece’s weakest links. The country ranks 60th for institutional and regulatory conditions, and a much lower 80th in regulatory stability for businesses.
The lack of industry–university collaboration in R&D (107th) and weak development of innovation clusters (125th) further restrict the country’s competitiveness.
Demographic pressures
Adding to these structural weaknesses is Greece’s aging population. The share of young people in the population ranks particularly low, at 130th, raising concerns about the country’s ability to continuously renew its human capital and sustain innovation-driven growth.
Limited high-tech output
Greece’s capacity to produce and export high-tech products remains limited, reflected in a 71st-place ranking.
Combined with institutional inefficiencies and demographic headwinds, this underlines the challenge of transitioning from research strengths to marketable innovation.
Global leaders and laggards
At the top of the index, Switzerland retains its global lead, followed by Sweden, the United States, South Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and—entering the top 10—China.
At the bottom are Angola and Nigeria, highlighting stark global disparities in innovation capacity.