The 15 most innovative countries in the world

• Chris Weller
 

• 24h
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Dave Bruno, head of the innovation lab at Swiss bank UBS, poses with two tablet computers in his office in Zurich.Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

Since 2008, Cornell University,INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organizationhave released the annual Global Innovation Index.

Basically, it's a list of the most innovative countries in the world.

This year's winners are no strangers to the top of the list, dominating in seven general categories: research, infrastructure, institutions, market and business sophistication, and a commitment to knowledge and creativity.

The most innovative countries teach creatively, enforce progressive laws, do business intelligently, and live on the cutting edge.

Keep scrolling to find out which countries will lead us into the future.

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15. Canada — Over the last several years, Canada has become a well-respected country in tech, especially in cities like Montreal and Vancouver.

Kenny Louie/Flickr

14. Hong Kong — Though it has dipped four spots since 2014, Hong Kong is playing an ever-expanding role in the world's economy.

Bobby Yip/Reuters

13. Iceland — A country that's bouncing back from financial woes is making storage of the world's internet data its primary goal, coming in 13th for the second straight year.

Stringer/Reuters

12. Luxembourg — The tiny country's ranking comes from high scores in the trade, investment, and education categories.

Charles Platiau/Reuters

12. Republic of Korea — The Global Innovation Index says South Korea's greatest growth is in its booming research and development sector.

POOL New/Reuters

10. Germany — The country ranks at the top of the list's measurement of patent creation, and also has strong technology output, especially in automobile tech.

Ralph Orlowski/Reuters

9. Netherlands — With its strong online culture, the Netherlands ranks at the top of the survey's "e-participation" rankings (for interacting with the government online), and near the top in research and technology outputs.

Cris Toala Olivares/Reuters

8. Denmark — Denmark leads for its efficient system of government, large number of researchers in the country, and quality of education.

Scanpix Denmark/Reuters

7. Ireland — Up three places in the ranking since 2014, Ireland is recognized for its infrastructure and creative outputs, like its thriving design culture.

Giuseppe Milo/Flickr

6. Singapore — One of the most consistently highly ranked countries, Singapore stands out for its political environment and ecological sustainability.

Edgar Su/Reuters

5. Finland — Hovering around the top five for the last several years, Finland is recognized for its successful work in technology, research, and higher education.

Lehtikuva Lehtikuva/Reuters

4. United States — The US jumped six spots since 2012, most notably due to the strength of its global-facing markets, value of stock trades, and widespread implementation of internet technology.

Carlo Allegri/Reuters

3. United Kingdom — Education and productivity hold the UK back, the Index says, while its well-roundedness in all other aspects keeps it ranked high overall.

Toby Melville/Reuters

2. Sweden — Well-designed universities and high-achieving graduates have kept Sweden in the top 3 for the last five years.

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1. Switzerland — The country has been number one since 2011 because of its knowledge-based economy and ability to turn innovative thinking into lucrative projects. For example, local bank UBS is now using virtual reality to project investment portfolios to clients.

Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

SEE ALSO: These 10 countries have the best parental leave policies in the world

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