Intellectual Capital Index

The Intellectual Capital Index

Measuring innovation, education, and knowledge-based competitiveness

Innovation capabilities are key to success in the globalised markets. Strength and depth of R&D activities is the basis for the development of value-added technologies and services that allow a society to prosper. Historic quality and availability of education are the base indication for R&D and innovation capabilities, while today's education performance reflect future innovation capabilities.

Innovation

Education

Patents

R&D

Why Intellectual Capital Matters

Innovation and education drive competitiveness in the knowledge economy

For Investors

  • Access to highly educated and skilled workforce
  • Strong innovation ecosystems driving future growth
  • Higher productivity and technological advancement
  • Better IP protection and patent systems
  • Long-term competitive advantage through R&D leadership

For Businesses

  • Access to cutting-edge research and development facilities
  • Collaboration opportunities with universities and research institutions
  • Strong talent pipeline from high-quality education systems
  • Competitive advantage through technological innovation
  • Better market positioning in high-value industries

Bottom Line: Countries with high intellectual capital scores are more likely to develop successful economies through research and knowledge-driven industries, achieving higher sustainable growth rates.

Intellectual Capital Indicators

Key clusters to measure innovation capacity and knowledge development

Education systems

Evaluation of the quality of education system based on financial and performance indicators

Education performance

Comparison of educational performance (the outcomes of the education systems)

Education equality

Evaluation of the availability and affordability of education system across the population

Innovation

Evaluation of innovation capabilities based on performance indicators

Business Innovation

Comparison of business-related innovation capabilities

High-tech industry

Comparison of innovation capabilities related to high-end technology and future key industries

The State of the World

A global snapshot of intellectual capital performance and trends

Global Scores

Global Trends

Key Observations

1

North-East Asian countries (South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore) lead the intellectual capital sub-index, reflecting their dominance in technology advancement

2

South Korea retains the top position in innovation, significantly ahead of other nations

3

China ranks second, highlighting its rapid technological progress and state-led investments in education

4

Germany (4th), the UK (6th), and the US (8th) also perform strongly, with Scandinavian nations and Israel in the top 20

5

Among emerging economies, Brazil ranks 49th, India 62nd, and Nigeria 169th

6

Most African countries remain underperforming in intellectual capital, raising concerns about persistent poverty traps

Intellectual Capital Rankings

Explore how countries compare across intellectual capital indicators

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Explore All Six Capital Dimensions

Discover how Intellectual Capital connects with Natural, Economic, Social, and Governance Capital

View All Dimensions