Innovation clusters are at the core of modern innovation systems. Cities and regions where entrepreneurs, researchers, universities, technology companies, and venture capital are highly concentrated tend to generate new knowledge, turn research into products, and attract investment more effectively than other areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Global Innovation Index (GII)<\/em> by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) ranks the world\u2019s top innovation clusters each year. The 2025 ranking shows that leading cities continue to excel at linking scientific knowledge, intellectual property, and venture capital investment. This year\u2019s top 10 clusters are Shenzhen\u2013Hong Kong\u2013Guangzhou, Tokyo\u2013Yokohama, San Jose\u2013San Francisco, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai\u2013Suzhou, New York, London, Boston\u2013Cambridge, and Los Angeles. Each of these clusters consistently demonstrates high levels of scientific publication, international patent applications (PCT), and investment activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2025, the GII places greater emphasis on the dimension of \u201cinnovation finance,\u201d by including venture capital deals alongside patent filings and academic publications. This approach led to higher rankings for clusters in the U.S. and U.K., such as New York, Los Angeles, and London. In contrast, some clusters in East Asia saw a decline in rankings due to weaker performance in investment deals, reflecting differences in the structure of innovation capital markets across regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When looking at specific indicators, clusters in Asia\u2014particularly China, Japan, and South Korea\u2014lead in scientific publications. In terms of patents, both Asia and the U.S. perform strongly. The U.S. leads in venture capital activity, with San Jose\u2013San Francisco and New York ranking at the top. In Europe, London stands out for its investment activity. These patterns suggest that there is no single formula for success; rather, strong clusters effectively combine different strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Top innovation clusters around the world tend to share at least three key factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Thailand, the GII report notes that Bangkok<\/strong> is listed as a potential innovation cluster outside the global top 100 and is recognized as a leading cluster among middle-income countries, alongside cities such as Buenos Aires and Belgrade. This means that Bangkok has a noteworthy base of science, technology, and innovation finance, but still needs to strengthen its intensity and system-wide linkages to become a top-tier innovation cluster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To strengthen Thailand\u2019s innovation clusters, three key areas should be prioritized:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Author:
Mr. Kamol Panmuang
Senior Researcher
International Institute for Trade and Development (Public Organization)
www.itd.or.th
Publication: Bangkok BIZ Newspaper
Section: First Section\/World Beat
Volume: 38 Issue: 12986
Date: Wednesday, Sep. 10, 2025
Page: 8 (left)
Column: \u201cAsean Insight\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":501,"featured_media":109937,"template":"","categories":[35,29],"tags":[1265,1261,1262,1264,1263],"class_list":["post-109936","itd-data-center","type-itd-data-center","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article-en","category-data-center-en","tag-global-innovation-index-en","tag-innovation-policy-en","tag-technology-clusters-en","tag-thailand-development-en","tag-venture-capital-en"],"pp_force_visibility":null,"pp_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_force_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_subpost_visibility":null,"yoast_head":"\n