Nordics Lead in Latest EU Innovation Rankings

The latest EU innovation scoreboard ranking confirms what many delegates attending Nordic Life Science Days already know about the Nordics – it is one of Europe’s, and indeed the world’s, most innovative regions.

The European Innovation Scoreboard provides a comparative assessment of the research and innovation performance of EU Member States, other European countries, and global competitors. It helps countries assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of their national innovation systems and identify challenges that need to be addressed.

The latest edition, published on 15 July by the European Commission, has Sweden regaining its position as the most innovative Member State, ahead of Denmark, which led the EU rankings from 2020 to 2024.

Sweden ranks first in eight of the 32 indicators, including R&D expenditure in the business sector, cloud computing in enterprises, and production-based CO₂ productivity.

The three other Nordic countries also place at the higher end of the chart, earning the designation of top innovators in the ranking. Finland takes fourth place, while the two non-EU members, Norway and Iceland, are ninth and 12th respectively in the separate ranking that includes non-EU members. Both are counted among the group of countries described as strong innovators.

Nordics’ top performance also on the regional level

The Regional Innovation Scoreboard is an extension of the European Innovation Scoreboard, assessing the innovation performance of European regions based on a number of indicators.

Mirroring the national ranking, Copenhagen has ceded last year’s top position to the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Other Nordic regions also perform strongly. Finland’s capital region is the country’s strongest performer, classified as an innovation leader. Norway’s Oslo region is likewise classified as an innovation leader.

Sweden is the only country with three regions in the top 10 most innovative regions. Four of Sweden’s eight regions rank in the Innovation Leader category, making the country stand out among the competition.

Sweden is the only country with three regions in the top 10 most innovative regions.

One of these regions is West Sweden, ranked ninth, with Gothenburg – where this year’s NLSDays will convene – as its regional capital. According to the scoreboard, its highest-ranked indicators among RIS regions are a population engaged in lifelong learning, innovative SMEs collaborating with others, and high R&D expenditure in the business sector.

The region’s high scores are also reflected in its growing life science industry. Gothenburg is an important hub in Sweden’s expanding life science sector, a leading centre for clinical research, home to the Nordic countries’ largest university hospital, and the site of one of AstraZeneca’s globally strategic R&D centres.