About Innovation Indicators for Cities


162 Innovation Indicators are used to capture unique data points about cities across a broad range of innovation areas. These KPI-style measures are similar to approaches used in business management, as inventively applied to cities.

Innovation Indicators are used in:

  • Producing the analysis behind the Innovation Cities Index rankings,
  • Benchmarking cities against similar cities, and
  • Planning for future economic & social performance opportunities for cities.

By grouping the innovation indicators in 3 Factors, reflecting Innovation process, the indicators mirror the innovation developed now - creating future jobs, economic opportunity & investment and social harmony within cities.

Global Innovation Indicators

Global Innovation Indicators for cities are a combination of innovative lead (forward) indicators and statistical (rear view mirror) indicators. These indicators comprise of a diversity of areas, including:

  • Culture - Civic, public, arts, education, media, social media
  • Industries - Arts, Sports Business, Entertainment, Manufacturing, Heavy industry, technology
  • Economics - such as GDP per capita, unemployment & traditional indicators
  • Trade - neighbours, foreign trade, geo-political, proximity to markets, relationships
  • Strategic - Food & water supply, energy, ability to enforce terms of trade

Comprising 162 Innovation Indicators used in the Innovation Cities Index, these indicators are structured to identify which cities are innovating now. Innovating now leads to improved social & economic performance cities in a mid-term and to lesser extent of a long-term (>15 years).

Innovation Indicators are the basis of the benchmarking & ultimately ranking cities.

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