Innovation index: Zug leads, Jura makes big leap

Switzerland regularly occupies top positions in international creativity and innovation rankings. But how do the individual cantons fare within the country? The Cantonal Innovation and Creativity Index (KIKI) provides answers to this question in a comprehensive ranking and can be found at www.kiki-icic.ch can be downloaded.

Broad-based methodology

The KIKI is based on the Global Innovation Index (GII) and consists of various indicators that are grouped into «input» and «output». Input factors are those that promote innovation and creativity, while output factors measure the impact of innovation and creativity. Data sources include the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI), the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the Federal Finance Administration (FFA), the federal innovation agency Innosuisse and the OECD.

Zug leads the field again

As in the first edition of KIKI 2025, the cantons of Zug, Basel-Stadt and Zurich dominate the top three positions in the second edition. While Zug consolidates its top position with excellent scores for business start-ups, economic growth and supporting factors such as tax incentives, Basel-Stadt impresses with its outstanding performance as a cultural metropolis and is a pioneer in terms of diversity. Zurich, on the other hand, impresses as a balanced all-rounder with very solid values across almost all dimensions.

«The top three cantons also appear at the top of other economic rankings, which is not surprising in itself: innovative capacity is a key driver of economic success in Switzerland in particular,» says Christoph Hauser, economist at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and author of the study.

Central Switzerland strong in technology

Bern (20th place) is on a par with the leaders in research, development and knowledge. In Northwestern Switzerland, Aargau (19th place) and Solothurn (24th place) shine alongside Basel (Basel-Stadt in 2nd place; Basel-Landschaft in 18th place) with competition-promoting, supportive factors. All of them have increased their economic growth compared to the previous year, with the exception of Basel-Stadt.

Central Switzerland presents itself as a technology region: Nidwalden (12th place) ranks first in patents, trademarks and designs, just ahead of Zug thanks to global industrial lighthouses. Lucerne (15th place) recorded significant gains in the area of environment thanks to improved tax conditions (patent box) and is among the best in terms of education and educational success. Obwalden (14th place) impresses with a high level of research intensity. Schwyz (9th place) scores highly in the areas of environment, companies and start-ups, also thanks to its excellent tax framework. Uri (26th place) proves that entrepreneurial vitality is not a question of size with its high start-up dynamism.

«Small cantons can also be successful with their own character or a niche strategy. Uri, for example, positions itself with its agility and location on the north-south axis,» says Christoph Hauser.

Jura makes a big leap

In French-speaking Switzerland, Geneva (4th place) and Vaud (6th place) impress with an innovation-friendly environment and high start-up momentum. Neuchâtel (5th place) confirms its historical strength as «Watch Valley» and is among the leaders in Switzerland for patents, brands and designs. Jura (10th place) improved significantly overall and also benefits from a high density of patents.

«Jura was able to make significant gains in three of the eight pillars. The latest data for patents, brands and designs, companies and start-ups as well as economic growth show significantly better values than a year ago,» says Christoph Hauser.

Fribourg (22nd place) and Valais (16th place) made significant progress, particularly in the areas of knowledge and education.

Graubünden scores highly for diversity

Ticino is in seventh place overall, thanks in part to its dynamic economic growth, in which the southern canton ranks second. Right behind it in eighth place, Schaffhausen impresses with a broad-based profile and strong improvements in patents, brands and designs. Thurgau (23rd place) is growing solidly and has good scores in education, while St. Gallen (17th place) also scores well as a research location and is ranked seventh in the area of knowledge.

Graubünden (13th place) was able to improve its position in the ranking and scores well in diversity and education. Glarus (25th place) made gains in knowledge and creation, while the two Appenzells found their niches: Appenzell Innerrhoden (11th place) impresses with high scores in supporting factors and patents, brands and designs, while Appenzell Ausserrhoden (21st place) shows a solid basis in education, knowledge and supporting factors.

Zurich is ahead in the major regions

Large regions were also compared for the first time this year: The Zurich region, the most populous large region in Switzerland, is in first place, followed by the Lake Geneva region, Ticino and Central Switzerland. Northwestern Switzerland is close behind, while Eastern Switzerland and Espace Mittelland are more clearly at the bottom of the list.

Christoph Hauser explains the surprisingly good performance of the southern canton: «Ticino is proving dynamic in terms of economic growth, companies and start-ups, thereby overtaking the different regions of Central Switzerland and Northwestern Switzerland.»

Overall, the KIKI paints a differentiated picture of the Swiss innovation landscape: each canton or region has different strengths and characteristics. These have a variety of causes, such as favorable geographical conditions or far-sighted political decisions in the past.

«The KIKI does more than just take stock: by breaking down the complexity of innovation and creativity, it provides the cantons with concrete starting points for their development strategies,» says Christoph Hauser. According to Hauser, if Switzerland is to remain the most innovative country in the world in the future, each canton must utilize its specific strengths and contribute to the national innovation system.

The eight pillars of KIKI

At a global level, the Global Innovation Index (GII) has been a comparable index to the KIKI for a number of years. Switzerland has been ranked first in the GII for over ten years. The KIKI is based on the GII and consists of various indicators that are grouped into «input» and «output». Input factors are those that promote innovation and creativity, while output factors measure the impact of innovation and creativity.

Both dimensions each contain two subgroups, namely knowledge and environment (input) and creation and growth (output). These in turn each contain two, i.e. a total of eight pillars: Education and educational success, research, development and knowledge, diversity, supporting factors, art and culture, patents, brands and designs, companies and start-ups, and economic growth. Each pillar takes into account between eight and 20 individual indicators, which are ultimately weighted equally within the pillar.

The KIKI study can be downloaded from the website www.kiki-icic.ch can be downloaded. The individual profiles of the cantons can also be found there.