Hong Kong’s Shenzhen‑Hong Kong‑Guangzhou Cluster Secures Global Innovation Lead Again

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced that the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index 2026 placed the Shenzhen‑Hong Kong‑Guangzhou cluster first worldwide for the second consecutive year. WIPO’s ranking, based on patent filings, scientific publications and venture capital deals, recorded 2,259 Patent Cooperation Treaty applications, 4,060 research articles and 138 VC deals per million residents over the past five years. Hong Kong’s own innovation ecosystem has expanded sharply: start‑ups grew from just over 1,500 in 2015 to more than 5,200 in 2025, and its flagship hubs—Science Park and Cyberport—have nurtured roughly 20 unicorns. Recent infrastructure milestones include the Loop Hong Kong Park, opened in December, which already hosts 100+ tech firms, and the June launch of San Tin Technopole, a 210‑hectare I&T hub linking upstream and downstream industries. The city’s private‑equity market, with nearly US$250 billion under management, ranks second in Asia. Looking ahead, Hong Kong will align its policy agenda with China’s 15th Five‑Year Plan, deepen ties with Greater Bay Area partners, and reinforce its role as an international I&T centre.