What it is wish to dwell on the earth’s most modern international locations

The BBC speaks to residents and travellers in a number of the top-ranked international locations on the 2024 Global Innovation Index to learn how cutting-edge expertise advantages day-to-day life.

With the rise of AI, self-driving vehicles and wi-fi linked home equipment, it might really feel like innovation is in all places nowadays. But sure international locations are recognized for creating cutting-edge applied sciences that profit residents and guests alike. 

To dive into these international locations making essentially the most impression in these areas, the World Intellectual Property Organisation not too long ago launched its 2024 Global Innovation Index, rating 130 economies primarily based on measures like their schooling system, expertise infrastructure and information creation (like patents filed or cell apps created).

To learn how innovation advantages day-to-day life in a number of the prime ranked international locations, we spoke to residents and frequent travellers, who shared their recommendations on find out how to finest expertise the center of the tech ecosystem and the ways in which expertise has improved their high quality of life.  

This small European nation has had a exceptional 12 months within the rankings, with excessive placements within the Smart Cities Index and the Global Liveability Index. So maybe it is no shock that the nation positioned within the prime spot for innovation this 12 months. In truth, 2024 marks the 14th consecutive 12 months that Switzerland has maintained its number-one rating. 

Fuelling that rating are its world-leading innovation outputs in each information and expertise (measured by property like patents, expertise firm valuation and high-tech exports), and artistic outputs (measured by issues like nationwide function movies, cell app creation and emblems). It additionally scores extremely in college and business analysis and growth collaboration and patents. 

“Switzerland may be very centered on innovation and fosters a tradition of assist and creativity,” mentioned Zurich resident Rosamund Tagel, founding father of Glow Concierge. “There is a solutions-focused work ethic that’s ingrained in kids from a younger age, which ends up in individuals working to unravel frequent issues and assist the inhabitants as a complete.” As one instance, she factors to Swiss firm Climeworks that is ready to take away extra carbon dioxide from the air.

As an entrepreneur herself, she finds Switzerland additionally has no scarcity of enterprise alternatives and sources out there. “When I used to be beginning my enterprise, there have been a number of sources of funding out there in addition to startup accelerators and incubators,” she mentioned. The authorities gives step-by-step recommendation and sources to these seeking to begin a enterprise right here, with particular recommendation geared towards overseas nationals. 

Frequent travellers additionally love how innovation makes life simpler right here. Travel journalist Simone Harvin not too long ago travelled all through Switzerland and located the benefit of public transport tech among the finest on the earth. “The SBB [Swiss national railways] app allowed me to connect with the nation’s varied modes of transportation – trains, buses, cable vehicles – and simply plan my journeys from one metropolis to the subsequent,” she mentioned. “The hyper-planner in me liked with the ability to see which trains anticipated extra passengers than others and which practice vehicles supplied facilities like quiet zones and eating places.”

She additionally took benefit of SBB’s door-to-door baggage service.  “Being capable of drop your belongings at check-out in a single metropolis and checking in to your new metropolis that night with a day of bag-free exploring underneath your belt is one of the simplest ways to benefit from Switzerland’s jaw-dropping practice rides,” she mentioned.

Ranking second within the index, Sweden has develop into a tech chief, notably within the AI and the automotive industries. Its highest scores are available in infrastructure and enterprise sophistication, adopted intently by information and tech outputs.

Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, is usually known as the “Unicorn Factory” for its success in nurturing tech startups like Spotify and Klarna, mentioned Daniel Langkilde, the founding father of AI firm Kognic. But he additionally recommends visiting Gothenburg, the nation’s second largest metropolis, to essentially recognize the spirit of recent tech. 

“Living right here, I’m continuously impressed by the spirit of innovation that surrounds us. Sweden’s modern ecosystem performs an enormous function in shaping my day-to-day life,” he mentioned, noting that the town is residence to corporations like Volvo and AI analysis hubs, which ends up in a spirit of creativity and collaboration. 

But tech right here is not only for tech’s sake. “What stands out about innovation right here is how deeply it integrates with sustainability, a cornerstone of Swedish tradition,” he mentioned. “From superior electrical automobile expertise to good metropolis options [from waste management to city planning], Sweden does not simply innovate for the sake of progress however focuses on making life higher and extra sustainable.” 

To get a style of it, he recommends visiting Lindholmen Science Park, an innovation hub  centered round AI, mobility and inexperienced expertise. The space continuously hosts occasions, like find out how to use VR in schooling, and is residence to eating places and inns.

Home to Silicon Valley, the California hub the place tech corporations like Google, Apple and Meta are headquartered, the US has persistently been a significant participant in international tech innovation. Placing third within the index, it ranks the best of all international locations in market sophistication and second in enterprise sophistication. It additionally ranks among the many prime for each home and overseas patent and trademark purposes.

That does not shock entrepreneurs like Richard Robins, who says a spirit of innovation has been baked into the nation since its founding. “Benjamin Franklin, one in every of my private historic heroes, represents nicely the angle of the founders of the United States, whose temperaments have been extremely centered on making enhancements in authorities and creating expertise that will profit society,” mentioned Robins, proprietor of The Technology Vault.  “America’s founding was constructed upon the premise of fixing issues primarily based upon expertise and ahead considering.”

While Silicon Valley stays an necessary keystone metropolis in innovation (particularly due to its proximity to main analysis college Stanford University), different regional hubs like New York’s Silicon Alley (the tech hub close to the Flatiron District in NYC) or Seattle’s Cloud City have incubated plenty of profitable startups and main expertise corporations, from Peloton to Amazon.  

Don’t be stunned for those who see driverless vehicles hauling passengers in lots of cities throughout the nation, together with Austin, Texas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Waymo, one of many first autonomous driving corporations, could be hailed on an app similar to Uber and makes use of refined cameras to get from vacation spot to vacation spot – all and not using a driver.

Ranked fifth within the index, the United Kingdom scored excessive in market sophistication and artistic outputs (ranked third total) and its information and expertise outputs (fifth total). It’s a rustic the place innovation has helped make on a regular basis life simpler, with many residents pointing to the Oyster card system the place you need to use your bank card or a digital card to navigate London’s public transportation system, that has not too long ago been expanded to extra nationwide rail stations, together with most not too long ago Stansted Airport. 

“This made life in one of many busiest cities a lot simpler,” mentioned Justin Bagri, journey blogger at Julina Explores who is predicated within the UK. “Less standing in queues topping up the cardboard, no worries that you should purchase a day ticket (to save cash) for those who plan to journey rather a lot in a day, the system does all of it for you.”

Innovation additionally seems right here in much less anticipated, however no-less-useful methods. Evie Graham, who runs the waste administration agency Waste Direct in London not too long ago applied AI-driven route planning for waste collections. “This uniquely British strategy combines historic information with real-time site visitors patterns,” she mentioned. “Visitors can see this expertise in motion throughout London, from good bins that compact waste routinely to underground assortment methods in newer developments.”

While most travellers spend their time in central London, one of many latest innovation hubs is Stratford’s Here East, constructed specifically for the 2012 London Olympics however now residence to start-ups, early innovation corporations and universities. The group runs plenty of free occasions, open to all, from VR masterclasses to skateboarding demos, and the realm hosts an arcade bar, espresso outlets and craft breweries.

Leading Asia and rating sixth total within the index, Korea stands out for its prime placement in human capital and analysis, adopted by its second-place rating in artistic outputs. Home to tech innovators like Samsung and LG and main automobile producers together with Kia and Hyundai, the nation has additionally not too long ago began placing extra money into its startup ecosystem, with enterprise funding rising considerably year-over-year. The authorities additionally launched Startup Korea in 2023, together with a new visa that makes it simpler for worldwide entrepreneurs to settle within the nation.

Technology performs a rising function in day-to-day life for each locals and guests. AI researcher Elle Farrell-Kingsley travels extensively to South Korea for work and notes how superior even menial issues can really feel. “One of my favourites was an AI-assisted robotic within the National Museum of Korea,” she mentioned. “QI, an AI-operated, self-driving robotic makes use of speech recognition expertise to assist guests navigate the exhibition halls and displays. QI might establish and stroll subsequent to me, reply to my voice instructions and help in a number of languages – Chinese, English and Japanese, in addition to signal language for the hearing-impaired.” 

She additionally famous the excessive use of watches that double up as translators. “People would whisper into their wrist and it might translate a query, so they may both use it to know what to say in English or translate what I used to be saying,” she mentioned. “Very Bond-esque.” 

While Korea’s capital, Seoul, has a really tech-forward tradition, the nation’s second-largest metropolis, Busan, has earned the nickname “The San Francisco of South Korea” for its emphasis on good metropolis infrastructure and tech innovation. The metropolis has not too long ago additionally dedicated to being a 15-minute metropolis with a ₩150bn (£84.5m) funding to create sustainable city dwelling initiatives by 2027.