Uzbekistan ranked 77th among 139 countries in the 2026 Global Innovation Index (GII), up two places from 2025. The rankings were published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on September 29 in partnership with the Portulans Institute, corporate and academic network partners, and the GII Advisory Board. The report draws on nearly 80 indicators.
Uzbekistan placed in the top eight among 36 lower- and middle-income economies, and in the top four among 11 countries in Central and South Asia.
The country ranked 68th on innovation inputs, up one place. On innovation outputs, it ranked 78th, a 14-place improvement in a single year.
Uzbekistan posted strong results on several individual indicators. It ranked 2nd for science and engineering graduates, 3rd for entrepreneurial policy and culture, 4th for financing of startups and scaleups, and 7th for labor productivity growth.
Uzbekistan first appeared in the GII in 2015, when it ranked 122nd among 141 countries. In 2025, it placed 79th among 139 countries.
A presidential decree dated February 16, 2026, set the goal of bringing Uzbekistan into the ranks of the world's 60 leading innovation economies by 2030. For 2026, the decree set a target of 77th place in the GII, which the country has now met.
