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> South Korea remained the big winner, topping the international charts in R&D intensity, value-added manufacturing and patent activity and with top-five rankin

> South Korea remained the big winner, topping the international charts in R&D intensity, value-added manufacturing and patent activity and with top-five rankings in high-tech density, higher education and researcher concentration None of these are really all that relevant to true innovation. As a European, it's clear to me that no country comes even close to the US in terms of innovation. Almost all really new technologies come out of the US.

alkonaut 10y ago
I think the key words are "density" and "concentration".
OskarS 10y ago
While I agree with you on the flawed metrics, I think that on a per-capita basis some of the Nordics are on par (and maybe have even surpassed) the US when it comes to tech innovation.
fauigerzigerk 10y ago
I wonder if that picture is somewhat distorted by the overwhelming dominance of reporting on every little thing that a couple of large US tech conglomerates do. That said, I tend to be skeptical of such rankings as well.
galfarragem 10y ago
> Almost all really new technologies come out of the US. I would add: Almost all really new technologies in the market come out of the US. US is the best at transforming research in $.
- JotForm 10y ago
  This seems like the true approach.
  - MrBuddyCasino 10y ago
    And arguably, the more valuable one. Bringing something to the masses a) which used to be expensive but is now cheap or b) which is new but affordable for most is what changes people's lives.
golergka 10y ago
Only if you're looking at consumer-facing business. Not every startup tries to create a brand and get articles written in TechCrunch and NYT: many are just developing revolutionary tech that is later bought and used by others.
microtheo 10y ago
I think this is a bias because we only read American media and are flooded by American influence. Countries like Sweden, Switzerland have innovative universities highly ranked. A huge density of startups close to them. High technologies and services available to citizens (for example bank system, rail system, fiber to the home...). And of course a social and retirement system that gives the whole population a really high power of consumption. They are small countries that are easier to manage. But they definitely deserve their rank in my own humble opinion.
bbctol 10y ago
A lot more big picture/consumer-facing innovation comes out of the US, because that's bolstered by cultural influence, but South Korea's manufacturing innovation is insane. iPhones may be designed in America, but the components they need to function come from a series of brilliant Korean inventions.

alkonaut 10y ago

I think the key words are "density" and "concentration".

OskarS 10y ago

While I agree with you on the flawed metrics, I think that on a per-capita basis some of the Nordics are on par (and maybe have even surpassed) the US when it comes to tech innovation.

fauigerzigerk 10y ago

I wonder if that picture is somewhat distorted by the overwhelming dominance of reporting on every little thing that a couple of large US tech conglomerates do. That said, I tend to be skeptical of such rankings as well.

galfarragem 10y ago

> Almost all really new technologies come out of the US. I would add: Almost all really new technologies in the market come out of the US. US is the best at transforming research in $.

JotForm 10y ago
This seems like the true approach.
- MrBuddyCasino 10y ago
  And arguably, the more valuable one. Bringing something to the masses a) which used to be expensive but is now cheap or b) which is new but affordable for most is what changes people's lives.

golergka 10y ago

Only if you're looking at consumer-facing business. Not every startup tries to create a brand and get articles written in TechCrunch and NYT: many are just developing revolutionary tech that is later bought and used by others.

microtheo 10y ago

I think this is a bias because we only read American media and are flooded by American influence. Countries like Sweden, Switzerland have innovative universities highly ranked. A huge density of startups close to them. High technologies and services available to citizens (for example bank system, rail system, fiber to the home...). And of course a social and retirement system that gives the whole population a really high power of consumption. They are small countries that are easier to manage. But they definitely deserve their rank in my own humble opinion.

bbctol 10y ago

A lot more big picture/consumer-facing innovation comes out of the US, because that's bolstered by cultural influence, but South Korea's manufacturing innovation is insane. iPhones may be designed in America, but the components they need to function come from a series of brilliant Korean inventions.