London named world's most innovative city

London has been named the world’s most innovative city in 2015, according to the 9th annual Innovation Cities Index from 2thinknow, which analysed 500 cities around the world on their potential for creation, implementation and communication of ideas in their urban economies.

The index credits London as the “first European capital to implement innovation strategies in response tot he global financial crisis,” with the city out-performing previous winners Silicon Valley, Vienna and Boston to be named the world’s most innovative.

“London’s win indicates the strength of the financial capital’s recent focus on innovation, even beating out the tech standing of Silicon Valley, with a lower cost base than San Francisco. London was the first European capital to implement innovation strategies in response to the global financial crisis, and is winning the global innovation race,” explains Christopher Hire, executive director of 2thinknow.

London tops Innovation Cities Index 2015

Rounding out the top five, was fast rising Asian city Seoul, which entered the top ten index for the first time. The next five cities in the global top cities were New York, Amsterdam, Singapore, Paris and Tokyo.

The index also noted a number of “fast-rising” cities including Barcelona, Beijing, St Petersburg, Taipei, Madrid, Dublin, Mumbai, Oporto and Medellin, all graded according to improvements in economic conditions, startup enterprises and technology sectors.

In the “emerging” region Dubai rose further globally to 23rd, ahead of fellow emirate of Abu Dhabi at 42.

Overall, however, the percentage of North American cities in the top hundred fell to 31 percent, which the percentage of Asian cities rose to 19 percent for the first time ever.

London wasn’t the only UK city to make the top 100 index, Manchester came in at number 26, while Edinburgh was ranked 68, and Glasgow took 100th spot.

Image: Visit London