USA 'Back' as Tokyo Beats Boston, With Home-Town America Up 54% in 'Jaw-Dropping Unexpected Result' in 500 Cities 14th Annual Ranking From Data Analysts
MELBOURNE, Australia, July 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tokyo topped the annual list of world's most innovative cities published by data analysts 2thinknow this week, nudging out Boston. The win was attributed to strong technology application, digital capability and pandemic performance.
For the first time in 14 years of results, more than half (54%) of the top hundred cities were from the United States. The ranking included often over-looked cities like Little Rock (82) and Omaha (86). United States cities performance was described as a 'jaw-dropping unexpected result' by the data analysts.
"The mass exodus from major American cities has strengthened home-town innovation, as local expertise flooded back to their roots… and dialled-in via Zoom or Teams. This is due to superior U.S. digital skills and platforms," Christopher Hire, twenty-year data veteran and director at the data analysts stated.
Previous winner Boston placed ahead of a recovering New York City, due to strong med-tech and research capabilities. This was followed by surprise economic winner Australia's Sydney (4), and perennial top-ten technology city, Singapore (5).
Texas powerhouses of Dallas-Fort Worth (6) and Houston (8) completed a long march into the global top-ten this year based on economic in-flows, beating out Chicago (9), Silicon Valley (12), Atlanta (13) and Seattle (14).
The analysts noted that outside consistently high-ranked Europe capitals digital transformation was incredibly slow. Paris (10) placed first in Europe, ahead of a rapidly falling London (11), Vienna (22), Amsterdam (24) and Berlin (30).
Sweden's Stockholm (16) was one of few European bright spots up sixteen places with a strong result in start-ups and digital, after "paying the pandemic price early."
The same U.S. 'exodus' to regional centres had the opposite effect of slowing innovation across Europe. Cities in Germany and France plummeted by an unprecedented average of 77 and 85 places respectively, even with capitals included. Decades of gains were reversed in the U.K. also.
"Innovation is tied to growing mid-size companies, and European use of the coercive instruments of state like lockdowns has damaged their innovation economy."
In Asia, a rising Seoul (7) challenged Tokyo. Shanghai skyrocketed to 15th ahead of Beijing at 19th, as Chinese cities surged an average of 77 places. Technology hub Shenzhen (26) rose behind Taipei (23) in Taiwan. Globally, Dubai (29) remained a big winner, with flexible pandemic policies and a commitment to trade.
Despite strong remote work skills, Canadian innovation took a hit, with perennial top finisher Toronto (43) plummeting. Fourteen Canadian cities fell an average of 95 places.
"The Trudeau government has bet on uniform centralism. In contrast, the U.S. has fifty states with fifty different approaches, encouraging competition between states and cities."
While United States, Chinese and Japanese cities were the 'net winners' it wasn't all good news. Cities in the states of California, upstate New York and, surprisingly, Connecticut were named as 'short term losers'.
The 162 quantitative indicators were this year adjusted to address digital transformation, economic recovery, start-ups, technology, smart cities, science, engineering, creativity, mobility, and other key civic areas. Data included latest Covid-19 city results.
In terms of threats, the analysts noted that the Innovation Cities Index was based on a shorter timeframe than usual. This was due to risks to innovation such as rapid inflation, ongoing fiscal stimulus, and systemic infringements on personal liberty.
BACKGROUND
All indexes are published on www.innovation-cities.com/indexes. 162 indicators underlying the Index can be purchased. 2thinknow are data analysts established in Melbourne in 2006 from research started in Vienna in 2005.
Contact:
Christopher Hire | Director | 2THINKNOW | +61386780319
[email protected]
SOURCE 2thinknow
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