2026年国际创新晴雨表（第7版）_48页_12mb

International Innovation Barometer 2026 Summary

Core Content

The International Innovation Barometer 2026 is the 7th annual report analyzing global innovation trends, challenges, and strategies. It highlights the evolving role of innovation in the face of economic, geopolitical, and national security pressures, and explores how companies are adapting to these challenges through funding, strategy, and collaboration.

Main Viewpoints

Innovation as a Persistent Priority

• Innovation remains a top business priority, now tied for second place with 'increasing market share', following 'enhancing operational efficiency' as the leading focus.
• 96% of businesses now have an innovation team, up from 78% last year, indicating a stronger institutional commitment to innovation across all business sizes.
• AI is now the top innovation priority, surpassing 'implementation of new tools and technologies', which has dropped to second place.
• Innovation budgets have slightly increased to 6.7% of revenue, with the tech sector leading at 7.5%. However, this increase is not as significant as the prior year's expectations, suggesting a cautious approach to investment.

Funding Challenges

• Self-funding is still the most common method, with 48% of companies using it, up from 47%.
• R&D tax credits and innovation grants have seen marginal recovery, but remain less popular than self-funding. Tax credits are used by 32% of companies, and grants by 38%.
• Equity funding is gaining traction, rising from 37% to 40%.
• Talent shortages are now the top barrier to innovation (41%), surpassing 'short-term focus' (39%), with the energy sector most affected (52%) and agri-food least affected (29%).

Strategic Maturity

• 82% of businesses have an innovation strategy, up from 81% last year, with more companies adopting a long-term perspective (44% vs. 42%).
• Innovation responsibility is decentralising, with a shift from CEOs/MDs (48%) to dedicated innovation leads (30%) and finance chiefs (19%).

Collaboration and Cross-Industry Support

• Collaboration is widespread, with 53% of companies working with partner organisations and 33% collaborating with unrelated entities.
• Universities (36%) and government innovation agencies (29%) are increasingly involved in innovation partnerships.
• Outsourcing is declining in popularity (37% vs. 39%), but still remains a common practice.

National Security Impact

• National security is now a core business issue, with 93% of businesses factoring in security risks during strategic planning.
• 84% of firms assess national security threats at least quarterly, and 68% do so monthly or more.
• 81% of companies have innovated in response to national security threats, with large firms and those in the finance sector showing even higher engagement (89% and 91% respectively).
• Cybersecurity is both the top security threat and the biggest innovation opportunity.
• Dual-use innovations are being pursued by 26% of companies, with 34% viewing public-private collaboration as a major opportunity.
• Defence firms face internal challenges, particularly pressure for immediate results (48%), which may be mitigated by cross-industry support.

Key Information

Funding Trends

• Self-funding remains dominant, with 48% of companies relying on it.
• Grants are still critical, with 82% of businesses incorporating them into their innovation plans.
• Tax credits are less popular due to concerns about clawback and compliance risks.
• Equity funding is becoming more common, especially as a way to secure immediate capital.

Innovation Metrics

• Sales and revenue are the primary metrics for measuring innovation, used by 56% of firms.
• R&D project success rates are the second most common metric (44%), while IP growth follows at 39%.
• Only 29% of firms say they find measuring innovation too difficult, down from 33%.

Offshoring Trends

• Only 50% of firms innovate in their own country, down from 77% last year.
• The US remains the top offshoring destination, with 30% of firms choosing it, up from 24% in 2024.
• Western Europe is showing increased innovation activity, with several countries showing growth in offshoring (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark).

Strategic Shifts

• Strategic maturity is improving, with more companies taking a long-term view of innovation.
• AI is becoming a strategic lever, not just a tool, and is increasingly seen as a driver of global transformation.
• Cross-industry collaboration is growing, especially in response to national security concerns.

Conclusion

Despite persistent challenges, innovation continues to be a key driver of business growth and national security. Companies are increasingly turning to AI and dual-use technologies, while also seeking support from grants, equity, and cross-industry partnerships. The report underscores the importance of strategic alignment, agility, and collaboration in navigating the evolving innovation landscape.