The Smart Centres Index explores the ability of global commercial centres to create, develop, and deploy technology. Leading centres in the SCI are based in places which combine an innovative, cultural centre with a high-performing university sector across STEM subjects, supported by a well-developed regulatory, commercial, and financial services.

SCI 9 Results

• London retained first place in the index, with Zurich rising to second place and New York down one place to third.
• Five Western European centres feature in the top 10, alongside three US centres.
• Singapore and Tel Aviv also feature in the top 10.
• Six centres rose 10 or more places in the ranking in SCI 9, while 11 centres fell 10 or more places.
• Following a rise in the average ratings in the last two editions of the index, the average rating in SCI 9 fell by 1.31%. The smallest reduction in average ratings was in Latin America & The Caribbean, while centres in Eastern Europe & Central Asia fell almost 2%.
• The continued geopolitical threats caused by conflict and economic instability may be driving a lack of confidence in technology centres across the world.

We asked respondents to the SCI survey to identify the areas of technology which are likely to have the most impact on industry over the next five years. A quarter of respondents identified ‘Artificial Intelligence, Digital And Computing’ as likely to have the greatest impact, with ‘Energy And Environmental Technology’, and ‘Electronics, Photonics, And Quantum Technology’ mentioned by 18% and 17% of respondents respectively.

The top 20 centres in SCI 9 are shown in the table below:

Full details of SCI 9 can be found at www.smartcentresindex.net.

The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor Of London, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli [on sabbatical from being Chairman of Z/Yen], said:

“Commercial centres across the world continue to promote innovation in technology and science. Our community’s focus on Artificial Intelligence, Electronics, and Energy Technology as the developments likely to have most impact on industry over the next five years show the likely continued direction of travel.”

We invite all those with an interest in the development of innovation and technology centres to take part in SCI 10 by rating the financial and commercial centres you know on our continuously running survey – www.smartcentresindex.net/survey/.

ENDS

Notes For Editors

About SCI 9

The SCI is a factor assessment index, combining a number of instrumental factors - data measures drawn from a range of data providers across the world - and assessments given by business and finance professionals of three dimensions related to innovation and technology in major commercial and financial centres:

• Innovation Support - the approach taken to regulation and support for the innovation and technology industry provided by the commercial ecosystem.
• Creative Intensity - the extent to which technology and innovative industries are embedded in the economy of the centre.
• Delivery Capability - the quality of the work being undertaken in the field in the centre.

These dimensions are brought together in the overall SCI ratings to produce the index, which is updated every six months. SCI 9 was compiled using 135 instrumental factors. These quantitative measures are provided by third parties including the World Bank, the OECD, and the United Nations. The instrumental factors were combined with 1,661 assessments provided by 246 respondents to the SCI online questionnaire.

To find out more about sponsorship opportunities, joining the Vantage Financial Centres network, further research, and bespoke reports on individual financial centres, please contact us.

Previous Editions

Previous editions of the SCI can be accessed at https://www.longfinance.net/programmes/financial-centre-futures/smart-centres-index/publications/

Z/Yen & Long Finance

Z/Yen is the City of London's leading commercial think-tank. It was founded in 1994 to promote societal advance through better finance and technology (www.zyen.com). The SCI is part of Z/Yen’s research into economic centres alongside the Global Financial Centres Index and the Global Green Finance Index.

For more information please email Mike Wardle at mike_wardle@zyen.com or phone on +44 (0) 7880 737319.