Qingdao has risen one place to rank 33rd among the world's top 100 innovation clusters in 2026, according to the latest ranking released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The city has remained among China's top 10 innovation clusters for six consecutive years.

China has 25 clusters in this year's global top 100, the largest number among all economies for the fourth consecutive year, according to WIPO.

Qingdao has expanded its innovation capacity in recent years, with a growing network of research institutions, technology enterprises and services supporting the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements.

The city is now home to 17 national key laboratories and more than 15,000 technology-based enterprises, as well as over 2,500 technology transfer specialists.

In 2025, loans supporting scientific and technological innovation in Qingdao exceeded 220 billion yuan ($30.9 billion), while technology contract transactions surpassed 76 billion yuan.

WIPO's annual innovation cluster ranking identifies cities and regions where innovation activity is highly concentrated. The 2026 ranking assesses clusters based on international patent filings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, scientific publications and venture capital deals.

The ranking reflects the concentration of research, business, talent and investment that underpins Qingdao's innovation ecosystem.