CDMX on the global innovation map: an achievement, not the goal

For the first time, Mexico has made it onto the list of the world's top 100 innovation clusters compiled by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as part of the Global Innovation Index 2025 (GII 2025). Mexico City is in 79th place, a fact that is striking, but which, when analysed carefully, shows that Mexico's income is explained above all by the number of scientific publications. This is worth celebrating, although it would be optimal if this presence also reflected a high volume of patents and innovation brought to the market.

In this report, UNAM appears as the academic institution with the highest number of scientific publications, which confirms its central role in national research, and explains to a large extent its entry into the ranking. Colgate-Palmolive is indicated as the company with the most patent applications from the capital, although it should be noted that, although these patents are exploited in Mexico, most of them do not correspond to the country's own innovations, but to the company's global developments. This duality shows our main weakness: we produce a lot of knowledge, but we still do not transform it into local inventions with economic impact.

This diagnosis coincides with what has been stressed at the highest level since the beginning of the current administration: Mexico not only needs more patents, but patents that are exploited. Innovation that does not reach the market is a dead letter. The novelty of the GII 2025 is the inclusion of venture capital as a third parameter, alongside patents and publications: a reminder that it is not enough to generate knowledge; it is essential to transform it into business if science is to become a driver of development.

According to GII 2025, CDMX produced around 20,000 scientific publications, but only 251 PCT patent applications and 672 venture capital deals. The comparison with global leaders is stark: Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou reports more than 193 thousand publications, 117 thousand patents and almost 7 thousand agreements; Tokyo-Yokohama exceeds 115 thousand publications, 135 thousand patents and 5 thousand agreements; and San Jose-San Francisco, with 56 thousand publications, 50 thousand patents and 16 thousand agreements.

The entry of the CDMX to this ranking should be understood as a first step, a triumph. It is worth celebrating; however, it is urgent to multiply efforts. There is no point in accumulating intellectual property (IP) titles if they are not converted into products, processes or services that generate wealth and competitiveness.

For years it has been pointed out that the number of publications in Mexico does not correspond to the number of patents. It is true that not everything published is patentable, but it is also true that much of what could be patentable falls by the wayside due to a lack of vision, incentives and, above all, a poor IP culture in this country. With the incorporation of venture capital in the GII 2025, this gap is more evident than ever.

The fact that UNAM leads in scientific production reflects the fact that knowledge is generated in Mexico, but what we need is for that knowledge to be exploited. It is fair to recognise that the university itself is already working on this through programmes such as PROFOPI and its coordination of linkages, which seek to build bridges with the productive sector. However, the results are still limited and we need this effort to be multiplied and translated into a true innovation ecosystem.

It is urgent that our new federal secretariat for innovation reviews the incentives in the researcher system and balances the incentive scheme. It is not enough to give points for publishing; points for applying for, obtaining and, above all, exploiting patents should also be awarded and even increased. This is the only way to ensure that knowledge is translated into innovation that has an impact on the real economy.

In a week's time, the full GII 2025 will be published and we will see where Mexico ranks overall. The appearance of Mexico City in the list of clusters is a good advance, but the most important thing will be to check whether the indicators confirm that the country is indeed moving again.