Morocco ranks 54th out of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). That is three places higher than in 2025 and 23 places higher than in 2021. Morocco also ranks 4th among 36 lower-middle-income economies, according to WIPO’s 2026 country profile for Morocco.
What is the Global Innovation Index?
The Global Innovation Index is WIPO’s annual ranking of how well economies turn investment in ideas into results. It scores each economy on seven pillars: five on the input side (institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication) and two on the output side (knowledge and technology outputs, creative outputs).
The 2026 edition covers 139 economies and is the most recent edition available as of October 2026. The figures below come from WIPO’s Morocco profile for that edition.
What are the key findings for Morocco?
| Indicator (GII 2026) | Morocco |
|---|---|
| Overall rank | 54th of 139 (confidence range 51 to 58) |
| Innovation outputs | 46th |
| Innovation inputs | 76th |
| Lower-middle-income economies | 4th of 36 |
| Northern Africa and Western Asia | 7th of 18 |
| Strongest pillar | Creative outputs, 38th |
| Weakest pillar | Business sophistication, 97th |
- Steady climb: Morocco ranked 75th in 2020, 77th in 2021, 67th in 2022, 70th in 2023, 66th in 2024, 57th in 2025 and 54th in 2026, according to WIPO.
- Design and brands are a real strength. Morocco ranks 5th in the world for industrial designs by origin relative to GDP and 16th for trademarks by origin relative to GDP.
- Apps and high-tech manufacturing: Morocco is 16th for mobile app creation relative to GDP, and high-tech manufacturing makes up 37.8% of its manufacturing (28th).
- Talent pipeline: 29.7% of graduates are in science and engineering (23rd), and education spending equals 6% of GDP (18th).
- Weak spots: Morocco ranks 107th for women employed with advanced degrees (3.1%), 108th for intellectual property receipts, and records no unicorn valuation and no top global corporate R&D investor.
What does this mean for Moroccan founders and investors?
Morocco gets more out of its innovation system than it puts in. Its output rank (46th) is 30 places better than its input rank (76th). For investors, that gap points to an ecosystem that is efficient with limited resources, and to upside if inputs such as research funding and business links improve.
The bottleneck is how companies, research and capital connect. Business sophistication, at 97th, is the weakest pillar. In practice, this is where founders feel friction: few corporate R&D partners, limited university-industry collaboration, and thin late-stage capital. Startups that build partnerships with industrial groups or research labs are working on exactly the gap the index measures.
Design-led and brand-led ventures have an edge. A top-5 global rank in industrial designs and a top-20 rank in trademarks suggest that Moroccan entrepreneurs already invest in protecting products and brands. For consumer, fashion, crafts and food ventures, registering designs and trademarks early is a habit worth keeping.
Scaling is the missing step. No unicorn valuation and low intellectual property receipts show that Moroccan innovation is not yet turning into large, exportable companies. For diaspora founders and international funds looking at Morocco, growth capital and cross-border expansion support remain the clearest openings.
Frequently asked questions
Who publishes the Global Innovation Index?
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations agency, publishes the index every year.
What is Morocco’s rank in the GII 2026?
Morocco ranks 54th out of 139 economies, its best rank of any edition since 2020.
Where is Morocco strongest and weakest?
Its strongest pillar is creative outputs (38th), led by industrial designs (5th). Its weakest is business sophistication (97th).
Is this the most recent edition?
Yes. As of October 2026, the 2026 edition is the latest Global Innovation Index.
