Shanghai wins first WIPO 'City of Innovation' award; jury cites strong R&D base, ambitious pledges

Shanghai has been named one of the first winners of the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) "City of Innovation" award, alongside Charleroi in Belgium and Liverpool in the UK, according to WIPO's official website. WIPO highlighted Shanghai's pledges to expand education and support on intellectual property, widen access to facilities and data that support innovation, and strengthen links among researchers, entrepreneurs, businesses and investors.

WIPO said Shanghai aims to strengthen its position as an international hub for science, technology and intellectual property while fostering a broader culture of innovation and creativity. Its pledges cover four main areas: expanding intellectual property (IP) education and services, opening up innovation infrastructure and data, supporting cultural and creative industries, and strengthening connections among research institutions, industry, entrepreneurs and investors.

Andrea Dempster Chung, member of the International Jury Panel and Co-Founder & Executive Director for Kingston Creative, said Shanghai's application was extremely impressive, not just because of its strong research and development base that the city already had, but for the sheer scale of its ambitions and the strength of pledges, the Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.

"This would be pivotal in shifting the city's future and this is one of the reasons why Shanghai was selected," she said, according to Xinhua.

The award, launched by WIPO for the first time in 2026, differs from conventional city rankings, which are based mainly on past innovation performance and accomplishments. Instead, it recognizes cities that pledge to create ecosystems that unlock the innovative and creative potential of their residents and inspire other municipalities to match their commitments.

The 2026 winners' pledges include plans to attract technology start-ups, develop digital and creative skills, expand IP support and further involve communities in innovative activities.

A nine-member independent international jury selected the three winners from 15 finalists, assessing the ambition and credibility of their pledges and how closely their visions were grounded in local circumstances.

The award comes shortly after the Shanghai-Suzhou innovation cluster ranked sixth globally in WIPO's 2026 ranking of the World's Top 100 Innovation Clusters, which was released by WIPO on September 8.