Canberra has ranked third in Paymentsense’s new study which reveals the top 20 most innovative cities across the world.
For a small city, Canberra has punched above its weight finishing on an innovation index score of 75.5 out of 100, specifically ranking high in its business innovation which draws new organisations, talent, and business events to the city.
Canberra follows closely behind Paris, which sits on a score of 79.3 and alongside Washington D.C. on an equal score of 75.5, and above Berlin (74.8), Rome (70.5), and Stockholm (70.5).
Each city was scored by the innovation factors of intellectual property, business startups, university rankings, Kickstarters, and entrepreneurialism trends.
The Canberra Convention Bureau’s director of business development, Samantha Sefton, said Canberra tends to surprise people with the number of opportunities the city provides.
“Canberra always has new experiences to try out. There’s the diversity of restaurants, the outdoor experiences, the craft beers, wineries and distilleries,” Ms Sefton said.
“It’s the mix and match nature of the city that appeals to all ages and interests.”
The capital has had substantial growth over recent years with 235,654 new businesses registered in 2019, providing significant job roles and advancement opportunities within its professional landscape.
Google searches for ‘how to start a business’ average over 26,000 a month, proving entrepreneurial spirit is high in Canberra.
Especially known for its contribution to modernisation, notable Canberra innovators include John O’Sullivan (the inventor of Wi-Fi), David Warren (the inventor of the Black Box flight recording device), Dr Dharmica Mistry (co-founder and chief scientist at Breast Cancer Associated Lipids (BCAL) Diagnostics), and Sunita Kumar (2020 Business Woman of the Year at the Canberra Women in Business Awards and owner of Daana Indian Restaurant).
Often cited as Australia’s ‘knowledge capital’, Canberra is home to the Australian National University, which has been ranked in the top two per cent of universities globally, according to the 2022 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings.
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