UN agency: Innovation continued even as coronavirus emerged

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s intellectual property agency says innovation marched forward last year despite the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Technology, pharmaceuticals and biotech industries boosted their investments, even as hard-hit sectors like transport and travel eased back on spending. The findings released Monday emerged from WIPO’s latest innovation index report, which ranked Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, Britain, and fast-climber South Korea — driven partly from creativity like K-Pop music — as the most innovative economies. China and France edged up in the rankings, which continue to be dominated by Asia, Europe and North America.