Innovation thrives on connections. Across almost every field of science and engineering, from foundational research to practical applications, new inventions are created by combining knowledge from various disciplines. For example, our phones, laptops, medical scanners and renewable energy systems depend on the combined expertise of mathematicians, engineers, chemists and physicists. This collaboration hinges on techniques and ideas often developed in different areas. This concept of ‘convergent innovation’ is a key focus of the Top 100 Global Innovators 2025.
Our key finding: 60% of the highest-strength convergent inventions come from just 0.01% of organizations that file for patent protection. These are the organizations celebrated in the Top 100 Global Innovators 2025.
Compiled annually by Clarivate, the Top 100 Global Innovators celebrates the top organizations driving global innovation. It analyzes millions of protected inventions to provide insights into the current and future state of innovation. It also highlights the impact of trends in convergent innovation on the creation, management and protection of intellectual property.
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The five forces driving modern innovation
In the 2025 report, we spotlight the five forces driving the creation of high-impact inventions and new technologies.
- Sustainability
Transforming the production, distribution and utilization of energy and resources. - Wellbeing
Enhancing health through pharmaceutical, medical and cultural technologies. - Mobility
Enabling the cheaper, safer and faster movement of goods and people. - Connectivity
The fundamental transmission, reception, conversion and storage of data and information. - Automation
Increasing efficiency and productivity through software, data processing and artificial intelligence (AI).
Inventions that combine these forces create significant value for the companies that produce them and the people that use them. These are the high-impact innovations that we define as technically convergent inventions.
Over the past 25 years, convergent inventions have made up 15% of all global patent filings. However, when we use the scoring system developed for the Top 100 Global Innovators, we find that nearly 40% of the strongest inventions come from the top 0.5% of all inventions worldwide. Moreover, convergent inventions are growing at double the rate of those that are not. This indicates that inventions of convergence increasingly define inventions of value.
Read more about the scoring system behind the Top 100 Global Innovators analysis.
The future is hyperconnected
The full report reveals what future success looks like and what the Top 100 Global Innovators of 2025 are already exceptional at: capturing convergence to drive value and impact. As we look to the coming decades, hyperconnectivity will be a major factor in defining the measure of a high-impact invention. The interconnected nature of global economies, technologies and industries will only increase. This will help spread ideas faster, improve collaboration and integrate new advancements seamlessly.
Hyperconnectivity enables organizations to tap into global talent pools, access a broader range of resources and respond quickly to technical and market changes. The continued convergence of technologies will create new products, services and industries. These will address complex global challenges like climate change and healthcare costs. As interdisciplinary research and collaboration become ever more essential, organizations that prioritize convergence will thrive.
Visit our Top 100 Global Innovators Hub to learn more about hyperconnected innovation, understand the methodologies behind the analyses, see the Top 100 list of global innovators and get in touch with our team of experts.
