10 localities leading the country in innovation

Announced at the National Innovation Festival Celebration on the morning of October 4, PII 2026 has a total of 52 component indexes, divided into 7 pillars. Among them, the leading localities are mostly centrally run cities.

Hanoi (63.80 points)

This is the fourth consecutive year that Hanoi leads the PII index, with innovation input of 67.68 points and innovation output of 59.92 points. This locality ranked first in 18/52 similar component indexes last year, including indicators on research and development (R&D) and innovation such as human resources and R&D spending, number of science and technology organizations, proportion of enterprises with R&D activities, proportion of enterprises with innovation activities and intellectual property outputs such as inventions, utility solutions, plant varieties, trademarks, industrial designs or poverty reduction and indexes. human development...

Ho Chi Minh City (58.30 points)

Ho Chi Minh City leads 12/52 component indexes, innovation input 64.21 points and innovation output 52.39 points. Input indicators such as science and technology organizations, general infrastructure, credit to the private sector, microfinance, enterprise density, proportion of enterprises with R&D activities, proportion of enterprises with innovation activities, newly established enterprises and some intellectual property products are leading with Hanoi.

Hai Phong City (56.33 points)

This locality has innovation input of 64.03 points and innovation output of 50.63 points. Hai Phong ranked third in the pillars of Institutions (business environment and policy environment) and Market Development Level (finance and investment, market size).

Quang Ninh City (55.24 points)

Quang Ninh ranked fourth in innovation ranking, with innovation input of 63.66 points and innovation output of 46.81 points. However, this locality ranks third in the number of leading indicators with 5/52 component indicators, including digital infrastructure, credit for the private sector, investment projects in industrial clusters, OCOP (one commune one product model) and poverty reduction speed.

Bac Ninh City (50.96 points)

Bac Ninh city has innovation input of 56.22 points and innovation output of 45.69 points. This locality leads in the Enterprise Development Level pillar (knowledgeable workers, creative linkages, knowledge absorption) and ranks second in the Impact pillar (including impact on production - business and impact on the economy - society).

Hue City (48.47 points)

The Central city has an innovation input of 55.05 points and an innovation output of 41.90 points. This locality ranked second in the Human Capital and Research and Development pillars (including education and R&D) and ranked third in the Knowledge, Creativity and Technology Products pillar (including knowledge creation, intangible assets and knowledge spillover).

Da Nang City (48.17 points)

Da Nang has innovation input of 59.49 points and innovation output of 36.85 points. This locality ranks first in the Institutional pillar.

Thai Nguyen (47.81 points)

Thai Nguyen province has innovation input of 54.86 points and innovation output of 40.75 points. This locality ranks third in the Enterprise Development Level pillar.

Tay Ninh (46.78 points)

Tay Ninh province has innovation input of 46.38 points and innovation output of 47.18 points. This is the third locality in the Infrastructure pillar (including ICT infrastructure, general infrastructure and ecological environment).

Hung Yen (46.72 points)

Hung Yen province has innovation input of 48.84 points and innovation output of 44.59 points. This is the only province among the 10 localities not in the top 3 of the pillars based on PII 2026 results.

PII is a Vietnamese initiative, built based on ideas from the Global Innovation Index (GII). According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the construction of the PII 2026 index is in accordance with international standards as well as in accordance with the process that has been successfully implemented in previous years, and is reviewed and adjusted based on the current data status, practical context, and characteristics of localities. Some minor adjustments in data sources and component index calculations were also made in accordance with international practices without affecting the general structure of the index framework and general calculation method.

The 2026 PII index has a total of 52 component indices, divided into 7 pillars. In particular, the 5 input pillars reflect factors that create favorable conditions for socio-economic development based on science, technology and innovation. The two output pillars reflect the impact of science, technology and innovation on socio-economic development.

According to the Department of Innovation, PII is being used more as a management tool. By September, 29 out of 34 localities had issued PII improvement plans. Some localities have established science and technology tasks to research solutions to improve growth indicators or models based on science, technology and innovation. From the results of the annual PII index, localities can look at each group of indicators to determine whether they are lacking infrastructure, human resources, capital, business-institution links or the ability to create knowledge products.

Bao Lam