Cyprus has been classed as a moderate innovator in the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) 2025, recording a 17.6 per cent improvement since 2018, the fourth highest growth in the EU over the past seven years.

However, Cyprus fell by 14.6 points when compared with 2024, with its score now standing at 84.1.

According to a statement from the Deputy Ministry of Research, “the island continues to excel in creating an attractive research ecosystem, supported by high-level scientific publications, strong public-private collaborations and its growing ability to attract talent from abroad”.

The ministry explained that this year’s revised assessment framework by the European Commission was a key factor in Cyprus’ new ranking.

Indicators where the country had previously performed well, such as employment in high-knowledge sectors and broadband penetration, were replaced with new measures focusing on technology imports from non-EU countries and the environmental efficiency of production.

These changes, the ministry said, “highlight areas that remain challenging but also present opportunities for future growth“.

The report points to declines in innovation adoption among SMEs, employment in innovative enterprises, and networking between businesses and organisations.

“These shifts are linked to changes in survey methodology and sampling,” the ministry explained.

“Venture capital investment also fell, reflecting global trends, but recent initiatives such as the state-backed Cyprus Equity Fund and blended finance programmes from the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) are expected to strengthen access to capital for innovative businesses,” it added.

The deputy ministry further stated that “Cyprus’ innovation ecosystem is already adapting to the new priorities, stressing its commitment to boosting competitiveness through targeted interventions aimed at reinforcing the country’s position on Europe’s innovation map”.