No. 30 – Qatar

Overall score: 0.52
Innovation inputs score: 0.86
Innovation performance score: 0.13
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $83.3 billion
Foreign Direct Investment: $9.1 billion

Like many Gulf countries, Qatar is hurting because of the fall in oil and gas prices. But the country is pushing ahead with plans to foster innovation. On Mar. 16, it will open a new science and technology park, which has received $800 million in investment from the Qatar Foundation and includes as tenants Microsoft (MSFT), General Electric (GE) and ExxonMobil (XOM). In September, Qatar will host the inaugural World Innovation Summit for Education, a three-day meeting designed to stimulate discussion on how to make schools more innovation-friendly.