Back in the days, advanced technology was something you don’t see or use on a daily basis and it was not something many could afford either. These days everything is completely different. We use technology for almost everything we do and you would probably face something tech-related in almost every home you visit.
The growth of the tech industry over time has led to an increase in consumer demand, which has made the IT industry one of the most profitable in the world. In 2016, 24% of all research worldwide fell on the computer technology and electronics sector, while software and Internet expenses accounted for 12%.
The amount of money generated by this industry is outstanding.
Image Source: https://www.comptia.org/resources/it-industry-trends-analysis
It goes without saying but the level of tech industry varies from country to country. In this article, we are to find out which one is the best country in the world in terms of modern technology solutions and their integration/implementation.
14. Malaysia
Malaysia is a newcomer to the technology market, but there are companies like Vitrox Corp which is semiconductors and microchips manufacturer and they are essential for high-tech products.
The value of Vitrox has grown to 24% as of this year. Experts predict that by 2020, the digital sector will account for up to 20% of Malaysia’s GDP.
One of the reasons for such growth is the startup support program that was recently launched in this country.
13. France
France is a long-established technology hub in the world due to its access to automotive production and its willingness to develop nuclear energy.
This country regularly ranks high in the Deloitte “Technology Fast 500” ranking, which includes the fastest growing companies in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
In 2016, 96 companies from France were included in this list. Among those companies, the Horizontal Software showed an increase of 8,339% in the previous three years and managed to take the 5th place on the same list.
In addition, France attracts qualified professionals from all over the world, offering visas to anyone who is willing to launch or invest in a tech-based startup.
12. Israel
Israel is another country that is relatively new to innovative technology development.
Here, experts use technology to improve smartphones, build new apps. They provide lots of innovative ideas in areas such as the automotive sector and even weapons.
In March 2017, Israel made the largest tech-related deal in its history when Intel bought local MobileEye for $15.3 billion.
International companies are trying not to miss the opportunity that Israel and its young and well-educated population offer.
More than 300 international companies have opened research centers and representative offices in this country.
11. Finland
Finland is probably most known as a country where there is lots of snow and saunas, but it’s also a country with well-advanced mobile technologies.
Nokia, a major mobile phone manufacturer, is located in Finland. Recently, the iPhone has overtaken it, however, it was the innovations that the Finnish company made in the 80s and 90s that paved the way for the further development of smartphones.
Currently, startups in Finland are focused on developing software, not devices. Many of the best-selling mobile games have been developed in Finland, including the popular Angry Birds game.
10. Australia
Australia also made it to the list of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. The digital economy accounts for nearly 5.1% of Australia’s GDP, and 22% of the country’s workforce is employed in this sector.
Sportster is one of the biggest technological achievements of this country. It is a digital tool that analyzes the achievements of athletes and it was acquired by the tech giant Hudl.
Many of the largest technology companies in the world are also considering the potential of the Australian market and are opening their offices and research centers there.
9. Sweden
Sweden is known for its achievements in mobile technology development. In fact, Sweden has become one of the few countries that have been able to achieve economic growth after the financial crisis of 2008, mostly due to the success of tech companies.
Manufacturers such as Ericsson, which dominated the market, were forced to share a leadership role with Spotify, Skype, and Torrent – companies that use the flexibility of the Internet to improve communications and develop opportunities to share information, ideas and music.
8. Canada
It’s not much of a surprise that Canada made it to this list since, in 2016, its technology sector overtook both the financial sector and insurance. Technology companies generate $117 billion from Canada’s GDP, which reaches $51 trillion, accounting for nearly 6% of the workforce.
They even have their own “Silicon Valley” in the suburbs of Toronto, where companies producing equipment and software are located. Many startups seek to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the growth of the mobile app development sector.
7. The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom used to be the ruler of the seas, but if we talk about technology, this country loses to younger countries. Nevertheless, successful technology companies are still located here, and most large international companies still want to have an office in London.
One of the largest British technology companies, Sage develops accounting software. It allows users to perform complex operations on the iPad and is sold worldwide.
6. India
The success of India is not only associated with outsourcing call centers, which are also a major source of employment for young Indians. The tech industry brought the country almost $160 billion in 2016-2017, which is almost 10% of the country’s GDP.
Many successful companies are located in India. One of them is Infosys, a consulting company that currently operates worldwide and began with an investment of only $250.
5. China
China has shown a significant technological breakthrough in recent years. It was predicted that by 2020 its scientific and technological sector will bring 60% of GDP. This goal has already been reached, according to China Daily.
Companies like Huawei are well-known in the smartphone market, and Baidu, the Chinese Google, continues to dominate the domestic market, with over 70 million active users.
Perhaps the most famous Chinese exporter is Alibaba, a retail giant that sells almost everything from electronics to real estate services.
4. Germany
Germany has a long history of success in the field of technology development, especially in everything related to automobile manufacturing.
In addition, Germany leads Europe in terms of technology and innovation. R&D spends 3% of GDP which corresponds to $116 billion – source.
Siemens, previously known as a manufacturer of mobile phones, is now engaged in a wide range of technological developments, including innovations in the field of renewable energy.
3. South Korea
Back in 1960, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world, but since then its progress in the economy as a whole and in the technology sector, in particular, has been tremendous.
It became the 14th largest economy in the world back in 2016 mostly due to the growth of the tech sector. South Korea supports startups and there are many successful tech companies.
A company like Samsung, which is the second-largest technology company in the world, reaches sales of $174 billion as of 2017 and it is to reach annual sales of $400 billion in 2020.
2. Japan
Japan has an established reputation as a country with advanced technology. At the same time, the country’s government seeks to further develop this sector.
The Japanese government wants to increase inward FDI stock in Japan to 35 trillion yen by 2020.
Source: https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/whyjapan/ch1.html
No wonder one of the most popular Japanese tech tycoons, Masayoshi Son, wants to invest $880 billion in tech.
Among the technological giants of Japan are companies such as Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, and many others.
1. USA
The USA is the leader in the field of technology development. The fact that 11.5 million people work in this sector is amazing. Silicon Valley is the place where technology is like air – it’s everywhere. The number of registered patents constantly grows.
Source: https://jointventure.org/news-and-media/news-releases/1331-silicon-valley-sf-patents-climbing-fast
The size of the technology market in USA is also constantly growing.
Source: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/biometrics-industry
This is undoubtedly due to the success of tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and many others. In addition, the United States has the right conditions that are favorable for the development of startups.
Author bio:
George Fironov is the Founder and CEO of Talmatic, concierge-type service focused on helping tech companies to hire dedicated remote software engineers. I’m passionate about people, technology and innovation. I dedicated my career to building professional teams that empower our customers with the latest tech expertise they need to be successful.
