Renowned academic and author Soumitra Dutta is the founder of Portulans Institute, a US-based non-profit and research organization that produces actionable research on how technology, people and innovation contribute to sustainable economic growth in a country. Soumitra Dutta, Oxford Dean (Former) also is a co-creator of two major global benchmarks: GII (Global Innovation Index) and Network Readiness Index (NRI). NRI measures 133 economies on their readiness to leverage Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across four pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact.
GII assesses the innovation performance of 130-140 countries annually on around 80 parameters across seven pillars (Institutions, Human Capital & Research, Infrastructure, Market Sophistication, Business Sophistication, Knowledge & Technology Outputs, Creative Outputs). GII is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD. It helps policymakers identify and address innovation bottlenecks. Soumitra Dutta has enjoyed an illustrious educational career. An alumnus of IIT-Delhi, he holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Soumitra Dutta was a doctoral student of the legendary Lotfi A. Zadeh, the founder of fuzzy logic. Soumitra Dutta’s career as an academic includes leadership positions at some of the world’s most prestigious colleges and universities. Dutta began at INSEAD, France, in 1989 as an Assistant Professor in Information Systems and Technology Management. Later he would serve as Dean of Technology and E-learning, Dean of Executive Education, and Dean of External Relations.In 2012, Soumitra Dutta became the 11th Dean of Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. He then led as Founding Dean of the SC Johnson College of Business from 2016 to 2018, securing a record$150 million naming gift, and launching initiatives such as Cornell Tech in NYC and the Cornell-Tsinghua dual MBA, the only Ivy League MBA in mainland China.
From June 2022 to September 2025, Soumitra Dutta was Dean at Oxford’s Said Business School. During his tenure at the renowned institution, he emphasized building social capital, cultural immersion for students, and mindful decision-making in AI-driven economies.Soumitra Dutta is also an entrepreneur who has founded two technological startups: Fisheye Analytics, a social media analytics firm that was sold to the WPP Communications Group in 2013, and Igesia, an edutech firm started in 2019. He's also author/co-author of interesting books such as Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom: How Online Social Networking Will Transform Your Life, Work and World, Innovating at the Top : Global Innovation Leaders: CEO Perspectives on Innovation for Growth and Profit (International Management Knowledge), and The Bright Stuff: How Innovative People and Technology Can Make the Old Economy New. Soumitra Dutta is a prolific researcher and writer. His ResearchGate profile lists 87 publications.
Understanding the GII and the NRIThe Global Innovation Index (GII) was born out of the idea that the world had no reliable, thorough way to measure the totality of innovation in different countries․ Patent statistics and R&D expenditure were only two indicators; governance, market and business sophistication, knowledge creation and university-industry collaboration are some other factors that drive an innovative economy․ Soumitra Dutta, Oxford Dean (Former) co-created the GII to comprehensively capture that complexity; today, GII informs policy making in many countries․ In the 2025 GII, which has placed Switzerland in the top position for the 15th consecutive year, it was highlighted that global investment into innovation is becoming increasingly concentrated among the top countries, which account for an outsized portion of R&D expenditure, patent filings, and venture capital.The Network Readiness Index (NRI), which is published by the Portulans Institute, asks: Is a country structurally ready to use technology on a large scale? The 2025 report lists the United States, Finland, Singapore, Denmark and Sweden as the five most network-ready societies in the world․ Among its notable findings is that in some high-income economies, network readiness appears weaker than one might expect given their technological sophistication.
The 2025 edition of the NRI comprised 127 economies․ The four NRI pillars of Technology‚ People‚ Governance‚ and Impact are computed using 53 indicators‚ including broadband subscriptions‚ artificial intelligence research output‚ digital policy effectiveness‚ and mobile phone subscriptions․ The top 10 economies feature seven from Europe‚ two from Asia (Singapore and South Korea)‚ and one from the Americas (the United States)․However‚ some of the more interesting revelations on the rankings card come from countries further down the field‚ with India rising four places to rank 45‚ with a network readiness score well above expectations for its income level․ This gap between income and digital achievement is exactly the story Dutta wants the NRI to tell. India ranks first in the world in annual investment in telecommunication services‚ scientific publications in artificial intelligence (AI)‚ exports of ICT services‚ and e-commerce legislation‚ indicators that reflect ambition and infrastructure rather than wealth․What the NRI reveals is that digital readiness is a choice․ Countries can do better than their economic weight class if they invest in infrastructure and governance‚ and above all in the skills of their people․ Those that don't‚ no matter how wealthy‚ drift deeper and deeper behind․ Dutta doesn’t seek to just rank countries, but nudge them into action.
1. Who is Soumitra Dutta?
Soumitra Dutta is a renowned academic, author, and global thought leader in innovation and technology policy. He is the founder of the Portulans Institute and co-creator of major global indices like the Global Innovation Index (GII) and Network Readiness Index (NRI).
2. What is Soumitra Dutta known for globally?
He is best known for shaping how countries measure innovation and digital readiness through the GII and NRI, which are widely used by policymakers, researchers, and international organizations.
3. What is Soumitra Dutta’s educational background?
He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and earned a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science from University of California Berkeley.
4. Which major institutions has Soumitra Dutta led?
He has held leadership roles at: INSEAD, Cornell University, Saïd Business School
5. What was his role at Cornell University?
He served as Dean of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and later became the founding dean of the SC Johnson College of Business.
6. Has Soumitra Dutta founded any companies?
Yes, he founded:Fisheye Analytics (acquired by WPP Group)
Igesia (an edtech venture)