Abstract: The global innovation network is the overall structure of all kinds of formal and informal transnational relationships among the global innovation subjects, innovation elements and innovation systems formed around the development of industrial innovation in the process of globalization of scientific and technological innovation. This paper focuses on the global innovation network and related research topics. The core collection of Web of Science is used as the data source, and social network and visualization methods are used to describe and analyze the research hotspots, disciplines and spatial distribution network characteristics of global innovation network. Vitality index and attractiveness index are constructed to evaluate the research potential of major countries in this field, including their own research activity and attractiveness in the network. The results show that emerging markets, emerging industries, innovation policies and network diffusion are becoming hot topics in the field of global innovation network research; the research in this field has attracted the attention of scholars in economic management related disciplines, followed by geography related disciplines; more research efforts have been conducted in Europe and the United States, and emerging economies in Asia have also made important contributions. The United States, Germany, China and the United Kingdom are the main research countries, and their research potential and advantage fields vary in different periods. The United States and Germany have strong research strength and potential for reference cooperation. China and the United Kingdom are becoming important research node countries and have the potential for pioneering cooperation.

Key words: Global Innovation Network, Research Hotspots, Discipline Distribution, Research Potential