This study examines whether cultural tightness and looseness help explain differences in national innovation across 57 countries. It asks whether looser cultures, characterised by greater tolerance of unconventional behaviour, ambiguity, and individual freedom, achieve higher innovation levels after accounting for major economic factors. The study uses a comparative quantitative design based on cross-sectional data from 57 countries. Innovation is measured using the Global Innovation Index, while cultural context is assessed through an established cultural tightness and looseness index. Cluster analysis and hierarchical regression are used to examine the relationship. Loose cultures generally show higher innovation scores than tight cultures, although the difference between clusters is only marginally significant. More importantly, hierarchical regression shows that cultural tightness remains significantly associated with innovation after controlling for gross domestic product, gross domestic product per capita, and population size. Cultural tightness has a significant negative relationship with national innovation. Countries with stronger social norms and greater behavioural constraint tend to exhibit lower innovation levels, suggesting that cultural context independently contributes to cross-national differences in innovation.