Abstract:Social capital as an important part of incorporeal capital, is a strong guarantee of improving regional innovation capability. Based on the panel data of 11 provinces of Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2009 to 2014, using Spatial Durbin Model, this article analyses the non-linear relationship between social capital and regional innovation capability. The results show as follows: (1) Regional innovation capability in Yangtze River Economic Belt shows a positive spatial correlation, but whole space largely shows the unbalanced ladder-like distribution pattern; (2) The relationship between social capital and regional innovation capability is not completely linear correlation. Structural social capital has no remarkable effect on regional innovation capability, but cognitive social capital brings significant positive effects on regional innovation capability; (3) R D personnel, R D expenditure and educational environment bring significant positive effects on regional innovation capability, among them, effect of educational environment on regional innovation capability is the most prominent.