Press Release 16/12/2022

STATISTICS FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY R&D. 2021

Expenditure on biotechnology R&D in the Basque Country reached 142.2 million euros in 2021, after increasing by 12.3%

There was a higher proportion of women employed in biotechnology R&D (60.8%)

In 2021, expenditure on internal R&D for activities related to biotechnology increased to 142.2 million euros, 12.3% higher than in 2020, according to Eustat data. This expenditure accounted for 8.6% of the total expenditure on internal R&D.

The number of employed personnel stood at 2,516, which represented 1,667 people in full-time equivalent jobs (FTE). This FTE biotechnology personnel increased by 9.5% compared to the previous year and represented 8% of FTE personnel dedicated to R+D. 1,245 people in FTE worked as researchers, which represented an increase of 9.1% compared to the previous year.

It should be noted that this data, in terms of both expenditure on biotechnology and personnel in FTE, is the highest since the historic series began in 2007.

Additionally, and as demonstrated in previous years, women were particularly noteworthy in this branch of R&D, as they represented 60.8% of the total full-time staff employed in biotechnology in 2021.

A total of 101 entities, 95 of them companies, carried out research activities in biotechnology in 2021. Moreover, 72 of these 101 entities dedicated 100% of their internal R&D expenditure to biotechnology.

68.6% of expenditure on internal biotechnology R&D came from the Business sector

The highest percentage of total expenditure on internal biotechnology R&D (68.6%) was concentrated in the Business sector, a similar proportion to that of 2020 (68.3%).

The other sectors, Higher Education (25.5%) and Public Administration (5.9%), saw 31.4% of the remaining expenditure in 2021.

Public administration financed 49.5% of internal biotechnology R&D

According to the origin of the funds, internal R&D activities relating to biotechnology in 2021 were mainly financed with funds from the Public Administration, 49.5%, and Businesses, 38.5% (an increase compared to the 35.0% of the previous year). The remainder was financed via funds originating from Overseas (8.7%), Higher Education (1.7%) and Private Non-Profit Institutions (1.6%).

As regards the areas of application for the products obtained as a result of biotechnology research, of particular note was Human Health with 76.7% of total expenditure. It was followed at some distance by Food and Animal Health & Aquaculture, with 7.3% and 5.8%, respectively, The remaining 10.2% was divided in similar percentages between the other areas - Environment, Industry and Agriculture & Forestry Production.

Time/cost and Access to capital stood out as the main obstacles for carrying out internal R&D activities in biotechnology

Finally, in the perception of the main obstacles inhibiting the advancement of biotechnology R&D activities in 2021, of particular note were Time/cost and Access to capital, with 94% and 90%, respectively. In third place were regulatory requirements, with 80%.

Note: Eustat would like to thank all the companies and institutions that have collaborated in preparing this survey, the information for which was gathered between April and October 2022, for the effort made. Without their collaboration it would not have been possible.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press service: servicioprensa@eustat.es Tel.: 945 01 75 62