Press release of 23/04/2019

SURVEY ON INNOVATION. REGIONS Year 2017

In 2017 Alto Deba maintained its position as the leading region in terms of innovation in the Basque Country

San Sebastián stood out amongst the capitals, followed by Vitoria-Gasteiz and Bilbao

The percentage of companies with 10 or more employees carrying out innovation (technological or otherwise) in 2017 was 35.2% in the Basque Country as a whole, with a notably larger presence in the regions of Alto Deba (46.1%) in Gipuzkoa, which remained in first position for the sixth consecutive year, the rest of Álava (42.2%) in Álava and Duranguesado (37.8%) in Bizkaia, according to Eustat data.

There were other regions above the Basque Country average: Cantábrica Alavesa, with 39.5% of companies with 10 or more employees as innovative, Goierri with 38.6%, Tolosa with 37.5%, Donostialdea with 37.4%, Bajo Deba with 37.0%, Rioja Alavesa with 36.9%, Markina-Ondarroa with 36.3% and Llanada Alavesa with 35.5%.

As regards the regions with the lowest percentage of innovating companies in each of the Provinces, attention should be drawn to Arratia-Nervión (28.8%) in Bizkaia, Bajo Bidasoa (29.6%) in Gipuzkoa and, despite being above the average as has been stated, Llanada Alavesa (35.5%) in Álava.

As regards the Basque capitals, Donostia / San Sebastián took the lead with 39.0% of innovating companies, followed by Vitoria-Gasteiz with 35.0%, and Bilbao with 32.9% of innovating companies with 10 or more employees in 2017.

In relation to spending on innovation activities in companies of 10 or more employees, the highest spending was concentrated in the regions that include the capitals. Nevertheless, the degree of concentration is different, especially in Gipuzkoa. Both in Álava and in Bizkaia, the regions which include the capitals (Llanada Alavesa and Gran Bilbao, respectively) account for around 87.3% and 78.1% of their province's spending, while this proportion is less in Gipuzkoa, with Donostialdea representing 43.3% of total spending on innovation.

In Álava, out of spending of 374.3 million, 326.6 million was in Llanada Alavesa and in Bizkaia, out of 1,137.9 million, 888.5 million was spent in Gran Bilbao. However, in Gipuzkoa, this proportion was lower, out of 733.7 million provincial spending, 317.4 million pertained to Donostialdea. Also worthy of mention are the regions of Duranguesado in Bizkaia (158.7 million) and Goierri in Gipuzkoa (112.6 million), where spending exceeded 100 million.

As regards the capitals, expenditure on innovative activities reached 317.5 million in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 279.3 million in Bilbao and 211.1 million in Donostia, representing 84.8%, 24.5% and 28.8% of provincial expenditure, respectively.

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