Press release 25/03/2024

SURVEY ON INNOVATION. REGIONS 2022

Alto Deba, the leading region, and San Sebastián, the leading capital, stood out for their percentage of innovating companies in 2022

Expenditure on innovation activities was concentrated in the regions that include the capitals, in particular Llanada Alavesa and Gran Bilbao

The percentage of companies with 10 or more employees carrying out innovation in 2022 was 35.4% in the Basque Country as a whole, with a notably larger presence in the regions of Alto Deba (42.1%) in Gipuzkoa, which remained in first position for the fifth consecutive year, and Arratia-Nervión and Gernika-Bermeo (36.0%) in Bizkaia, according to Eustat data.

The other regions above the Basque Country average were: Bajo Deba, with 39.7% of companies with 10 or more employees as innovative; Goierri , with 38.9%; Urola-Costa, with 36.9%; Tolosaldea, with 36.7%; Donostialdea, with 36.2%; Gran Bilbao, with 35.6%; and Plentzia-Mungia and Duranguesado, with 35.4%.

As regards the regions with the lowest percentage of innovating companies, attention should be drawn to Rioja Alavesa (29.5%) in Álava; Encartaciones (32.0%) in Bizkaia; and Bajo Bidasoa (34.6%) in Gipuzkoa.

As regards the Basque capitals, San Sebastián took the lead with 37.0% of innovating companies, followed by Bilbao with 35.7%, and Vitoria-Gasteiz with 32.1% of innovating companies with 10 or more employees in 2022.

In relation to expenditure on innovation activities in absolute values, in companies with 10 or more employees, the highest expenditure was concentrated in the regions that include the capitals. Nevertheless, the degree of concentration is different, especially in Gipuzkoa. In both Álava and in Bizkaia, the regions which include the capitals (Llanada Alavesa and Gran Bilbao, respectively) account for around 90.8% and 85.2% of their province's expenditure, while this proportion is lower in Gipuzkoa, with Donostialdea representing 49.9% of total expenditure on innovation.

In Álava, 403.9 million out of expenditure of 444.9 million was spent in Llanada Alavesa and in Bizkaia, 1,255.7 million out of 1,474.4 million was spent in Gran Bilbao. However, in Gipuzkoa, this proportion was lower, 474.9 million out of 952.5 million provincial expenditure pertained to Donostialdea. Also worthy of mention with expenditure in excess of 100 million were the regions of Alto Deba (159.5 million) and Goierri (149.1 million), both in Gipuzkoa.

As regards the capitals, expenditure on innovative activities reached 399.4 million in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 384.4 million in San Sebastián and 343.2 million in Bilbao, representing 89.8%, 40.4% and 23.3% 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.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62