Press release 15/04/2025

SURVEY ON INNOVATION. REGIONS. 2023

Arratia-Nervión and Alto Deba in regions and Bilbao in capitals stood out for the percentage of innovative companies in 2023, over 40%

Expenditure on innovation activities was concentrated in the regions that include the capitals, in particular Llanada Alavesa (438.9 million) and Gran Bilbao (1,314.3 million)

The percentage of companies with 10 or more employees with innovation in 2023 was 38.4% in the Basque Country, with the regions of Arratia-Nervión (42.7%) in Bizkaia and Alto Deba (42.4%) in Gipuzkoa being especially noteworthy, according to Eustat data.

In addition to those mentioned above, other regions above the Basque Country average were: Gernika-Bermeo with 42.0% of companies with 10 or more employees as innovative, Bajo Deba with 41.5%, Duranguesado with 41.0%, Markina-Ondarroa with 40.9%, Plentzia-Mungia with 40.3% and both Gran Bilbao and Goierri with 40.0%.

As regards the regions with the lowest percentage of innovating companies, attention should be drawn to Cantábrica Alavesa (33.0%) in Álava; Bajo Bidasoa (35.4%) in Gipuzkoa; and Encartaciones (37.9%) in Bizkaia.

As regards the Basque capitals, Bilbao took the lead with 40.0% of innovating companies, followed by San Sebastián with 37.6%, and Vitoria-Gasteiz with 33.8% of innovating companies with 10 or more employees in 2023.

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. Both in Álava and in Bizkaia, the regions which include the capitals (Llanada Alavesa and Gran Bilbao, respectively) account for around 91.3% and 81.5% of their province's total expenditure, while this proportion is lower in Gipuzkoa, with Donostialdea representing 44.4% of total expenditure on innovation.

In Álava, 438.9 million out of expenditure of 480.7 million was spent in Llanada Alavesa and in Bizkaia, 1,314.3 million out of 1,612.4 million was spent in Gran Bilbao. However, in Gipuzkoa this proportion was lower, 464.3 million out of 1,046.9 million provincial expenditure pertained to Donostialdea. Also worthy of mention are the regions of Alto Deba (196.2 million), Goierri (176.6 million) and Bajo Deba (110.8 million) in Gipuzkoa, and Duranguesado (118.2 million) in Bizkaia where spending exceeded 100 million.

As regards the capitals, expenditure on innovative activities reached 508.1 million in Bilbao, 428.0 million in Vitoria-Gasteiz and 362.5 million in San Sebastián, representing 31.5%, 89.0% and 34.6% 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