Industry spending on science and research in Germany grew 3.7 per cent to a total of €47 billion in 2010, according to the Stifterverband, an association of German research sponsors.
However, industry’s share of Germany’s overall spending on research did not increase, as the government also upped its research spending.
Total national research expenditure was estimated at 2.8 per cent of GDP, just below the EU-wide Lisbon target of 3 per cent. Industry accounted for about 1.9 per cent of German research funding, the Stifterverband’s 5 December report showed.
The picture looks more rosy for 2012. The Stifterverband said that industry research spending was estimated to be €50bn in 2012, after a slight dip to an estimated €43bn in 2011. The Stifterverband said German businesses had survived the financial crisis well, and were beginning to increase research investment again.
Germany has also seen an increase in professionals, especially in engineering and research.
The Stifterverband said that the number of full-time engineers and life scientists in research businesses has grown 1.4 per cent in 2012, with the number of engineers in large-scale engineering and car manufacturing up 7.2 per cent. However, research activity has decreased in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, the data shows.
The annual survey questioned around 2,300 businesses on their research activities and expenditure.