Small companies record drop in R&D spending

Overall, Germany spends more on innovation—but progress is driven by large businesses

Innovation spending in small- and medium-sized companies in Germany is stagnating, a report has warned, with most of the growth in national R&D spending coming from big players.

A report from the science ministry found that Germany spent more on R&D in 2019 than ever before. However, planned spending for 2020—captured before the start of that year—was slightly down, according to the data.