Lack of funding prevents companies from capitalising on their innovations
28 May 2014 12:36 PM
Most companies have not received
public financial support for R&D or other innovation activities since
January 2011, reports the 2014 Innobarometer survey on “The role of
public support in the commercialisation of innovations”. Most
importantly, access to finance is still the main obstacle encountered by
companies in the commercialisation of their products or services. However, 66%
of companies say that they have introduced at least one innovation in the last
three years and for 61% of companies, innovative goods or services contributed
25% or less to annual turnover in 2013.
The survey was designed to
benchmark innovation activities and to explore barriers to commercialisation
and the role of public funding in the diffusion of innovation. It was conducted
in the 28 EU Member States as well as in Switzerland and the United
States.
European Commission Vice
President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, said:
“Innovation plays a pivotal role in sustaining and improving
Europe’s overall competitiveness and growth. We need to work closely with
Member states to help SMEs gain access to credit so as to empower them to
successfully commercialise their innovations”.
Lack of financial resources
hinders the commercialisation of innovations
The survey covered the following
areas:
-
Companies that develop
innovations: 66% of companies have introduced at least one innovation since
January 2011.
-
The impact of innovations on
turnover: For 61% of companies, innovative goods or services contributed 25% or
less to annual turnover in 2013.
-
Actors involved in the
development of ideas for innovation: More than three quarters of companies say
management (87%) and employees (78%) contributed to the development of ideas
for innovations.
-
Types of public support received
for innovation activities and its importance for innovation:
-
- Most companies (91%) say they
have not received public financial support for R&D or other innovation
activities since January 2011;
-
- Even companies that received
public support for commercialising their innovations are most likely to say
this support was not important (67%).
-
Barriers to commercialisation of
both innovative and non-innovative products and services: 68% of companies
consider the lack of financial resources as the main obstacle to the
commercialisation of innovative products or services.
-
The role innovation plays in
public procurement, including involvement in the Public Procurement of
Innovative Solutions: 18% of companies have won at least one public procurement
contract, since January 2011. However, just over one third of companies (38%)
that won a public procurement contract sold innovative goods or
services.
Background
The Innobarometer is published
since 2001 as a special issue of the Flash Eurobarometer of the European
Commission. Flash Eurobarometers are ad hoc thematic telephone interviews
conducted at the request of the EC services which enable to obtain results
quickly and focusing on specific target groups when required.
The 2014 Innobarometer survey
“The role of public support in the commercialisation of
innovations” was conducted at the request of the Directorate-General for
Enterprise and Industry in the 28 EU Member States as well as in Switzerland
and the United States.
This survey was carried out by
TNS Political & Social network between 22 January and 11 February 2014.
Some 11.206 respondents from different social and demographic groups were
interviewed via telephone (landline and mobile phone) in their mother tongue on
behalf of the European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry.
For more
information
MEMO/14/384
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_394_en.pdf2014
Innobarometer survey
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/innobarometer/i
ndex_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/flash_arch_404_391_en.htm -
394http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/flash_arch_en.htmFlash
Eurobarometer reports