Investment in R&D by State science and technology parks and their entities grows by 24% in 2024
The Spanish Association of Science and Technology Parks (APTE) has presented the activity data for 2024 for the companies and entities located in the 53 parks that make up the association, including the Basque Country Technology Park.
The figures reflect sustained growth in all indicators compared to the previous year, consolidating the role of these spaces as drivers of innovation and economic development.
One of the most notable figures for 2024 is the significant increase in investment in Research and Development (R&D), which reached 2,116.89 million euros, representing a 24% increase over 2023 and approximately 9.5% of the national total. It should be noted that companies located in the Basque Technology Park contributed €754 million to R&D investment. Likewise, the turnover of companies and entities located in the parks stood at €31.576 billion, with growth of 9.2%, demonstrating solid economic activity.
The number of companies and entities located in the parks rose to 6,000, representing an increase of 1.6% over the previous year. This positive development reflects the parks’ ability to attract and retain talent and innovative projects.
In terms of employment, the parks registered a total of 168,462 professionals, an increase of 4.4%. Within this group, 42,170 people are engaged in R&D activities, representing growth of 9.1%, highlighting the growing concentration of specialised talent in these environments.
Gender equality is also gaining prominence: 790 companies are run by women, representing 24.5% of the total, according to data provided by 40 parks. In addition, 1,175 companies have equality plans, equivalent to 26.3% of the total, according to data from 35 parks.
In terms of activity, the sectoral diversity of the parks continues to be one of their strengths. The information, IT and telecommunications sectors lead with 24% of activity, followed by engineering, consulting and advisory services (17%) and medicine and health (7%).
These results reaffirm the key role of science and technology parks in the Spanish business and innovation ecosystem, acting as true catalysts for economic and social development.
As with all APTE member parks, the Basque Country Technology Park has also improved all its parameters compared to 2023. Turnover rose by 11.5%, R&D expenditure increased by 14.2% and the implementation of Equality Plans grew by 13% in 2024. The other indicators also showed significant increases, consolidating the Basque Country Technology Park as one of the driving forces behind science and technology, as well as the economy of the Basque Country.
