Spending on domestic R&D in Spain in 2022 increased by 12%, reaching 19.325 million euros, according to the latest data published by INE. This figure represents 1.44% of Spain’s gross domestic product (GDP), but it still remains far from the target of achieving 2.12% Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy, in line with the EU average.

He The main driver of investment in R&D in the country is companies, since according to INE they invested 10.902 million euros in R&D in 2022. In fact, over the past decade they have become a major pillar of increased investment in this area, with growth of 54% since 2012, compared with 35% for public administration or 30% for higher education.

However, this percentage is much lower than other developed countries in the region, such as Germany, France or UKwhere companies are concentrated 70% investment; and other developed countries such as Japan, South Korea or the USA, where this figure exceeds 75%.

In this context, large companies are redoubling their efforts to invest in R&D. Thus, companies with more than 250 employees accumulate the majority of R&D investments in Spain: in 2022 they will amount to more than 6.4 billion euros; and many of them decided open your innovation centers in Spain as a sign of its commitment to this issue.

One of the most active sectors in this sense is telecommunications. In this sense, Vodafone stood out, which at the end of January 2022 opened its Innovation Center in Malaga And announced an investment of €225 million in the city over the next 5 yearscreating more than 600 direct and highly skilled jobs.

As the company website explains: “The purpose of the Vodafone European Research and Development Center is lead technological advances in the coming years. To this end, it is developing new business models in a co-creation environment, supported by advanced technologies, that will give birth to more sustainable and efficient solutions and services.”

Meanwhile, MásMóvil recently announced the selection of Derio (Bizkaia) to locate its research and development center, where it will advance its innovation activities to develop and launch cutting-edge products and services using new technologies that continue to benefit the Group’s customers. continues to be the most satisfied on the market.

The new innovation center will have an area of ​​approximately 2,600 square meters for its activities and will promote the application of new developments in the fields of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, networks and connectivity, data analytics or the Internet of Things in the field of telecommunications.

For our part, in 2021 Telefónica was the first company in Spain to choose this model. announcing the creation of its Innovation Center of more than 10,000 square meters, located in the Telefonica district of Madrid, with an investment of 100 million euros until 2024.

As the company explains, it is “an open innovation space where you can test, experiment and develop future solutions in 5G, Internet of Things, edge computing, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, television and more.”

Since the creation of this space, the company has continued to focus on its growth by opening a new Design laboratory experience – a space for co-creation of future technologies – this year or a new Universitas campus – for the development of all educational activities – in 2022.

Other sectors

However, it is not only telecommunications companies that have chosen this model, but there are examples of large Spanish companies present in other sectors that are a global benchmark. An example would be a private security expert, Securities Direct, which also has one of its main research and development centers in Pozuelo de Alarcón. This center, together with centers in Malmö (Sweden) and Geneva (Switzerland), form one of the largest technology centers in Europe, with more than 600 engineers working in its development center. Over the past five years, Securitas Direct has invested 300 million euros in innovation. Investments that were aimed at developing R&D projects and which allowed it to become the first company in the sector to receive EU Next Generation funds.

Meanwhile, in the case of Ibex-35, one of the latest cases is that of Fluidra, a global leader in pool and wellness equipment and connected solutions. The company launched the first phase of its new research, development and innovation center for the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa) in Poligna, the construction project of which began in the last quarter of 2021. Work is scheduled to be completed in mid-2024 and will employ 50 people. will work in the center.

The company explains that the concentration of research and development in one place represents advantage in resource efficiencysmoother communication, clearer strategic focus, better quality control or faster response to change, among other benefits.