site.btaExpenditure on Research, Development Up by 15.9% in 2023, Y/Y

In 2023, the total amount of expenditure on research and development activity (R&D) was BGN 1,467.5 million, which was 15.9% more than in the previous year, show data released by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) on Thursday. The annual growth trend was maintained for the period 2019 - 2023.  

The Business Enterprise sector was the largest of the four institutional sectors of R&D performance, with a share of 64.3% of the total R&D expenditure in 2023. It was followed by the Government sector, where research institutes and organizations formed 28.7%. The spending on R&D by non-profit tertiary education institutions and university hospitals amounted to 6.5% and to 0.5%, respectively.

R&D intensity (R&D expenditure as a percentage of the gross domestic product) amounted to 0.79% and it was 0.04 percentage points higher than in 2022.

Regarding R&D expenditure by fields of science in 2023, as in the previous year, the highest share belonged to the R&D expenditure in engineering and technology sciences - 47.2% (BGN 693.5 million), followed by medical and health sciences with a share of 22.3% (BGN 326.9 million) and the natural sciences - 18.7% (BGN 273.9 million). 

In 2023, the personnel engaged in research and development activity amounted to 25,411 persons (in full-time equivalent), which was 6.2% less than in 2022. The total share of women in R&D personnel was 48.6%. The number of researchers in full-time equivalent was 16,357 persons, which was 6.5% less compared to 2022. 

The R&D activity was financed from the state budget, businesses, other national sources and from abroad. In 2023, the share of foreign sources of funds for R&D was the largest - 41.9%. The Business Enterprise sector financed 31.1% of the total R&D expenditure, and the state budget - 26.4%.