During the period 2022 - 2024, 26.3% of the enterprises with 10 or more persons employed carried out an innovation activity. The innovation activity of the enterprises in the industrial sector (33.1%) was higher than of those in the services sector (20.2%). The largest share of innovation active enterprises was in the group of the large enterprises (with 250 or more persons employed) - 84.0% in industry and 71.6% in services.
In 2024, the turnover of innovation active enterprises constituted 59.2% of the turnover, and the persons employed - 56.5% of the persons employed in all enterprises.
During the observation period, 13.8% of all enterprises realized product innovations (new or improved goods or services), while 18.2% implemented new or improved business processes.
Among the enterprises with product innovations, the largest share was of those that during the period 2022 - 2024 realized on the market only new or improved goods - 53.1%. New or improved services were provided by 25.4% of the enterprises, while both new or improved goods and services - by 21.5%.
During the period 2022 - 2024, 44.0% of the enterprises with product innovations realized goods or services that were new not only to them but to the market as well, i.e. not previously offered by their competitors.
During the observation period, the enterprises implemented various business process innovations, as most of them introduced new or improved methods for producing goods or providing services (8.8%) as well as methods for information processing or communication (8.3%).
During the period 2022 - 2024 more than 20.0% of the innovation active enterprises introduced innovations with the following environmental benefits for them:
- Reduced energy use or CO2 ‘footprint’ (i.e. reduced total CO2 emission) - 25.0%;
- Recycled waste, water, or materials for own use or sale - 21.9%;
- Replaced a share of materials with less polluting or hazardous substitutes - 21.2%;
In order to carry out their innovation activity, 25.4% of the innovation active enterprises were involved in co-operation with other enterprises, scientific organizations and other partners. For large enterprises (with 250 or more persons employed) this share was 35.9%.
In 2024, 38.7% of the turnover of innovation active enterprises was realized by sales to foreign customers, as 22.8% was due to customers from Member States of the European Union and the European Free Trade Association, and 15.9% - due to customers from other countries. Clients from Bulgaria generated 61.3% of the turnover of innovation active enterprises, while for not innovation active enterprises this share was higher - 66.1%.
