Topics of the 2026 report:
Implementation of the High-Tech Agenda Germany
Topics of the 2026 report:
Security-related Research and Innovation
Topics of the 2026 report:
European R&I-Policy
Topics of the 2026 report:
A 28th Regime for the European single market
Topics of the 2026 report:
Innovation in German Mittelstand
Topics of the 2026 report:
Competition and Innovation in the German Higher Education System
Topics of the 2026 report:
Development and application of artificial intelligence in Germany and Europe
R&I-Dashboard:
Current indicators for Germany as a R&I location

Take risks. Move faster. How Germany and Europe are leading the way in technology.

EFI as organiser of the 2026 Summit for Research and Innovation

How can Germany and Europe move more quickly from ambition to implementation when it comes to disruptive technologies? What levers can accelerate technology transfer, scaling and market launch? And how can concrete lessons be drawn from successful projects for policymakers, academia and industry.

The programme of the 2026 Summit had addresses these questions – with policy impetus for the implementation of strategic goals, lightning talks featuring key figures from successful innovation projects, and a discussion of international experiences and transferable success factors. Together with leading voices from politics, academia and industry, we discussed what is specifically required to achieve greater courage and speed in technological leadership.

You can find the recording of the summit on the website.

Commission of Experts

The Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation - EFI) provides scientific policy advice to the Federal Government and regularly submits reports to it on research, innovation and Germany’s technological performance. The EFI’s core task is to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the German innovation system in an international comparison and to assess the prospects for Germany as a centre of research and innovation. On this basis, the EFI develops recommendations for national research and innovation policy. The EFI was established in 2011 by a decision of the Federal Government to carry out its advisory mandate independently.

In this year’s report, the commission of experts examines the following topics:
 

  • Implementation of the High-Tech Agenda Germany
  • security-related Research and Innovation
  • European R&I-Policy
  • A 28th Regime for the European single market
  • Innovation in German Mittelstand
  • Competition and Innovation in the German Higher Education System
  • Development and application of artificial intelligence in Germany and Europe

EFI's R&I Dashboard

The R&I Dashboard provides access to the core indicators updated for the 2026 reporting year and the R&I monitoring of Germany's competitive position in selected technology areas such as artificial intelligence, microelectronics and biotechnology. It also contains indicators on Germany's technological performance. 

Figures A 1-2 (2026)
Mean value of publications in HTAD key enabling technologies for selected countries and regions, 2010–2012 and 2021–2023 zip (46,64 KB)
Figures A 1-3 (2026)
Mean value of transnational patent applications in HTAD key enabling technologies for selected countries and regions, 2010–2012 and 2020–2022 zip (47,18 KB)
Figures A 1-6 (2026)
Diagram of 360-degree high-tech monitoring based on HTAD zip (23,65 KB)
Figures A 1-9 (2026)
Share of AI-integrating and AI-native organizations in selected countries zip (37,65 KB)
Figures A 1-10 (2026)
Share of organizations active in the field of alternative drive systems and climate-neutral fuels in selected countries zip (35,70 KB)
Figures A 2-2 (2026)
Development of the importance of security-related research at higher education institutions in the five years preceding the survey (survey conducted in winter 2024/2025) zip (34,66 KB)
Figures A 2-3 (2026)
Distribution of security and defence sectors as part of the company portfolio, percent share of companies zip (35,19 KB)
Figures A 3-1 (2026)
Structure of the planned EU Research Framework Programme ‘FP10’ (2028–2034) zip (27,79 KB)
Table A 4-1 (2026)
Key elements of the concepts for a 28th regime zip (19,52 KB)
Infographic B 1 (2026)
Innovation in the German Mittelstand zip (660,27 KB)
Figures B 1-1 (2026)
Distribution of Mittelstand and non-Mittelstand companies by size in percent (average 2012–2023) zip (37,47 KB)
Figures B 1-2 (2026)
Distribution of Mittelstand and non-Mittelstand companies by industry in percent (average 2012–2023) zip (35,85 KB)
Figures B 1-3 (2026)
Innovation activities and introduction of innovations by Mittelstand and non- Mittelstand companies (percentage of companies; average 2020–2023) zip (55,56 KB)
Figures B 1-5 (2026)
R&D funding for companies in Germany 2014–2023 in the five major support programmes offered by the Federal Government, the Länder and the EU zip (48,74 KB)
Infographic B 2 (2026)
Competition and Innovation in the German Higher Education System zip (660,27 KB)
Figures B 2-1 (2026)
Development of higher education staff in Germany 1997–2024 zip (38,88 KB)
Figures B 2-2 (2026)
Percentage of students by subject group, type and sponsorship of higher education institution in the WS 2024/25 zip (41,03 KB)
Figures B 2-4 (2026)
Share of international students by type of higher education institution and governing body zip (35,85 KB)
Figures B 2-5 (2026)
Annual number of start-ups in Germany by individuals with a Dr./Prof. title (top) or with the company named as an affiliation in a scientific publication (bottom) 2002–2021 zip (41,80 KB)
Figures B 2-6 (2026)
Annual patent applications from universities, UASs and PROs 2002–2021 zip (43,04 KB)
Table B 2-7 (2026)
Ranking of the ten German HEIs with the most patent applications 2002–2022 zip (19,25 KB)
Figures B 2-8 (2026)
Annual patent applications from universities and UASs per 1,000 scientific employees 2004–2021 zip (37,85 KB)
Figures B 2-9 (2026)
Development of the share of joint patents with companies in annual patent applications from universities and UASs 2002–2021 zip (27,07 KB)
Figures B 2-10 (2026)
Annual difference in the average invention potential of a scientific publication from a German HEI compared to HEIs in a leading European country (top) and in the USA (bottom) 2002–2020 zip (42,76 KB)
Figures B 2-11 (2026)
Estimated difference in realized invention potential between a scientific publication from Germany and a publication from a leading European research nation (top) or the USA (bottom) 2002–2020 zip (54,26 KB)
Table B 2-12 (2026)
Ranking of the ten German HEIs with the most scientific publications cited in patent specifications 2002–2022 zip (18,32 KB)
Infographic B 3 (2026)
Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence in Germany and Europe zip (797,27 KB)
Figures B 3-1 (2026)
Prerequisites and elements of AI development and application zip (22,31 KB)
Figures B 3-3 (2026)
Number of publications by the top 10 countries in the field of AI in 2018, 2021 and 2024 zip (36,58 KB)
Figures B 3-4 (2026)
Share of publications on generative AI in total AI publications for selected countries in 2018, 2021 and 2024 in percent zip (36,31 KB)
Figures B 3-5 (2026)
Number of transnational AI patent applications by the top 10 countries 2014–2022 zip (37,67 KB)
Figures B 3-6 (2026)
Number of notable AI models in the top 10 countries 2017–2025 zip (35,53 KB)
Figures B 3-7 (2026)
Number of AI companies worldwide listed on Crunchbase in February 2025 zip (40,02 KB)
Figures B 3-8 (2026)
Share of companies with more than ten employees using AI in the top 10 EU countries in 2023–2025 in percent zip (36,21 KB)
Figures B 3-9 (2026)
Publicly documented compute power in large data centres for selected countries in 2025 in millions of H100 equivalents zip (37,87 KB)
Figures B 3-10 (2026)
Estimated AI-related expenditure in selected countries in 2023 in billions of euros zip (35,82 KB)
Figures B 3-11 (2026)
AI-related venture capital flows between regions in 2025 in billions of US dollars zip (43,78 KB)

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T: +49 (0)30 322 982 564 

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