Total expenditure on research and development in the Czech Republic in 2019 reached 1.94% of GDP, nominally CZK 111.6 bn, which is an increase by almost CZK 9 bn year-on-year.

Business sector invested the total of CZK 64.7bn in 2019. National public investment into R&D reached CZK 37.6bn. Resources from EU funds reached CZK 8bn.

In 2019, there were 106 enterprises (4% of companies performing R&D in the Czech Republic) with R&D expenditures higher than CZK 100 million. These 106 companies spent almost CZK 46bn on R&D, ie two thirds of the total R&D expenditures in the business sector (CZK 64.7bn). In 2019, eight companies had R&D expenditures exceeding CZK 1 bn, all of them fell into the group of companies under foreign control. The foreign-owned companies with the highest R&D expenditures in the Czech Republic are predominantly companies with top management or ownership based in Germany and the United States of America.

The manufacturing industry accounts for more than half of R&D expenditure in enterprises, especially the automotive industry. The importance of the automotive industry is underlined by the fact that among companies with significant R&D expenditure operating in various sectors (eg electrical engineering - NACE 27, research and development - NACE 72 and others), are many entities carrying out research directly related to the needs of the automotive industry. R&D companies in the information and communication technology sectors also play an important role. The most important ICT companies performing R&D are located mainly in Prague and Brno. These are mostly foreign-controlled businesses, often with owner based in the United States of America.

Source: Czech Statistical Office

See also the most recent data on the structure of the Czech economy.