This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Los ingresos totales de los centros tecnológicos crecieron en 2008 un 10,6%

Presentation of the annual report 2008 of Fedit technology centers

The total income of technology centers grew in 2008 by 10.6%

Source: Fedit02/11/2009

The Spanish Federation of technological centres, Fedit, presented the results of 2008 of its associated sites. Its main findings include that Fedit technology centers obtained revenues of EUR 578 million, 10.6% more than in 2007. These results reflect some changes in trend due to the first effects of the economic crisis and even lower, between - 2% and 6% growth is expected for 2009.

During 2008 the number of business centres Fedit client grew by 14.4% to overcome the 31,000 companies that work with technological centres.

For Fedit, advances could be higher if be articulating policies that incentivasen the incorporation into its portfolio of clients of companies located in places where their visibility and presence is scarce. The number of own r & d projects carried out by Fedit technology centers in 2008 (2505) grew by 4.7% and the average size of these projects grew by 7.9%. The growth in its r & d under contract and technological services activities have been similar to the previous year (12.6% and 15.9% respectively).

The average size of projects of r & d under contract of technology centers Fedit grew 10.5%.

The average size of projects of r & d under contract of technology centers Fedit increased 10.5% due to lower growth in the number of projects (1.8%) that due to this activity income (12.6%) reflecting a steady growth of the value of the projects of r & d centres carried out for companies)(growth of 61 per cent in the last 5 years).

During 2008 the number of business centres Fedit client grew by 14.4% to overcome the 31,000 companies that work with technological centres

The slowdown in the growth rates of public funding to Fedit technology centers of the past two years (7 points percentage in 2007 and 5.5 in 2008) joins in 2008 a significant slowdown in the rate of growth of its funding from the marketHe had very high growth rates close to 20% in 2006 and 2007 and that grew by 50% less in 2008.

With data from 2008 and 2009 estimates, Fedit detects that the impact of the crisis on the supply of r & d will be heterogeneous in time.

Photo: Jean Scheijen.

Forecast 2009

Despite the good results obtained in 2008 the observed trend changes and forecasts for 2009 are worrying: expected growth in 2009 of the income of Fedit technology centers from - 2% and 6%, well below the growth of 19% in 2007 and 11% in 2008.

Fedit appealed to the Government to ensure that it provided to the Ministry of science and innovation the weight it deserves

With data from 2008 and 2009 estimates, Fedit detects that the impact of the crisis on the supply of r & d will be heterogeneous at the time due to the different participation in its application of sectors concerned as well as the heterogeneous form that is shared between the different players in r & d public investment)(priorities and policy needs).

It is anticipated a greater orientation of the technological offer towards that exploitation towards investment. Fedit warns of the possibility of medium-term technological disinvestment by lack of investment, risk and loss of value of the offer by the current marketable technology stock depletion.

He is also an extension of the framework of exploitation of the technology by offering: sectoral and geographical diversification of the technological offer (new market) and especially foreign.

Probably there will be a boost of new ways to transfer the accumulated as a creation company, licensing of intellectual property and patents increased. The first is possibly warranted that maximize the value created in supply and its appropriation of profitability.

Fedit appealed to the Government to ensure that it provided to the Ministry of science and innovation the weight that is providing you with budgets consistent with a firm commitment by the science and industrial competitiveness through r & d.