Press Release 12-165
Research and Development Found to Be Most Prevalent in a Small Number of Regions Across the Country

At least $29.3 billion in R&D performed in two geographic areas

R&D is concentrated in geographic areas mostly on the West Coast and East Coast, data reveal. Credit and Larger Version

September 11, 2012

Businesses perform a large share of their research and development in a small number of geographic areas, two of the largest being the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland area and the New York-Newark-Bridgeport area. In these two areas alone, designated as combined statistical areas (CSAs) by the Office of Management and Budget, companies performed at least $29.3 billion of R&D, according to a recent National Science Foundation report.

Data are from the 2008 Business R&D and Innovation Survey (BRDIS). These new BRDIS data allow policymakers and researchers to explore patterns in R&D spending in greater geographic detail than previously available, and they provide new insight into how companies organize their R&D activities. This report highlights early findings from these data and discusses geographic patterns of business R&D within the United States.

For more information on this report, please contact Raymond Wolfe.

Please visit the NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) for more reports and other products.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Deborah Wing, NSF (703) 292-5344 dwing@nsf.gov

Program Contacts
Raymond M. Wolfe, NSF (703) 292-7789 rwolfe@nsf.gov

Related Websites
NCSES: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.

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