In 2023, the leading country in self-employed persons in high R&D intensive activities was South Korea, with 263 thousand, despite a slight decrease of 0.076%. The United States showed the strongest growth, increasing by 2.44% to 132 thousand, positioning itself firmly in second place. Italy, with 21 thousand, saw no change, matching the stability seen in Greece, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Germany saw a modest decline of 1.14%, totaling 17 thousand self-employed individuals in this sector.
Future trends to watch include:
- The potential for South Korea to regain growth momentum amidst minor recent contractions.
- Continued growth in the United States as it leverages its robust ecosystem for self-employed R&D activity.
- The impact of European policies on boosting self-employed individuals in R&D, especially in Germany and Italy.
- The evolution of smaller markets like Greece and the Czech Republic, which may experience shifts with technological advancements and policy changes.
Top countries in Number of Self-Employed Persons in High (3-Digit Definition) R&D Intensive Activities by Country
| # | 10 Countries | Thousand Units (Persons) | Last Year | YoY | 5-years CAGR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 South Korea | 263 | 2023 | 0% | -0.076% | View data |
| 2 | 2 United States | 132 | 2023 | +0.76% | +2.44% | View data |
| 3 | 3 Italy | 21 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
| 4 | 4 Germany | 17 | 2023 | 0% | -1.14% | View data |
| 5 | 5 Greece | 6 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
| 6 | 6 Czech Republic | 3 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
| 7 | 7 Netherlands | 2 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
| 8 | 8 Sweden | 1 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
| 9 | 9 Belgium | 1 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
| 10 | 10 Slovenia | 1 | 2023 | 0% | 0% | View data |
