INNOVATION-ACTIVE BUSINESSES

Summary of innovative activity in Australian business, by employment size(a), 2014-15
			0-4 persons	5-19 persons	20-199 persons	200 or more persons	Total
Estimated number of businesses(b)		'000	468	249	55	4	776
Businesses that introduced innovation(c)		%	30.7	47.2	58.1	64.7	38.2
Businesses with innovative activity that was:(c)
	still in development(d)	%	16.9	25.8	35.2	44.7	21.2
	abandoned	%	6.9	8.9	8.4	12.2	7.7
Businesses with any innovative activity (innovation-active businesses)		%	37.3	54.1	67.4	73.3	45.0
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
(b) Business counts are provided for contextual information only, and the total may not sum to the total of the components due to rounding. Refer to Explanatory Notes 20 and 21.
(c) Businesses may be counted in more than one category.
(d) As at the end of the reference period 30 June 2015.

The proportion of innovation-active businesses increased with each successive employment size range. The proportion of businesses with more than 200 persons employed that were innovation-active was almost double that of businesses with 0-4 persons employed.

During the year ended 30 June 2015, the Wholesale trade industry had the highest proportion of innovation-active businesses, at 58%. This was followed closely by businesses in the Health care and social assistance industry (56%), and Manufacturing industry (54%).

Further data relating to innovation active businesses can be accessed via the Downloads tab.