Recently, the European Commission released the “2018 EU Industrial R&D Investment Ranking”, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Corporation reached its top for the first time, Huawei ranked fifth, apple ranked seventh.

In fiscal 2017, Samsung Electronics invested a total of 13.437 billion euros in research and development funding, ranking first among 2,500 major companies in 46 countries. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, ranked second with R&D investment of 13.388 billion euros, followed by German Volkswagen (13.135 billion euros), US Microsoft (12.279 billion euros), and China Huawei (113.34 billion euros) . Intel and Apple in the United States, Roche in Switzerland, Johnson & Johnson in the United States and Daimler in Germany are among the top ten.

The survey was conducted for 2,500 companies with a total investment of more than 25 million euros in the 2017 fiscal year. The total investment of these companies was 736.4 billion euros, an increase of 8.3%. In terms of national distribution, among the top 100 companies, there are 35 US companies, followed by Japan and Germany (13), China (11), South Korea and France (4).

From the perspective of R&D investment density (ie R&D investment as a percentage of revenue), the R&D investment ratio of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries is the highest, followed by technology hardware and technology companies, and the proportion of R&D investment in traditional industries such as automobiles and electrics is relatively low.

1. Samsung Electronics Korea’s electronic and electrical equipment is 13.4 billion euros / 7.2%

2. ALPHABET US software and computer services 13.4 billion euros / 14.5%

3, Volkswagen Germany cars and parts 13.1 billion euros / 5.7%

4, Microsoft US software and computer services 12.3 billion euros / 13.3%

5. Huawei China Science and Technology: Hardware and equipment: 11.3 billion euros / 14.7%

6, Intel US technology: hardware and equipment 10.9 billion euros / 20.9%

7, Apple US technology: hardware and equipment 9.7 billion euros / 5.1%

8. Roche Swiss pharmaceutical and biotechnology 8.9 billion euros / 19.5%

9. Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology 8.8 billion euros / 13.8%

10. Daimler Germany’s cars and parts are 8.7 billion euros / 5.3%

11. Merck (MERCK US) US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 8.5 billion euros / 25.3%

12. Toyota Motors (TOYOTAMOTOR) Japan’s cars and parts 7.9 billion euros / 3.6%

13. NOVARTIS Swiss pharmaceutical and biotechnology 7.3 billion euros / 17.5%

14. Ford Motor Company (FORD MOTOR) US cars and parts 6.7 billion euros / 5.1%

15. Facebook (FACEBOOK) US software and computer services 6.5 billion euros / 19.1%

16. Pfizer (US) 6.2 billion euros/14.1% in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology

17. BMW (BMW) Germany’s cars and parts are 6.1 billion euros / 6.2%

18, GENERAL MOTORS US cars and parts of 6.1 billion euros / 5.0%

19. Bosch (ROBERT BOSCH) German cars and parts 5.9 billion euros / 7.6%

20, Siemens (SIEMENS) Germany’s electronic and electrical equipment 5.5 billion euros / 6.7%

21. Sanofi (SANOFI) French pharmaceutical and biotechnology 5.5 billion euros / 15.5%

22, Honda Motors (HONDAMOTOR) Japanese cars and parts 5.4 billion euros / 4.8%

23, Bayer (BAYER) German pharmaceutical and biotechnology 5.2 billion euros / 11.2%

24, Oracle (ORACLE) US software and computer services 5.1 billion euros / 15.3%

25, Cisco (CISCOSYSTEMS) US technology: hardware and equipment 5.1 billion euros / 12.6%

26, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BRISTOL-MYERSSQUIBB) US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 5 billion euros / 28.7%

27. Nokia (NOKIA) Finnish technology: hardware and equipment 4.9 billion euros / 21.2%

28. QUALCOMM US technology: hardware and equipment 4.6 billion euros / 24.5 %

29, AstraZeneca (ASTRAZENECA) UK pharmaceutical and biotechnology 4.5 billion euros / 24.1%

30. GlaxoSmithKline (GLAXOSMITHKLINE) UK pharmaceutical and biotechnology 4.4 billion euros / 12.8%

31. FIATCHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES Dutch cars and parts are 4.3 billion euros / 3.9%

32. International Business Services (IBM) US software and computer services 4.3 billion euros / 6.5%

33. ABBVIE US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 4.2 billion euros / 17.7%

34. General Electric (GENERALELECTRIC) US industry 4 billion euros / 4.0%

35, Dell (DELLTECHNOLOGIES) US technology: hardware and equipment 4 billion euros / 6.0%

36. Panasonic (PANASONIC) Japanese consumer goods 3.7 billion euros / 6.3%

37. Nissan Motors (NISSANMOTOR) Japanese cars and parts 3.7 billion euros / 4.1

38. ELI LILLY US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 3.5 billion euros / 18.2%

39. Sony (SONY) Japanese consumer goods 3.4 billion euros / 5.4%

40, SAP (SAP) German software and computer services 3.3 billion euros / 14.2%

41. CELGENE US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 3.3 billion euros / 30.5%

42. Denso (DENSO) Japanese autos and parts and components 3.3 billion euros / 8.8%

43. Ericsson (ERICSSON) Swedish technology: hardware and equipment 3.3 billion euros / 15.9%

44. CONTINENTAL Germany’s cars and parts are 3.2 billion euros / 7.3%

45. Boehringer Ingelheim (BOEHRINGERSOHN) German pharmaceutical and biotechnology 3.1 billion euros / 17.0%

46, Airbus (AIRBUS) Dutch aerospace and defense 3 billion euros / 4.5%

47. Amgen (AMGEN) US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 3 billion euros / 15.6%

48. Renault (RENAULT) French car and parts 3 billion euros / 5.0%

49. GILEADSCIENCES US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 2.9 billion euros / 13.5%

50, Peugeot Citroen (PEUGEOT, PSA) French cars and parts 2.9 billion euros / 4.5%

51. Alibaba Group HOLDING China retail software and computer services 2.9 billion euros / 9.1%

52, Broadcom (BROADCOM) Singapore Technology: hardware and equipment 2.7 billion euros / 18.7%

53. LG Electronics (LG ELECTRONICS) Korean consumer goods 2.6 billion euros / 5.5%

54. TATA MOTORS India’s cars and parts are 2.5 billion euros / 6.6%

55. Hitachi (HITACHI) Japan’s electronic and electrical equipment 2.5 billion euros / 3.6%

56, Canon (CANON) Japanese technology: hardware and equipment 2.4 billion euros / 8.1%

57, Boeing (BOEING) US space and defense 2.4 billion euros / 3.1%

58. TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICAL Japan’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology 2.4 billion euros / 18.4%

59. HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY China Taiwan electronic and electrical equipment 2.3 billion euros / 1.7%

60, TSMC (TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR) Taiwanese technology: hardware and equipment 2.3 billion euros / 8.3%

61. Tencent (TENCENT) China Software and Computer Services 2.2 billion Euros / 7.3%

62, Merck (MERCK DE) German pharmaceutical and biotechnology 2.1 billion euros / 13.9%

63. ZF Germany’s cars and parts 2.1 billion euros / 5.9%

64, Western Digital (WESTERN DIGITAL) US technology: hardware and equipment 2 billion euros / 12.8%

65, Telecom Italia (TELECOM ITALIA) Italy fixed telecommunications 2 billion euros / 10.0%

66, UNITED TECHNOLOGIES US space and defense 2 billion euros / 4.0%

67, SK Hynix (SK HYNIX) Korean technology: hardware and equipment 1.9 billion euros / 8.3%

68, NOVO NORDISK Danish pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.9 billion euros / 12.9%

69. BIOGEN US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.9 billion euros / 18.4%

70. MEDTRONIC PUBLIC LIMITED Ireland medical equipment and services 1.9 billion euros / 7.5%

71, BASF (Germany) chemicals 1.9 billion euros / 2.9%

72. Volvo Group (VOLVO) Swedish industrial engineering 1.8 billion euros / 5.4%

73. Hyundai Motor (HYUNDAI MOTOR) South Korea’s cars and parts 1.8 billion euros / 2.4%

74, Nestle (NESTLE) Swiss food production 1.8 billion euros / 2.3%

75. ABBOTT US pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.8 billion euros / 7.9%

76. ZTE (China) Technology: Hardware and equipment 1.8 billion euros / 12.9%

77, Dow DuPont (DOWDUPONT) US chemicals 1.8 billion euros / 3.4%

78. DAIICHI SANKYO Japan’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.7 billion euros / 24.6%

79. Philips (PHILIPS) Dutch industry 1.7 billion euros / 7.0%

80, ALLERGAN Ireland’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.7 billion euros / 12.9%

81, Baidu (BAIDU) China software and computer services 1.7 billion euros / 15.3%

82. ASTELLAS PHARMA Japan’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.6 billion euros / 17.0%

83, MediaTek (MEDIATEK) Taiwanese technology: hardware and equipment 1.6 billion euros / 24.0%

84, PROCTER & GAMBLE American household products 1.6 billion euros / 2.9%

85, Caterpillar (CATERPILLAR) US industrial engineering 1.6 billion euros / 4.2%

86. CHINA STATE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING China Construction and Materials 1.6 billion Euros / 1.2%

87. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) Japan’s fixed telecommunications 1.6 billion euros / 1.8%

88. PETRO CHINA China’s oil and gas production is 1.6 billion euros / 0.6%

89. Mitsubishi Electric (MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC) Japan’s electronic and electrical equipment 1.6 billion euros / 4.7%

90. TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES Israel’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.5 billion euros / 8.3%

91, Honeywell (HONEYWELL) US industry 1.5 billion euros / 4.5%

92, MICRON TECHNOLOGY US technology: hardware and equipment 1.5 billion euros / 9.0%

93, LEONARDO Italy Aerospace and Defense 1.5 billion euros / 13.1%

94, NVIDIA US technology: hardware and equipment 1.5 billion euros / 18.5%

95, Applied Materials (APPLIED MATERIALS) US technology: hardware and equipment 1.5 billion euros / 12.2%

96. BANCO SANTANDER Bank of Spain 1.5 billion euros / 2.9%

97, Valeo (France) cars and parts and components of 1.4 billion euros / 7.8%

98, Shire (UKRE) UK pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1.4 billion euros / 1.3%

99. China Railway Corporation (CHINA RAILWAY) China Construction and Materials 1.4 billion euros / 1.6%

100, Deutsche Bank (DEUTSCHE BANK) German bank 1.4 billion euros / 5.1%

The top right column of the above chart shows the rankings of the top 50 companies in the 2018 global R&D investment in the past 15 years (2004-2018). The rankings of companies such as Google, Huawei, Qualcomm and Facebook increased significantly, while the rankings of IBM, Panasonic, Sony and Ericsson declined significantly, with the declines exceeding 20.