Record R&D outlay in 2021
According to OECD figures, business enterprise expenditure on R&D in Chile reached 705.9 million US dollars (PPP, constant prices) in 2021. This compares with 489.8 million dollars in 2020, marking an increase of 216.1 million dollars, or about 44% in one year. The latest reading therefore represents a significant increase in Chile’s business R&D effort.
New high above long‑run trend
Over the period from 2007 to 2021, Chile’s business R&D investment has generally risen, and the 2021 level now stands above both the long‑run average of about 484 million dollars and the more recent average of roughly 549 million, setting a new peak for the series. This step‑up means firms are committing more resources to innovation than at any point in the past decade and a half, with potential implications for jobs, productivity and the country’s future growth capacity.