Industry Leads, While Chemistry and Health Need to Catch Up
We’ve analysed over 1,200 German Innovation Awards since 2018 to find out which sectors are particularly successful when it comes to innovation. The result? While industry shines, the chemical and health sectors are clearly lagging behind.
Industry remains Germany’s engine of innovation: With 10% of all awards, it leads the ranking – ahead of sectors like Building & Components (8%) and Automotive (6.5%). Clearly falling short: Chemistry (1.5%) and Health (3%).
Reasons for the innovation gap in certain sectors include low R&D investment, slow scaling, and the outsourcing of research projects abroad. Internationally, Germany now ranks only 13th in the 2024 Innovation Indicator – behind South Korea, the USA and Switzerland.
Top 5 sectors at the German Innovation Awards:
- Industry / Engineering & Technology: 10%
- Building & Components: 8%
- Automotive: 6.5%
- Heating & Sanitary: 6%
- Kitchen & Home Appliances: 6%
The analysis shows: Innovation thrives where new ideas are consistently implemented and scaled with entrepreneurial drive.
Driving innovation in your sector?
Show us where your idea can take us – apply now for the German Innovation Awards 2026.
