This page brings together four technology and innovation indicators for Italy: high-technology exports (current US$), ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports), patent applications, residents and research and development expenditure (% of GDP). All figures come from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators and are compared across 93 countries with complete, up-to-date data for every series. Each value refers to the most recent year available.
High-technology exports (current US$) for Italy came to $60.16 billion in 2024, ranking 17th among the 93 countries with complete data on this site. Compared with 2023, that is an increase of 15.3%. Since 2019, the indicator has gained an average of 13.1% per year — the 27th fastest pace of the 92 countries tracked.
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) for Italy came to 2.29% in 2024, ranking 41st among the 93 countries with complete data on this site. Compared with 2023, that is an increase of 0.17 pp. Since 2019, the indicator has gained an average of 0.08 pp per year — the 24th fastest pace of the 93 countries tracked.
Patent applications, residents for Italy came to 10,281 in 2021, ranking 10th among the 93 countries with complete data on this site. Compared with 2020, that is an increase of 2.2%. Since 2016, the indicator has gained an average of 3% per year — the 25th fastest pace of the 92 countries tracked.
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) for Italy came to 1.38% in 2023, ranking 33rd among the 93 countries with complete data on this site. Compared with 2022, that is an increase of 0.01 pp. Since 2018, the indicator has lost an average of 0.01 pp per year — the 75th fastest pace of the 91 countries tracked.
Innovation indicators for Italy: key data
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Indicators: TX.VAL.TECH.CD, TX.VAL.ICTG.ZS.UN, IP.PAT.RESD, GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS, TX.VAL.TECH.MF.ZS. The World Bank Group, data.worldbank.org (accessed July 2026). License: CC BY-4.0.
About the indicators
High-technology exports (current US$) (TX.VAL.TECH.CD)
The value of exported products with high R&D intensity, such as aerospace equipment, computers, pharmaceuticals, scientific instruments and electrical machinery, expressed in current U.S. dollars. It shows the absolute scale of a country's high-tech manufacturing that reaches world markets.
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) (TX.VAL.ICTG.ZS.UN)
The share of information and communication technology goods — computers and peripherals, communication equipment, consumer electronics, electronic components and related products — in total goods exports. It reflects how deeply a country is embedded in global electronics value chains.
Patent applications, residents (IP.PAT.RESD)
The number of patent applications filed with a national or regional patent office by applicants residing in the country. Resident filings are a widely used proxy for domestic inventive activity and the output of national R&D.
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) (GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS)
Gross domestic expenditure on research and development — current and capital spending by business, government, higher education and non-profits — as a share of GDP. It is the standard measure of how much of the economy is devoted to creating new knowledge.
High-technology exports (% of manufactured exports) (TX.VAL.TECH.MF.ZS)
The share of high-R&D-intensity products in a country's total manufactured exports. Unlike the dollar figure, this ratio shows how technology-heavy the export mix is, regardless of the economy's size.