The 2013 issue of the annual report highlights, wherever possible or relevant, the impact of the economic crisis on the functioning of the national innovation system of Belgium. Thus, the idea is not to limit ourselves to a presentation of key data depicting the innovation system, as these are readily available on our website (www.stis.belspo.be/en/stat_stat.asp) as specialised data brochures or extensive databases. Instead, the report aims at offering a more analytical insight into the consequences of the economic crisis by focusing on a key aspect of the system that bears relevance for science policy.