Industrial research and development (R&D) must constantly change and adapt in the coming years in order to successfully offer new products, processes, services, solutions and business models to global markets and international customers. Current geopolitical and economic turbulences destabilize markets, technological trends such as the digital transformation of industries produce new winners and losers. This offers opportunities, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, which can recognize these potentials and use them for profitable growth. The study "Future R&D" describes current challenges and provides the latest findings on R&D trends, goals and success factors from the perspective of technology-oriented companies as well as case studies from the business practice of numerous R&D experts.