SMEs as the innovation flagships - where are the real economic drivers?

We have often heard that SMEs can be the flagships of innovation. Their smaller size can make them more flexible and agile than their larger competitors. And their ability to adapt and react quickly can create opportunities to be innovative, creative and experimental. This paper addresses the question of where we should really look for innovation performance in SMEs and which Hungarian firms are considered to have a significant innovation performance. How has the attitude of these enterprises towards innovation changed in recent years? These are some of the questions that the paper seeks to address by reviewing some statistical data and literature. It is assumed that micro-enterprises have a significantly weaker innovation performance than small and medium-sized enterprises, as they are more vulnerable and exposed to risks in the current crisis. The question is whether the SME sector in general can really be considered an innovative actor and whether the assumption that the domestic SME sector is a driver of growth is really true. The study attempts to explore these questions and makes some observations as part of the conclusions and recommendations.