KfW-Start-up Monitor 2017

The healthy labour market continues to deter start-up activity in Germany. The number of business start-ups fell to a new low in 2016. New businesses were started by 672,000 persons, 91,000 fewer than in 2015.

One bright spot is their higher structural quality. Never before have there been fewer necessity start-ups and never before has the ratio of opportunity start-ups to necessity start-ups been better. Growth entrepreneurs make up 17 % of business founders, or 115,000 persons.

Growth start-ups are more digital, innovative and capital-intensive than others – a good basis for success. The continuing decline in start-up activity is an economic concern. A shortage of business founders today means a competitive disadvantage for the whole economy tomorrow. But the outlook for 2017 gives hope as the decline appears to be levelling off.

KfW-Start-up Monitor 2017(PDF, 597 KB, non-accessible)

Press release