

Entrepreneurial spirit sinks to record low
The entrepreneurial spirit in the industrial nation of Germany seems to be in a bad way: According to an analysis by KfW Research, both the number of startups and the desire to be self-employed are declining.
05 Sep. 2019 David SchahinianShare
The latter has even reached a record low: Just 25% of the working population still consider it desirable to be self-employed. In 2000, this figure stood at 45%. KfW cites the continuing upswing in the labor market, offering job seekers a wealth of well-paid opportunities, as the reason for this. The demographic development is another reason for this, since interest in setting up a business generally decreases with increasing age – and Germany is an aging society. However, the desire to be self-employed among young people, who usually dominate the startup scene, has grown stronger again over the past two years: In 2018, one in three under 30 would have decided, unconstrained by circumstances, to take their luck into their own hands.
Startup founders have much to gain – recognition, for instance. According to a representative survey conducted by German digital association Bitkom , the majority of Germans see company founders as role models for the younger generation. However, one in three respondents would still not advise young people to work in a startup or set one up.
Interested in news about exhibitors, top offers and trends in the industry?
Browser Notice
Your web browser is outdated. Update your browser for more security, speed and optimal presentation of this page.
Update BrowserCookies
Deutsche Messe uses cookies in order to adapt the website to your needs as best as possible. Further information can be found in our Privacy Policy at the end of this page. If you continue to surf the site, you consent to the use of cookies.
I agree to