In Germany, 40 percentage of young people can imagine founding a company
**In Germany, around 40 percent of young people can imagine founding their own business. According to a survey published on a Thursday by the Bertelsmann Foundation in Gütersloh, eleven percent of 14- to 25-year-olds have already decided to start a company, while 29 percent are still unsure. To ensure that there are more young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in Germany in the future, barriers need to be dismantled. One third of the interviewees cannot currently imagine starting a business, but do not exclude it altogether. For a quarter, entrepreneurship is not an option.
The study also shows that more male youths plan to start businesses than female (14 to nine percent). Interviewees in large cities are more interested in entrepreneurship than those in smaller towns with a maximum population of 5000 inhabitants.
The potential for more entrepreneurial activity exists in the younger generation, explained the study authors. "However, far fewer of them take this step and actually start a business," says Tobias Bürger from the Bertelsmann Foundation. Approximately one in six people between 18 and 24 years old start a business in Germany, according to the Stiftung, citing the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2023. Entrepreneurial thinking and action should be more strongly encouraged in schools.
Additionally, a "founder-friendly culture" is needed. The Stiftung urged the public and media to make the diversity of female founders and founders more visible in order to challenge the stereotype of the male, white founder in middle age.
The study authors expect better framework conditions from politics. Administrative procedures should be accelerated and application processes for funding programs simplified. Grants, affordable loans, and special founder funds could also lead to more business start-ups.**
- Despite the high percentage of young people in Germany who consider company founding, only about one in six actually start a business at the age of 18-24, as revealed in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2023.
- The survey conducted by the Bertelsmann Foundation also reveals that a larger proportion of male youths in Germany plan to start businesses compared to their female counterparts, which is a concern that needs to be addressed.
- In line with the findings of the survey, promoting a 'founder-friendly culture' and encouraging entrepreneurial education in schools could potentially increase the number of young entrepreneurs in Germany, contributing to a more diverse entrepreneurial landscape.
