Study: 40 percent of young people can imagine founding a company
One third of the interviewees cannot currently imagine founding a company, but do not exclude it fundamentally. For one fourth, entrepreneurship is not an option.
The study also shows that more male youths plan to found companies than female (14 to 9 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 founding activity exists in the young generation, according to the study authors. "However, far fewer of them take this step and actually found companies," says Tobias Bürger from the Bertelsmann Foundation. Approximately one in six people between 18 and 24 years old found a company in Germany, according to the Stiftung, referring to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2023. Entrepreneurial thinking and action should be more strongly promoted in schools.
Additionally, a "founder-friendly culture" is needed. The Stiftung called on the public and media to make the diversity of founders and founder teams more visible, to break the stereotype of the male, white founder in middle age.
From politics, the study authors expect better framework conditions. Administrative procedures should be accelerated and application processes for funding programs simplified. Grants, favorable loans, and special founder funds could also lead to more Business Foundings.
The Bertelsmann Stiftung interviewed a total of 1694 young people between the ages of 14 and 25 in the past June and between February and March of this year. The representative online survey with 1532 participants was supplemented with interviews with 162 secondary school students using a standardized questionnaire.
- According to the study conducted by the Bertelsmann Foundation in Gütersloh, Germany, approximately 40 out of 1000 people between 18 and 24 years old have founded a company.
- The study reveals that more male youths in Germany have a interest in founding companies, with 14% planning to do so compared to 9% of female youths.
- The Bertelsmann Foundation's study suggests that despite the potential for more founding activity, only a small percentage of people take the step to actually found a company, even with the support of company foundations like theirs.
- To encourage more business foundings in Germany, the Bertelsmann Foundation advocates for improved political framework conditions, including accelerated administrative procedures and simplified application processes for funding programs.
