When it comes to their own startups, however, the balance is not quite as good, but here too, the positive assessments (40 percent) are significantly higher than the negative (19 percent). 39 percent of founders see no change for their own company, according to the digital association. Bitkom President Achim Berg says:
"Anyone who founds a startup fundamentally views the world with optimism. This positive attitude is an invitation to politicians to turn observers into fans. Germany set itself the goal of becoming a startup nation and catching up with the world's leading countries years ago. We're on the right track, but we're still a long way from our goal."
Bitkom calls for more commitment from the state
When asked about the biggest obstacles in everyday startup life, the most frequently cited are general bureaucracy (63 percent) and a general skepticism toward innovations in Germany (60 percent). Berg sees a clear mandate for action here:
"The government must take the lead to counteract this technology skepticism. To this end, for example, high-performing startups should be given greater consideration when awarding public contracts. With their technology-driven approaches, startups can advance not only the digitization of public administration but also megaprojects such as the transport and energy transition."
Further obstacles for startups are the difficult financing situation in Germany (49 percent) and the shortage of skilled workers (43 percent). Around one in three startups criticizes excessive or inappropriate regulation in certain areas such as healthcare or finance (34 percent), high taxes (32 percent), and strict data protection requirements (also 32 percent). One in four startups is critical of a lack of collaboration with established companies (26 percent) and slow internet connections (22 percent). At the bottom of the list are a lack of cooperation with other startups (13 percent) and a lack of office space (9 percent). But a too small domestic market (6 percent) is also an obstacle for some startups. These results are based on a survey by Bitkom Research among 148 tech startups from Germany.
