According to current DIHK Founder Report Interest in founding a company in Germany falls to a new lowThe report is based on the contacts of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry start-up advisors with prospective entrepreneurs. But are the DIHK figures really transferable to Munich and the region?
Figures and estimates from the DIHK Founder Report
Specifically, the report states: German Chambers of Industry and Commerce conducted only 205,630 interviews with prospective entrepreneurs in 2015. This represents a decrease of ten percent compared to the previous year and the fourth consecutive negative record.
“Twelve years ago, twice as many people interested in starting a business turned to the Chambers of Industry and Commerce”, commented DIHK President Eric Schweitzer on the results. "This development worries me, especially since many new self-employed people approach the matter poorly prepared. The risk of failure is therefore high." Less than two-thirds of the founders had given sufficient thought to the customer benefits of their idea.
Munich is different?!
One thing is undisputed: Good preparation—whether it's thinking through financing, the target group, or customer benefits—is crucial for the success of a startup. Many founders in Munich seem to have recognized this. This is at least suggested by the consistently high number of those who Munich start-up office, an initiative of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria and the City of Munich.
Founders also find many other places in Munich free consultation — or exchange ideas with like-minded people. Tips from other young entrepreneurs are often worth their weight in gold, as Munich Startups' founders' round table demonstrates time and again.
It's not just the preparation that counts
Of course, there are other factors that could further strengthen the start-up scene in Germany — such as a consistent reduction in bureaucracy or a venture capital law that gives more young, fast-growing companies access to private equity capital.
Further details and trends can be found in the DIHK Founders Report 2016.
