Two million people in Germany work in companies run by people with a migrant background. The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) expects that entrepreneurs with a migrant background will create 30,000 additional jobs this year.
It is no longer just traditional sectors such as trade and gastronomy that are the focus of migrant founders, says DIHK President Eric Schweitzer:
“More and more founders with a migration background want to start up businesses in the service sector with B2B offerings or in industrial sectors.”
Migrants are already an asset to the German economy. This is especially true for self-employed entrepreneurs:
"In Germany, this group creates jobs for around two million employees. And they support in-company training."
Cultural barriers are insignificant for most founders with a migration background
The DIHK has the founder advisors of 79 Chambers of Commerce and Industry They asked what they believe hinders migrant entrepreneurs. According to the consultants, 78 percent, like their German counterparts, have insufficient business knowledge. Two-thirds are also found to have insufficient German language skills. In contrast, according to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce consultants, cultural barriers hinder only 13 percent of aspiring entrepreneurs.
