What concrete support do green startups need to act as a driving force for the German economy in the post-coronavirus relaunch? What do green business models offer for the labor market and for a sustainable society? The current issue examines these and other questions. Green Startup MonitorThe monitor aims to evaluate the importance of startups whose products and services contribute to the ecological goals of a green economy.
The Green Startup Monitor is initiated by Federal Association of German Startups in cooperation with the Borderstep Institute. It is published for the second time this year and is funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). The representative study is based on data collected via an online questionnaire from 1,620 innovative and growth-oriented companies less than 10 years old and headquartered in Germany.
From the results of the Green Startup Monitor 2020, the initiators of the study conclude that a new funding line "Sustainability" must be established in the German start-up support system, the financing situation of green startups must be significantly improved, and their range of sustainable products and services must be explicitly taken into account in public procurement.
Important for a sustainable and crisis-proof economy
Alexander Bonde, Secretary General of the German Federal Environmental Foundation, says:
"Innovation-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises help us secure our economic foundations for tomorrow. They combine economic growth prospects with an economic model that conserves our natural resources, reduces environmental pollution, strengthens regional value chains, recycles resources, and makes our economy more resilient overall—especially after the coronavirus crisis. With this study and our own special Green Startup program, we are specifically supporting these innovative young companies. Their importance for a sustainable and crisis-proof economy is confirmed by the Green Startup Monitor."
As the current Green Startup Monitor shows, green startups are just as growth- and profit-oriented as "non-green" startups. They also create tangible ecological and social added value. They already account for more than 20 percent of all startups founded in Germany. Among other things, they are characterized by strong support and involvement of their employees.
Optimistic view of the future
Christian Miele, President of the Federal Association of German Startups, says:
"The results of the Green Startup Monitor show that green startups are particularly optimistic about the future: Three out of four green startups, significantly more than non-green startups, assess their future business situation positively. With their innovative business models that combine economic success with ecological and social sustainability, these young companies are important drivers for the post-crisis restart."
