In the year 2022, which was marked by the Ukraine war and the energy crisis, fewer company founders in Germany dared to enter the market than in the previous twelve months.

Last year, the Federal Statistical Office counted slightly more than 115,000 business start-ups whose legal form and number of employees indicate greater economic importance. According to the Wiesbaden authority, that was 9.3 percent less than in the previous year, which was heavily influenced by the Corona crisis, and 6.1 percent less than in 2019, the year before the outbreak of the pandemic in Germany.

2022 more newly formed small businesses

The statisticians assume greater economic importance if, for example, employees are hired or the boss has a tradesman's certificate. In 2022, 89,500 such companies in Germany gave up their trade completely. That was 2.7 percent more than a year earlier and 9.9 percent less than 2019.

On the other hand, the number of newly founded small companies increased last year. In this area, the Federal Office counted 138,500 business registrations in the twelve months. That was 4.9 percent more than a year earlier, but 15.5 percent less than in the pre-pandemic year 2019.

Overall, the Federal Office counted 673,500 business registrations last year, 4.5 percent fewer than a year ago. In addition to the establishment of new companies, this also includes takeovers, for example through purchase or entry as a shareholder, as well as conversions and relocations from other registration districts.