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IfM Bonn News

News & Updates Opportunities for Mittelstand enterprises in times of crisis

Are crises an opportunity for new areas of growth? Dr Markus Rieger-Fels, Prof. Dr. Prof. Dr. Michael Stephan, Prof. Dr. Torsten Wulf (both Philipps University of Marburg), Sina Lupp (Adolf Lupp GmbH+Co. KG), Sebastian Finck (Sparkasse Marburg-Biedenkopf) and Dr Jan Holthusen (DZ BANK AG) in …

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Participation in external events Coping with crisis situations

How do companies remain capable of acting even in difficult times? What characterizes resilient companies?

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Press release North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg lead in economically significant business formations

In the first half of this year, start-up dynamics in Germany gained momentum: around 143,000 business start-ups were recorded, compared with 127,000 business closures.

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Participation in external events Artificial intelligence is also a financial issue

What opportunities does artificial intelligence offer Mittelstand enterprises – and what are the risks? Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Friederike Welter talked about this issue in early September at the Rhineland Savings Banks’ strategy conference in Bonn.

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Participation in external events How sustainable entrepreneurship can be revitalised

In view of the many current challenges, the issue of "social and environmental responsibility" has taken a step back in many companies.

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IfM Publications Mittelstand Enterprises and the Circular Economy

Policy makers are seeking to promote the circular economy in Germany and across Europe in order to reduce dependence on exports of raw materials and intermediate products.

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IfM Publications What makes academic spin-offs different

How do academic spin-offs differ from start-ups in general? Dr Natalia Gorynia-Pfeffer and Julia Schauer explore this question in their Policy Brief using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

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External publications Independence can strain relationships

While some see self-employment as the solution to combining family and career, others see self-employment as a major burden on the family.

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IfM Publications Import growth from China is driven mainly by large companies

Between 2014 and 2023, Chinese companies gained in importance, particularly for large enterprises in Germany.

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IfM Publications On the way to being a family business with external management

If no family member declares their willingness to take over the business, one option is to engage external management whilst the business remains family-owned.

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Press release Berlin – The capital of start-ups in the liberal professions

The number of new freelance businesses in Germany has risen from around 95,000 in 2024 to just over 111,000 in 2025. Berlin registered the highest number of new freelance businesses – followed by Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.

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Press release The European Union remains the most important foreign market for small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany

The number of importing companies located in Germany rose in 2024 compared with 2023 (851,000 companies): Around 873,000 companies imported raw materials and goods. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accounted for the vast majority of importers, at 98.3 per cent.

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Awards Another prestigious honour for Professor Friederike Welter

The Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management honoured Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Friederike Welter with the 2026 Dedication to Entrepreneurship Award last week at the Academy of Management’s annual conference in Philadelphia.

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Press release Wirtschaftliche Situation der kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen hat sich im Frühjahr deutlich verbessert

Bonn, 04.08.2026. Nachdem sich die Kennzahlen für Umsatz und Gewinn bei den kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) zu Beginn des Jahres 2026 verschlechtert hatten, zeigte sich im zweiten Quartal dieses Jahres sowohl in Deutschland als auch im Euroraum wieder eine deutliche Verbesserung bei Umsatz …

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Participation in external events Social Market Economy and Free Markets

What role do free markets play in the social market economy? Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Friederike Welter and Gitta Connemann, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Federal Government Commissioner for the Mittelstand Enterprises, discussed this question in mid-July at a debate organised by the Bonn …

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