IfM Bonn News

External publications | 21.05.2025 Using innovation to overcome water shortages

The water industry in Germany is facing increasing challenges due to climate change and resulting regional and seasonal water shortages. This can lead to conflicts between consumer groups.

Press release | 20.05.2025 More courage for simpler building regulations

In recent years, Germany has tended to lose attractiveness as a location for investment projects. One reason is that commercial building permit procedures can sometimes take very long, making it difficult to accurately estimate total project costs.

Podcasts | 20.05.2025 Getting more competitive

Dissatisfaction with local conditions, recessive development in the manufacturing sector, the announcement of US tariffs – the German economy is currently in a difficult economic situation.

IfM Publications | 13.05.2025 SME Barometer: Slight brightening on the horizon

IfM Bonn's latest SME Barometer shows that 2025 started with a halt to the negative trend in turnover and investment seen among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the second half of 2024.

External publications | 12.05.2025 Entrepreneurship research in times of multiple crises

In recent years, entrepreneurs have been challenged constantly by new crises. This also has an impact on entrepreneurship research.

Participation in external events | 30.04.2025 IfM Bonn at the Federal-State Committee for the Mittelstand

It is uncertain how start-up activity in Germany will develop given the increased political risks in global trade. But at the same time, the measures taken by the new federal government and changes in international trade relations could give start-up activity a boost.

IfM Publications | 29.04.2025 Increasing bureaucratic burdens create uncertainty

The Managers at around one in three companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector are unsure whether all relevant regulations are being implemented and whether their companies are fully compliant with the law.

External publications | 22.04.2025 Focus Entrepreneurship Education

The teaching of economics in schools has been called for many years. But what is the current situation regarding the teaching of entrepreneurial thinking and action?

Press release | 22.04.2025 Economic slowdown affects number of business start-ups

A total of approximately 360,000 new businesses were founded in Germany in 2024. Around 258,000 of them were started in the commercial sector, 7,040 in agriculture and forestry, and 94,900 in the liberal professions.

IfM Publications | 17.04.2025 Artificial intelligence in the craft sector in North Rhine-Westphalia

Only around a third of craft businesses in North Rhine-Westphalia currently use artificial intelligence. The main applications are chatbots, voice assistants, translation software and image and video editing.

Participation in external events | 15.04.2025 Policy approaches to reduce bureaucratic burdens

IfM-Bonn research indicates that the optimal level of bureaucracy has been greatly exceeded. This applies not only to the time and cost requirements, but also to the psychological costs and the knock-on effects on investment and competitiveness.

Participation in external events | 14.04.2025 Influence of self-employed parents on their children

Children of self-employed parents are often self-employed later in life. Dr. Stefan Schneck presented this in his presentation at the EBES Conference in Rome in mid-April.

Press release | 09.04.2025 The federal government must now pave the way for the future

"According to a recent short survey, the vast majority of managing directors in Germany’s Mittelstand sector are calling on the new federal government to ensure reliable and consistent policy frameworks – and to refrain from excessive regulatory steering. This applies in particular to the ecological …

Press release | 08.04.2025 Less than half of all start-ups survive the first 5 years

Approximately 360,000 new enterprise were founded in Germany in 2024. It’s not just the number of start-ups that matters for an economy, but also their long-term survival.

Participation in external events | 07.04.2025 Quo vadis construction industry?

What future trends will the construction industry see? When will the upturn in construction come?