Press releases

IfM Bonn study shows that equity financing has a positive impact on sales

The Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn and German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVK) carried out a study researching "Equity capital in German Mittelstand – analysis of the development of…

What changes have occurred for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the course of the Corona pandemic? What kind of support measures assist companies to master both the economic consequences of the Corona pandemic as well as the future challenges of "sustainable businesses" and "digital…

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Despite an overall negative trend, in five districts and cities the start-up activities have been expanded

Germany's number of business start-ups dropped sharply between 2003 (507,000) and 2019 (266,000). Accordingly, the average start-up intensity has decreased from 92 start-ups per 10,000…

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Independent SMEs constitute only a small part of Germany's Mittelstand-businesses

According to the European Commission's definition of SMEs, more than 3.5 million companies in Germany are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which is equal to 99.3 % of all companies in the private sector.…

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Despite the easing of pandemic-related barriers for start-ups, start-up activity will be weaker than before 2020

In the first half of 2021, the pandemic-related restrictions and support measures continued to have an impact on the number of business start-ups and clousures: Compared to the first six…

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In the competition for apprentices, micro establishments (less than 10 employees subject to social insurance contributions) are falling further behind: Up to 31 December 2020, these establishments employed 3.4 % less apprentices than at the end of 2019. In contrast, the number of apprentices in…

SME Statistics, however, usually do not account for the entire dimensions of all foreign activities

24.06.2021. The number of exporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has fallen slightly in recent years (2012: 350,000 enterprises, 2019: 340,000 enterprises). The share of exporting SMEs…

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Transformation to a service economy continues steadily

In the pandemic year 2020, the number of start-ups in the liberal professions (-5.6%) and the commercial sector (-11.7%) decreased compared to 2019. In contrast, the number of start-ups in agriculture and forestry increased (+8.4%). Overall,…

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Increased number of insolvencies among larger companies indicates a crisis in the sector

In 2020, the construction industry was the most affected by insolvencies. Although demand for construction was generally high in the pandemic year, most insolvencies were registered in this particular sector,…

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Empowering companies now to start longer-term business development

In the past months of the pandemic, Mittelstand policy was primarily directed at mitigating the acute consequences for the self-employed and entrepreneurs to limit economic and social harm.

Professor Friederike Welter (IfM…

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