In Germany More businesses of greater economic significance were established in Germany in the first nine months of 2026 than in the same period the previous year. Their number rose by 4.5 per cent to around 103,700, the Federal Statistical Office said on 13 November 2026. At the same time, the number of complete closures of such businesses fell by 2.4 per cent to around 72,500.
The picture is different when all businesses are considered: although the number of new start-ups also rose, by 7.7 per cent to around 525,100, the number of complete business closures rose too, albeit by considerably less. At around 363,500, it was 0.8 per cent higher than in the first three quarters of 2025.
The two developments cannot readily be interpreted as a change in the number of businesses. The statistics record business notifications and distinguish between various types of registrations and deregistrations. Comparing start-ups with complete closures alone therefore does not provide a comprehensive picture of all changes in the total number of businesses.
For the purposes of the analysis, a business is considered economically significant not only if it has many employees. The Federal Statistical Office also classifies start-ups and closures in this group if a legal entity or a partnership is involved. For sole traders, a business is included, among other cases, if the person is Trade register registered in the craftsman's card may also be decisive for classification at start-up.
The category therefore reflects a statistical definition based on legal form and other characteristics. It is not equivalent to a uniform minimum size based on turnover or number of employees. The increase in start-ups alone also says nothing about how the newly established businesses will develop in the future.
In addition to new start-ups, the authorities recorded further business registrations. Their total number stood at around 623,600 in the first three quarters of 2026, 7.8 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of the previous year. This includes, alongside new start-ups, takeovers, conversions and relocations from other registration districts.
For the business deregistrations showed a slight decline: their total number fell by 0.8 per cent to around 443,000. This figure also includes more than complete closures, such as business transfers, conversions and relocations to other registration districts. It is therefore not a contradiction that complete closures increased overall while deregistrations declined overall.
The data show more lively start-up activity through September, alongside differing trends in business closures. The published figures provide no information about the causes of these changes or the economic prospects of the businesses.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).