The German Startup Monitor (DSM) 2017 was published today. The study provides a snapshot of startup activity in Germany.
For the fifth edition of the DSM, a total of 1,837 startups were surveyed. The study provides an overview of the state of the startup scene in Germany. It is intended to serve as a guide for policymakers and administrators. Three key findings emerge from the study: international orientation is becoming increasingly important for startups. 82.7% of the startups surveyed want to further internationalize — more than ever before. The most common destination, at 34.4%, is the rest of the EU. Accordingly, respondents consider diversity and cosmopolitanism: Almost two-thirds of respondents believe that the German startup landscape benefits from immigration from abroad. More than one in four startup employees does not have German citizenship. A third key finding: Startups rely on CooperationMore than two-thirds of respondents cooperate with other startups, and more than half with an established company.
TUM and LMU among Germany's best startup universities
Four out of five startup founders hold an academic degree. This demonstrates the importance of universities for local startup ecosystems. The current DSM ranking of Germany's best startup universities is led by Technical University of Munich, followed by KIT Karlsruhe and RWTH Aachen. LMU Munich ranks fourth, and the University of Hamburg fifth.
The university degrees of the founders surveyed indicate a time gap between studying and founding a company: More than one in four founders holds a diploma, which has now largely been replaced by master's degree programs.
In the regional ranking of startup hotspots with the most DSM participants, the Munich metropolitan region, along with the Hanover/Oldenburg region, ranks fifth behind Berlin, the Rhine-Ruhr region, Stuttgart/Karlsruhe, and Hamburg. Only 6 percent of respondents come from the Bavarian capital.
However, the selection was not random and therefore not representative. 298 selected multipliers, including Munich Startup, distributed the questionnaire among their networks. Commentary on the last DSM We have already pointed out this problem.
Startup association calls for immigration law
Florian Nöll, Chairman of the Federal Association of German Startups, calls on politicians to facilitate the influx of skilled workers:
"A welcoming culture that makes it easier for skilled workers to transition into their new lives and a needs-based immigration law are essential for Germany as a business location. Especially in times of Brexit and protectionism, we must welcome talent from all over the world!"
