When looking at their own startup, the assessment is not quite as positive, but here too positive assessments at 40 percent significantly outweigh negative ones at 19 percent. 39 percent of founders see no change for their own company, according to the digital association. Bitkom President Achim Berg comments:
“Anyone who founds a startup generally looks at the world with optimism. This positive attitude is an invitation to politicians to turn observers into fans. Germany set itself the goal years ago to become a startup nation and to catch up with the leading countries of the world. We are on the right track, but far from the finish line.”
Bitkom calls for greater state engagement
When founders are asked about the biggest obstacles in their daily startup work, general bureaucracy (63 percent) and general skepticism toward innovation in Germany are most frequently cited (60 percent). Berg sees a clear mandate for action here:
“The state must take the lead to counteract this technology skepticism. For example, high-performing startups should be given stronger consideration in public procurement. With their technology-driven approaches, startups can advance not only digitalization of administration but also major projects like the traffic and energy transition.”
Other obstacles for startups include the difficult financing situation in this country (49 percent) and a shortage of skilled workers (43 percent). About one in three startups criticizes too much or incorrect regulation in individual sectors such as health or finance (34 percent), high taxes (32 percent), and strict data protection requirements (also 32 percent). One in four startups views missing collaboration with established companies (26 percent) and slow internet connections (22 percent) critically. At the bottom of the list are poor cooperation with other startups (13 percent) and insufficient office space (9 percent). A domestic market that is too small (6 percent) is also an obstacle for some startups. These results are based on a survey by Bitkom Research among 148 tech startups from Germany.
