Startups: Students shy away from starting a company

Berlin. Job security in administration or a company, or would you prefer the adventure of starting a business? According to a report by the Startup Association, one-fifth (20 percent) of students in Germany want to start their own company after graduation.

This means that more people are aiming for a start-up than for a career in public service (15.5 percent). However, only a few actually put their plans into action.

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In its report, the startup association refers to an international survey conducted in 2024, for which a good 2,000 students in Germany were asked about their career plans five years after their studies.

Germany ranks mid-range in terms of interest in starting a business compared to other countries. Most students (32 percent) prefer to work for a company.

The association sees deficiencies in the education system as the reason why more young people aren't starting their own businesses. "During your studies, you ask yourself where you're headed and what your career might look like," says Kati Ernst, deputy chairwoman of the Startup Association.

“That’s why it’s so important to introduce entrepreneurship as an option and to provide young people with the necessary skills right away.” Furthermore, entrepreneurial role models must be brought into the education system.

From the perspective of the Startup Association, the knowledge needed to start a business is not being taught sufficiently. A survey conducted by the association among approximately 1,000 students at more than 160 universities shows that 84 percent of interested students would have liked to have learned more about entrepreneurship in school. However, only a minority (17 percent) had taken relevant courses.

The association sees this as a missed opportunity. "If even a small portion of the existing potential were tapped, it would have a significant impact on Germany's innovative strength." Approximately 3,000 startups are founded in Germany each year. If all students interested in founding a business actually established their own company, the number of new companies would increase sevenfold to 21,000.

According to the survey, students interested in starting a business primarily want to learn new things (92 percent) and see the relevance of their work (85 percent). Income is important to 75 percent. Job security plays a secondary role (30 percent).

In addition, the group of students interested in starting a business is above average in its commitment: just over half (53 percent) expect to work 50 hours or more per week. This is close to reality: According to the data, founders work an average of 55 hours per week.

RND/dpa