Although there were 18,126 new start-ups in the first half of 2022, which is 7.7 percent or around 1,500 fewer than in the same period of the previous year, the value from before the pandemic was once again significantly exceeded. The number of start-ups has recently leveled off at a high level, said the head of the WKÖ’s start-up service, Elisabeth Zehetner-Piewald, in the APA interview.
Zehetner-Piewald explained the slight decline compared to the previous year. It is an “outlier”, but it confirms the upward trend, especially since the number of start-ups is still higher than before the pandemic. In the first half of 2022, 19,635 business start-ups were registered, compared to 17,124 in 2019.
Viewed by industry, there were hardly any shifts in the first half of the year. Trade and crafts accounted for the largest share at 40.2 percent, followed by trade at 25.7 percent and information and consulting at a good 20 percent. The industry distribution is stable overall, only in retail has there recently been a slight decline in new start-ups due to the pandemic-related boom in e-commerce. The proportion of women was also high, at 44.2 percent, well in line with the average of recent years.
Zehetner-Piewald sees the entrepreneurial spirit alive in this country, but there are also many concerns at the moment. One of the factors she named was the high inflation that potential founders are currently confronted with. In a situation like this, you think twice about realizing your wish to found a company at this point in time, says the head of the start-up service.
The situation on the labor market does not necessarily promote start-up ambitions either. “As an employee, if you are qualified, you can actually choose where you work.” As a result, many people put their desire for independence on the back burner. In addition, the shortage of workers is also a problem, since young companies have difficulties finding suitable staff anyway.
However, Zehetner-Piewald does not expect a major decline in the number of start-ups in the near future, since possible upheavals such as high costs could already be taken into account when planning the start-up. She referred to experiences from the pandemic, when prospective founders had incorporated possible lockdowns and developments such as increased digitization into their plans. You can also plan for higher financing costs due to possibly rising lending rates.
In order to continue positive development, however, the framework conditions also need to be improved, for example in the form of an exemption for participation, which could create incentives in financing. If Zehetner-Piewald has its way, unemployment insurance for the self-employed should also be tightened up in order to create additional security here.
Source: Nachrichten
