KfW Research

KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor

KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor 2023(PDF, 511 KB, non-accessible)

KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor 2022(PDF, 540 KB, non-accessible)

KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor 2021(PDF, 669 KB, non-accessible)

All editions of the KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor

The KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor is an annual representative population survey conducted by telephone to gather information on start-up activity in Germany. The survey has been carried out by a well-known market research institute on behalf of KfW since the year 2000. The KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor paints a comprehensive picture of entrepreneurship in Germany. In particular the large number of characteristics of the entrepreneurs, as well as their start-up projects, is a defining feature of this database. In addition, business start-up survival in the first three business years can also be determined.

The wealth of information of the KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor allows a detailed analysis of start-up activity. A number of those results are published in the annual report.

Brief description of the KfW Entrepreneurship Monitor:

• The annual cross section survey has thus far been conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). Representativity is secured with regard to persons between 18 and 67 years of age resident in Germany with a sufficient command of the German language. Since 2008, about 50,000 persons (40,000 people before 2008) have been interviewed per survey wave. Since 2010, a dual frame approach has been employed to ensure both households with landlines and households with mobile phones are reached.
• In each survey wave, 4-5% of respondents typically state that they entered into self-employment as a freelancer or started a commercial activity in the 60 months prior to the interview. Whether or not the start-up is still active at the time of the interview is irrelevant for the survey.
• New entrepreneurs are defined as persons entering into full-time or sideline self-employment, starting a new business or participating in or taking over an existing venture. It does not matter whether it is a commercial or freelance start-up or a start-up in agriculture or forestry.
• The entrepreneurs meeting this criteria are asked about 50 questions regarding the type of start-up, the employees, financing decisions and continuation of the start-up. Personal details, such as age, gender, education, nationality or work status are collected for new entrepreneurs and for a comparison group of people (approx. 15% of the total sample) who have not founded a business in the past 5 years and who had no plans to do so in the past year. This provides comparative group information, for example for analysing the decision to start a business.

Dr Georg Metzger
+49 69 7431-9717
georg.metzger@kfw.de

KfW Research, KfW Group, Palmengartenstrasse 5-9, 60325 Frankfurt, research@kfw.de
Press Office KfW (for representatives of the press and media only), +49 69 7431-4400, presse@kfw.de