Germany's self-employed are older than their employed counterparts. A generation of low birth rates and declining start-up ratios have led to a slump in the proportion of young entrepreneurs, particularly since 2005. In all probability, the trend towards older self-employed people will continue until the baby boom generation leaves the labour force in the 2040s. The reduced pool of new entrepreneurs will likely exacerbate the problem of succession.

Generation of low birth rates accelerates trend in older self-employed workers