What drives company founders
Why do company founders venture into self-employment? The new empirical study "Start-up Market Switzerland 2024" by PostFinance and the IFJ Institute for Young Entrepreneurs provides answers to these and other questions.
Period: 01.01.2025 to 31.03.2025 compared to the previous year's periods 2021 to 2025)
A total of 753 qualitative interviews were conducted with start-ups from all over Switzerland for the study on the Swiss start-up market. The overview of the development of company start-ups in Switzerland in the first quarter of 2025 also shows that the topic of "founding" continues to play an important role. According to the IFJ Institute for Young Entrepreneurs, the number of start-ups reached a new high of 13,983 entries in the commercial register, which corresponds to an increase of 3.9% compared to the previous year. This development underlines the growing interest in self-employment and entrepreneurship in Switzerland. Particularly noteworthy is the high proportion of new business activities, which account for around 70% of new start-ups. A further fifth of start-ups are based on the continuation of existing companies.
Independence as a driver for company founders
The founders' motivation varies, but the survey shows that the desire for more independence and freedom is the most common motivation at 40%. Other important factors are the opportunity for self-realization (31%) and the use of their own skills (28%). These results reflect the fact that personal rather than financial goals are at the forefront for many founders.
Challenges exist above all before the start-up, especially with regard to order acquisition and administrative tasks. After the start-up, the difficulties shift primarily to issues such as marketing and customer acquisition. It is pleasing to note that the pressure of worry is significantly reduced after the start-up.
Growth-oriented start-up scene in Switzerland
The analysis shows that the western and central regions of Switzerland in particular, as well as Zurich and Basel, have seen strong growth in the number of new start-ups. The GmbH legal form remains the most popular, followed by the AG. The diversified industry landscape is dominated by the consulting, craft and real estate sectors, reflecting the versatility of the Swiss start-up scene.
Overall, the Swiss start-up scene will be resilient and growth-oriented in 2025. Thanks to a stable economic foundation, support from public and private institutions and an innovative entrepreneurial spirit, Switzerland will remain an attractive location for start-ups.
Source and further information: IFJ
