50,000 new companies in 2022
The year 2022 was marked by geopolitical and economic uncertainties which have an impact on Switzerland. Despite this, the mood for company formation in Swiss society remains high: Almost 50,000 new companies were entered in the commercial register in 2022.
The study "National Analysis of Swiss Company Formations 2022" by the IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen shows that 49,398 new companies were entered in the commercial register in 2022. This corresponds to a slight decrease of -1.4% compared to the previous year. The 10-year comparison is also significantly higher than the average of the last 10 years at +12.6%.
Zurich as a start-up engine, Uri as a "start-up muffle
There are some regional differences in start-up activity. For example, the greater Zurich region recorded an increase of +1.9% in 2022 compared with 2021. New startups in the greater regions of southwestern Switzerland (-0.3%), Ticino (-0.3%) and eastern Switzerland (-1.5%) are at a high level as in the previous year, with slight differences. In central Switzerland (-4.5%), Espace Mittelland (-3.3%) and northwestern Switzerland (-1.9%), on the other hand, far fewer new companies were founded than in 2021. The canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden recorded the largest percentage increase in new companies in 2022 with +12.8 percent compared to 2021, while the canton of Uri saw the lowest drop in the number of founders with -11.1 percent.
Many new companies are founded by women
Founding a company is not just a man's business; women continue to catch up: Meanwhile, 36.6% of all new companies are founded by women alone, as the IFJ's analysis notes. In 9.5% of all new startups, a founding team of women and men is behind it. At just over half, 53.9% of all new firms are founded by men. Thus, 46% of all new registrations involve one or more women - this value is higher than often assumed, says media spokesman Pascal Hollenstein of the IFJ.
Start-ups by industry
The top growth industries in 2022 include Marketing & Communications (+15.9%), Transportation & Logistics (+15.1%), and Healthcare (+11.5%). The Wholesale Trade (-13.3%), Agriculture & Forestry (-12.4%), and Retail Trade (-8.7%) industries show the highest percentage declines. The Transport & Logistics and Marketing & Communication sectors recorded the strongest declines in 2021/2020, which have now been compensated for in 2022. Numerically, the highest number of startups will be in the trades, real estate, consulting and retail trade sectors.
New companies as a sign of a well-functioning economy
Despite geopolitical crises, rising inflation and emerging fears of recession, the Swiss economy still seems to be holding up better than those in other European countries. Private consumption and the labor market are stable, and the unemployment rate is at a record low. Against this backdrop, the IFJ states in its analysis that new companies are an essential component of a well-functioning Swiss economy: Every year, start-ups create around 56,000 new jobs. 13.3% of all employed persons are self-employed. That is around 623,000 entrepreneurs. This puts Switzerland in a leading position in Europe.
Outlook for 2023
Based on current indicators, the IFJ expects a slight decline to a stable high number of start-ups in Switzerland in 2023. If uncertainty factors such as the energy shortage, the Ukraine war or global supply chain problems can be resolved at an early stage, this would also benefit entrepreneurship. The past has shown that in both good and difficult times, founders tackle challenges with their own innovative solutions and a lot of self-determination, writes the IFJ.
Source: IFJ Institute for Young Enterprises
