In a special analysis of the KfW startup monitor for “Spiegel”, younger Germans overwhelmingly prefer self‑employment over working as an employee.
When asked, “Independent of your current personal situation: If you could choose, would you rather be employed or self‑employed?” nearly three‑quarters of respondents aged 18 to 29 said they would choose to be self‑employed (72 %); only 24 % preferred an employee role, and the remaining 4 % said they would like neither.
Among those 30 and older, a smaller share would favour self‑employment (65 %), while 30 % preferred being employed, and the rest leaned toward neither option.
For the 18‑ to 29‑year‑olds, the top reason for seeking self‑employment was the desire to become independent and realise themselves (43 %). A quarter cited a higher income as the driving factor, 12 % pointed to their business idea, 9 % to supporting themselves, and 8 % wanted to advance their career.
According to the KfW data, the median amount of capital that young adults use to start a business is €5,000, whereas older starters put on average around €6,000.
The KfW startup monitor is conducted annually, and this particular set of results reflects the average of start‑ups between 2020 and 2024.
