Record number of company foundations: over 51,600 companies were founded for the first time in 2023
The Swiss commercial register will count 51,637 newly registered companies for the year coming to an end, more than ever before. Compared to the previous year, this represents a whopping increase of 3.2%. Growth was driven primarily by the AI sector, where a great deal of expertise is concentrated among the younger generation. This is shown by surveys conducted by the online platform STARTUPS.CH. The positive trend in the sector is likely to continue in 2024.
In 2023, the Swiss commercial register will show a record-high number of 51,637 newly registered companies. This corresponds to an increase of 3.2% compared to the previous year, which was still heavily influenced by fears of inflation and the crash of the crypto market. The figures are based on surveys and projections by STARTUPS.CH.
Strong decade – younger people on the rise
A look at the past decade also shows how strongly the start-up sector has developed. Just ten years ago, the number of new entries was around 40,800. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is creating a new starting position in many areas and is also driving further growth in the start-up sector.
Younger people are scoring particularly well in the use of AI. In 2023, around
40 percent of start-ups will be founded by 28 to 37-year-olds in 2023, while less than a quarter will be founded by 38 to 47-year-olds. The latter were still in the lead around five years ago.
Younger people use social media to access capital and as a sales channel
“Younger people are excellently networked via social media. They use social media to gain access to capital and at the same time cleverly use their digital network as a sales channel for their projects and newly founded companies,” says Michele Blasucci, founder and CEO of STARTUPS.CH. “This trend will become even more pronounced. With this in mind, we are confident that growth in the start-up sector will continue in 2024,” he adds.
Newly registered companies by sector in 2023 (in percent)
Age of founders (2023 compared to 2022)
Nationality of founders (2023 compared to 2022)
Calculate a non-binding quote now and start your own company online.
