Migrant Founders Monitor 2023 (Startup-Verband)

Summary

• Founders with a migration background make up 21% of the startup ecosystem in Germany, of whom 58% were born outside Germany.p.4
• 75% of first-generation migrant founders have a university degree and ambitious growth plans, versus 55% among founders overall.p.4
• 62% of first-generation migrant founders' startups have already raised external capital (57% for startups in general).p.20
• 75% of first-generation migrant founders plan further financing in the next 12 months, on average almost €5 million (€3.1 million for startups in general).p.20
• First-generation migrant founders generate more revenue abroad (33% vs. 20% for startups in general).p.4
• Among first-generation migrant founders, 42% feel at a disadvantage in contact with authorities and 31% in contact with banks.p.4
• Among first-generation migrant founders, 30% aim for exits of €1 billion or more.p.15

Key insights

1. At around 60% of unicorns in Germany, at least one founder is a migrant founder.p.3
2. 29% of first-generation migrant founders came to Germany to study and 22% for a job; only 8% came specifically to found a company.p.4
3. 380 founders with a migration background of the first or second generation took part in the German Startup Monitor 2022.p.8
4. Among first-generation migrant founders 94.5% hold a university degree, versus 87.2% in the DSM 2022 overall.p.13
5. On average 51% of first-generation migrant founders' employees come from abroad, versus 28% for startups overall.p.27
6. Among first-generation migrant founders 56.8% perceive disadvantages because of their migration background, versus 29.1% in the second generation.p.30
7. Migrant founders are part of female and mixed teams more often, at 44%.p.28