Increase in Swiss business start-ups in Q1

Increase in business start-ups in the 1st quarter Keystone-SDA

The number of business start-ups in Switzerland accelerated in the first three months of the year, with entrepreneurs being particularly dynamic in Central Switzerland, Basel and Geneva.

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In all, some 13,983 companies were founded in the first quarter, an increase of 3.9% year-on-year, according to a survey published on Monday by the IFJ Institute of Entrepreneurs and PostFinance Bank. A jump of 40.9% was seen in canton Obwalden and 32.4% in neighbouring Nidwalden.

Appenzell Inner Rhodes (+44.8%), Schaffhausen (+28.3%), Zug (+21.2%) and Geneva (+19.2%) also posted strong growth rates. In contrast, business start-ups collapsed in Uri (-27.9%), Glarus (-18.8%) and Jura (-11.2%).

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The most dynamic sectors over the past three months include consultancy firms, craftsmen and real estate.

To explain this positive trend, the authors of the study cite “personal reasons”. “Financial objectives are not the key factor, but rather the desire to be more independent and to achieve personal goals,” they added.

Many entrepreneurs also start up part-time, giving them greater flexibility during the start-up period.

Translated from French by DeepL/ts

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