(15.01.2025) Entrepreneurship is thriving in Switzerland. In 2024, a total of 52,978 new companies were registered in the commercial registry – an increase of 1,341 compared to the previous year (+2.6%). The fourth quarter alone saw nearly 14,000 new businesses created, according to the Institut für Jungunternehmen (IFJ).
Over the past decade, the number of new businesses has risen significantly, from around 40,000 in 2014 to almost 53,000 in 2024. Last year’s figures also far surpassed the decade’s average (+13.8%). The study revealed that more than one in ten employees in Switzerland now works for a company less than ten years old.
The report's authors believe this new record, which breaks the previous one set in 2023, reflects the growing interest among the workforce in pursuing independent projects. Many Swiss entrepreneurs begin their ventures part-time to reduce risk. The IFJ highlights that entrepreneurship has a major impact on the national economy, fostering competition, driving innovation, and potentially creating new jobs.
In 2024, the most dynamic sectors were craftsmanship (5,555 new companies), consulting (5,256), real estate (4,883), and retail trade (4,585).
Business creation was particularly robust in the Lake Geneva region. The cantons of Geneva (+4.7%), Valais (+10.7%), and Vaud (+5.5%) achieved a combined annual growth rate of 6.3%. Other regions also recorded increases: Mittelland (+3.4%), Ticino (+3%), Central Switzerland (+2%), Zurich (+1.2%), and Eastern Switzerland (+1.1%). Northwestern Switzerland (-1%) was the only region to see a decline in new registrations in 2024.
Last modification 14.01.2025
