(28.01.2026) Switzerland continues to offer favorable framework conditions for entrepreneurs. "Early-stage entrepreneurial activity" (TEA, companies less than three-and-a-half years old) accounted for 9.9% of the working population in 2024, according to the GEM Switzerland National Report 2024/2025 by the Fribourg School of Management.
After a sharp contraction in 2022 (7.4%) due in particular to the war in Ukraine and the surge in energy prices, followed by a recovery in 2023 (10.3%), this result points to a stabilization of the situation.
The report indicates that almost 49% of people aged 18 to 64 perceived good business opportunities in their region in 2024, a figure slightly down compared with 2023 (52.5%). Around 56.2% of respondents also reported knowing someone who founded their own company in 2024, compared with 44.6% in 2020. These results indicate increased entrepreneurial willingness and the visibility of entrepreneurship in Switzerland.
The main motivations for starting a business range from the desire to ''make a difference in the world'' (52.3%) and a lack of salaried employment opportunities (44%), to the prospect of building significant wealth or generating high income (39.4%), as well as taking over a family business (15.6%).
Almost half of Swiss residents (44.4%) believe they have the skills to start their own business. However, only around 10% report a concrete intention to engage in entrepreneurial activity, a higher level than in 2020 (7.3%) but unchanged since 2022. The risk of failure remains a significant barrier for 37.3% of respondents in 2024.
Although Switzerland benefits from excellent framework conditions for entrepreneurship, cultural and structural obstacles continue to curb entrepreneurial willingness. The authors of the study recommend strengthening the entrepreneurial mindset within education so that the population acquires the knowledge and confidence needed to start a business.
Last modification 28.01.2026
