At present, 25 of the 29 Unicorns in Germany are still managed by founders. Unicorns are non-listed start-ups that are valued at one billion euros or more. “Germany is on the right track to provide young tech companies with better conditions for growth and success. More innovative, high-growth startups are an important contribution to digital sovereignty,” says Bitkom President Dr Ralf Wintergerst.
The most important demand from successful founders to politicians is a significant reduction in bureaucracy (79 percent). Around two thirds (64 percent) are in favour of easier market access, for example through the harmonization of the EU single market. 43% see a need for better access to growth capital in Germany, 36% for simplified recruitment of skilled workers from abroad, for example through faster visa procedures. And 29% would like to see opportunities for faster testing of innovations, for example through real laboratories. Wintergerst: “The German government has placed the reduction of bureaucracy at the center of its policy. Startups and scaleups in Germany would benefit directly from this,” says Wintergerst.
8 out of 10 expect a unicorn IPO in 2026
With regard to German unicorns, founders are optimistic. 8 out of 10 (79%) expect at least one billion-euro startup to go public this year. However, only 29 percent believe that this will take place on a German stock exchange, 50 percent expect the USA and 7 percent another EU country.
And the situation for start-ups in Germany has improved in another area. 57% of respondents feel that they are generally appreciated as founders in Germany, compared to just 41% a year ago. Conversely, 36% stated that they do not feel valued (2025: 35%).
Methodological note
The data is based on a survey conducted by Get Started, Bitkom’s startup initiative. This involved an online survey of 14 founders of the 25 unicorns currently active in management in Germany to which this applies. There are a total of 29 unicorns in Germany. The survey is not representative. The survey took place in the period from week 52/2025 to week 2/2026. The questions were: “Looking ahead to 2026 – do you think that Germany will be a more attractive location for innovative tech companies in twelve months’ time than it is today?”, “In your opinion, which top 3 political measures should be taken to make Germany a more attractive location for unicorns and scale-ups?”, “Do you feel that your work as a founder is generally valued in Germany?”, “If you were faced with the decision again, would you currently found a new company?” and “Do you expect German unicorns to go public in the next 12 months?”
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Further links
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