“AI makes many office tasks—and software development in particular—more efficient. Startups are, on the one hand, technological pioneers and, on the other hand, particularly reliant on deploying their employees as efficiently as possible,” says Bitkom President Dr. Ralf Wintergerst.
6 out of 10 startups expect employee numbers to rise by 2026
On average, startups currently have 12 employees and one open position. A year ago, the average was 13 employees; in 2024, it was even 15. This year, 6 out of 10 startups (62 percent) expect their headcount to rise, by an average of 4 additional employees. Only 6 percent plan to cut jobs, while 26 percent expect no change. Over the next twelve months, AI will have no impact on staffing needs at roughly half of all startups (47 percent); 7 percent are still unsure or declined to comment. Only 2 percent of startups plan to cut jobs due to AI; in just over one in four (28 percent), new hires will be postponed because of AI—but in nearly one in five (19 percent), additional staff will be hired due to the use of AI.
Methodology Note
The data is based on a survey conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital association Bitkom. A total of 102 tech startups from Germany were surveyed online. The survey took place between calendar weeks 21 and 27 of 2026. The survey is not representative of the general population but provides a meaningful snapshot of sentiment among tech startups in Germany. The questions asked were: “How many employees, including all founders, are currently employed at your startup?”, “How many open positions are there currently at your startup?”, “How is the number of employees at your startup expected to develop in 2026?”, “What impact does the use of AI have on your staffing needs?” and “What impact will the use of AI have on your staffing needs?”
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Related Links
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