Inhalt
A Powerful Location
Initiative for Medium-Sized Businesses
There are almost 650,000 medium-sized businesses in Bavaria, forming the backbone of the state's economy. Together they account for more than 41% of the total turnover and more than 50% of the total investments in Bavaria. 75% of the employees and 83% of the trainees are employed by small and medium-sized companies.
A major role is played here by the more than 175,000 skilled crafts and trades firms in Bavaria, which employ almost 900,000 people and train more than a third of all apprentices. The wide range of medium-sized companies ensures a healthy economic structure in Bavaria. Medium-sized businesses are represented in many sectors, occupy market niches, and are especially strong on innovation. Their diversity and flexibility mean that they can respond quickly to new developments on the market and make good use of opportunities for the future.
The state's policy towards medium-sized businesses is specifically geared to supporting their growth. To encourage investment in medium-sized companies, Bavaria has a programme of loans for medium-sized firms with attractive financing offers, for example to expand the business or start up new companies; this has resulted in more than 47,000 new jobs being created in Bavaria. The technology transfer of the universities and research facilities in Bavaria encourage more innovations by medium-sized businesses; the Bavarian ‘Cluster Initiative' for networks between research and businesses throughout the state is specifically tailored to medium-sized companies. To allow more scope for independent activity by medium-sized firms, Bavaria is aiming at less bureaucracy and fewer regulations; in this way new ideas can be put into practice quickly and simply.
The number of people in Bavaria who are self-employed and who found new businesses is above the national average. Bavaria is at the head of the national start-up statistics. In this way new jobs with a secure future are created, particularly in the high-tech field, in the new media, in ecology, and in the health sector. Bavaria provides new businesses with additional backing by means of its start-up centres, which accompany newly-founded firms throughout the state and assist them with concrete advice and services. The specialised start-up centres for biotechnology in Martinsried and for environmental technology in Augsburg in particular are popular addresses for people founding companies for these technologies of the future.
The Proportion of Self-Employed People as a percentage of the total workforce
| Bavaria | 11.9% |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 11.8% |
| Hesse | 11.3% |
| Germany |
10.8% |
Proportion of Industrial Exports 2004 Export turnover as a proportion of total turnover
| Rhineland-Palatinate | 45.8% |
| Baden-Württemberg | 45.0% |
| Bavaria | 44.9% |
| Germany | 39.6% |
