In Denmark approximately 20.000 new companies are being established every year, but the number has significantly decreased during the financial crises in the years 2008 and 2009. In 2010 the negative development has turned, and the number of newly registered companies has since been stagnated. The figure below shows the development of registered new companies in the period 2001 – 2011:

During the period 2001-2008 between, 17.000 and 24.000 new companies was registered in Denmark. In 2011 the number is significantly lower than when the economic crisis set in, in 2008 and equals today the number registered in 2005. In addition, statistics show, that only half of the new established companies survive the first five years and only a few of those who survive grows bigger and creates growth. In the same period the number of companies struck by bankruptcy has tripled – from app. 2000 in 2007 – to app. 6.500 in 2010.

Only 1 % of the entrepreneurs become “growth entrepreneurs”, which indicates their potential for job creation. Therefore, in addition to the decrease in the number of entrepreneurs in Denmark, it has caught political attention, that most of the new established companies remain small. Less than 2 pct. of the new companies grow to a size with more than a 100 employees – only 10 pct. grow to a size with more than 50. This has caused our Government to launch a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the number of entrepreneurs and to keep their business alive and healthy, in the critical start-up phase (see chapter 6.2.3.).

(The Danish Business Authority http://www.ebst.dk,)