| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Economic activity 2) | Share (%) | ||||||||||||||||||
B 05-09 Mining and quarrying | 18.1 | 8.9 | 12.6 | 18.5 | 12.6 | 13.2 | 8.2 | 9.5 | 11.4 | 19.5 | 11.7 | 10.2 | 9.4 | 17.4 | 8.2 | 16.7 | 14.0 | 16.2 | 15.0 |
C 10-33 Manufacturing | 16.5 | 18.0 | 20.1 | 19.4 | 15.2 | 16.2 | 14.8 | 12.3 | 14.6 | 13.1 | 12.1 | 13.3 | 17.3 | 16.7 | 15.7 | 18.2 | 16.3 | 17.7 | 17.0 |
C 10-12 Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco products | 10.5 | 10.5 | 19.4 | 11.6 | 12.2 | 13.2 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 8.9 | 5.8 | 4.1 | 8.2 | 5.4 | 12.9 | 7.3 | 12.2 | 14.1 | 15.1 | 12.4 |
C 13-15 Manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel and of leather and related products | 18.9 | 20.3 | 15.5 | 9.6 | 16.1 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 9.0 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 13.3 | 9.4 | 22.0 | 16.2 | 11.1 | 16.7 | 14.1 | 15.8 | 23.6 |
C 16-18 Manufacture of wood (except furniture), paper and paper products; printing and reproduction of recorded media | 16.1 | 21.8 | 12.5 | 19.0 | 12.2 | 13.8 | 16.9 | 9.7 | 10.2 | 15.7 | 13.8 | 10.8 | 16.3 | 10.6 | 13.3 | 20.8 | 16.9 | 15.6 | 12.9 |
C 19 Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products | 26.6 | 25.7 | 37.3 | 26.8 | 37.1 | 37.7 | 43.0 | 28.9 | 26.1 | 52.1 | 41.7 | 35.2 | 51.4 | 53.5 | 51.2 | 70.4 | 65.1 | 55.8 | 52.3 |
C 20 Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products | 24.5 | 28.2 | 36.6 | 25.8 | 20.3 | 30.5 | 17.7 | 19.1 | 20.9 | 21.3 | 21.9 | 18.2 | 31.0 | 19.7 | 25.3 | 26.9 | 27.4 | 21.5 | 15.8 |
C 21 Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations | 20.8 | 33.3 | 22.7 | 19.0 | 28.7 | 29.7 | 27.1 | 25.4 | 19.4 | 20.1 | 19.6 | 31.5 | 26.0 | 28.5 | 25.0 | 31.5 | 29.1 | 29.1 | 33.6 |
C 22 Manufacture of rubber and plastic products | 24.4 | 17.0 | 25.0 | 23.2 | 22.4 | 34.9 | 24.8 | 15.7 | 18.0 | 17.8 | 16.6 | 17.0 | 20.6 | 21.3 | 24.7 | 20.2 | 19.3 | 18.2 | 16.8 |
C 23 Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products | 19.1 | 17.1 | 14.0 | 13.8 | 13.0 | 9.2 | 11.9 | 5.5 | 14.6 | 11.4 | 10.4 | 12.9 | 18.0 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 20.5 | 14.1 | 14.7 | 11.5 |
C 24 Manufacture of basic metals | 27.4 | 31.5 | 25.2 | 33.5 | 32.8 | 17.9 | 14.4 | 10.8 | 13.2 | 15.4 | 18.9 | 19.6 | 23.7 | 16.2 | 23.4 | 27.8 | 19.5 | 18.8 | 21.7 |
C 25 Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment | 11.0 | 12.9 | 19.9 | 21.4 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 14.5 | 10.7 | 17.0 | 10.5 | 14.3 | 11.1 | 17.3 | 19.6 | 17.7 | 19.4 | 16.9 | 16.9 | 15.9 |
C 26 Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products | 25.6 | 22.4 | 22.9 | 25.1 | 22.0 | 25.6 | 20.4 | 17.7 | 19.8 | 18.5 | 17.2 | 23.9 | 26.8 | 26.9 | 17.9 | 27.7 | 20.0 | 22.7 | 26.8 |
C 27 Manufacture of electrical equipment | 31.9 | 27.0 | 33.6 | 22.0 | 18.1 | 21.5 | 16.7 | 22.4 | 13.9 | 20.1 | 21.5 | 15.7 | 29.0 | 27.8 | 18.2 | 27.4 | 17.5 | 16.4 | 27.8 |
C 28 Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. | 26.4 | 31.4 | 25.5 | 25.0 | 16.6 | 16.1 | 19.4 | 16.5 | 22.1 | 19.0 | 12.1 | 16.6 | 23.6 | 15.6 | 17.5 | 23.3 | 18.9 | 21.1 | 22.4 |
C 29 Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers | 18.7 | 25.4 | 35.1 | 22.0 | 24.2 | 24.7 | 23.0 | 26.0 | 16.3 | 28.4 | 24.0 | 30.2 | 24.9 | 25.6 | 32.0 | 32.8 | 25.5 | 27.3 | 33.9 |
C 30 Manufacture of other transport equipment | 15.3 | 14.1 | 23.6 | 40.9 | 33.4 | 23.7 | 21.9 | 25.3 | 18.7 | 30.8 | 19.7 | 34.5 | 34.5 | 22.7 | 25.9 | 20.3 | 28.8 | 28.2 | 18.8 |
C 31-32 Manufacture of furniture; other manufacturing | 12.9 | 11.0 | 15.3 | 20.7 | 13.4 | 12.0 | 13.4 | 11.6 | 15.0 | 8.7 | 5.7 | 11.0 | 14.2 | 14.4 | 14.8 | 8.2 | 12.1 | 19.2 | 14.7 |
C 33 Repair and installation of machinery and equipment | 5.4 | 19.3 | 10.3 | 13.0 | 6.8 | 8.7 | 4.1 | 6.3 | 5.3 | 12.3 | 11.1 | 13.2 | 12.0 | 10.5 | 12.5 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 14.6 | 12.8 |
D 35, E 36-39 Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 12.4 | 13.2 | 12.3 | 11.5 | 8.4 | 9.8 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 9.4 | 9.0 | 4.8 | 10.0 | 9.9 | 8.1 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 8.4 | 11.0 | 15.8 |
D 35 Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 12.5 | 10.6 | 12.2 | 4.1 | 11.4 | 8.2 | 5.4 | 15.8 | 8.1 | 9.7 | 6.4 | 13.5 | 14.3 | 10.7 | 18.5 | 10.9 | 13.0 | 10.2 | 23.2 |
E 36-37 Water collection, treatment and supply; sewerage | 6.1 | 11.3 | 6.6 | 12.0 | 6.5 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 4.0 | 11.8 | 9.1 | 3.0 | 10.3 | 5.5 | 6.1 | 3.3 | 12.9 | 2.0 | 13.0 | 13.3 |
E 38-39 Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery; remediation activities and other waste management services | 15.3 | 15.2 | 15.1 | 14.2 | 8.0 | 11.2 | 7.7 | 4.7 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 4.8 | 7.9 | 10.0 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.6 |
G 46; H 49-53; J 58-63; K 64-66; M 69/70.2, 71-74; N 78-82 Business-related services | 10.2 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 10.8 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 6.1 | 8.5 | 11.0 | 12.6 | 10.3 | 11.4 | 9.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 |
G 46 Wholesale trade (except of motor vehicles and motorcycles) | 10.0 | 9.8 | 7.5 | 10.8 | 10.5 | 7.1 | 9.4 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 13.5 | 14.7 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 6.5 | 11.5 | 13.2 |
H 49-53 Transportation and storage | 6.9 | 9.2 | 12.7 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 4.4 | 9.4 | 7.2 | 11.9 | 4.5 | 8.2 | 7.2 | 10.1 | 6.3 |
J 58-60 Publishing activities; motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities; programming and broadcasting activities | 12.2 | 21.2 | 16.0 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 12.9 | 10.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 6.4 | 11.0 | 12.4 | 16.6 | 8.2 | 22.5 | 18.6 |
J 61-63 Telecommunications; computer programming, consultancy and related activities; information service activities | 14.9 | 13.4 | 15.6 | 15.6 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 13.1 | 8.5 | 14.6 | 10.5 | 22.0 | 16.0 | 17.5 | 19.3 | 22.0 | 15.3 | 18.5 | 19.9 |
K 64-66 Financial and insurance activities | 19.0 | 22.6 | 22.2 | 23.2 | 16.6 | 17.8 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 17.0 | 16.2 | 19.8 | 22.2 | 19.9 | 18.0 | 16.9 | 17.8 | 10.7 |
M 69/70.2 Legal and accounting activities; management consultancy activities | 9.3 | 13.0 | 13.1 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 11.4 | 8.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 6.1 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 7.5 | 10.5 | 11.1 | 12.1 | 9.7 | 12.0 | 10.6 |
M 71-72 Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis; scientific research and development | 13.9 | 13.8 | 17.5 | 13.8 | 10.3 | 9.8 | 10.5 | 5.7 | 8.2 | 6.6 | 8.0 | 6.5 | 10.5 | 10.4 | 10.0 | 14.5 | 10.9 | 10.5 | 13.1 |
M 73-74 Advertising and market research; other professional, scientific and technical activities | 7.4 | 26.7 | 13.4 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 15.8 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 12.4 | 12.0 | 22.1 | 15.4 | 13.9 | 18.4 | 20.6 | 26.1 | 18.7 |
N 78-82 Other business services | 8.8 | 9.4 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 6.0 | 8.8 | 5.9 | 8.5 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 9.8 | 8.9 | 4.8 | 6.5 | 14.1 | 12.3 |
| Employment size class | Share (%) | ||||||||||||||||||
5 to 9 employees | 5.3 | 9.5 | 11.0 | 7.8 | 6.8 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 5.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 7.5 | 9.8 | 11.2 | 7.1 | 11.1 | 7.8 | 13.2 | 12.0 |
10 to 19 employees | 15.0 | 13.8 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 6.0 | 7.7 | 10.4 | 11.9 | 9.7 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 12.0 | 9.9 |
20 to 49 employees | 14.8 | 16.3 | 18.5 | 17.6 | 14.0 | 12.1 | 11.0 | 8.3 | 9.8 | 10.0 | 9.1 | 10.6 | 13.6 | 13.1 | 13.6 | 15.8 | 11.1 | 14.1 | 14.4 |
50 to 99 employees | 18.9 | 21.2 | 20.4 | 22.4 | 21.6 | 18.6 | 14.2 | 13.7 | 12.9 | 14.6 | 12.1 | 13.1 | 19.1 | 16.2 | 19.0 | 18.6 | 20.5 | 19.0 | 16.9 |
100 to 249 employees | 26.6 | 25.9 | 25.6 | 31.9 | 24.9 | 26.2 | 19.5 | 20.2 | 19.5 | 20.6 | 17.7 | 19.4 | 23.0 | 25.8 | 25.0 | 21.4 | 22.0 | 19.8 | 25.0 |
Subtotal 5 to 249 employees | 11.8 | 13.6 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 10.7 | 10.8 | 9.9 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 8.9 | 7.2 | 9.2 | 12.2 | 12.9 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 10.5 | 13.9 | 13.0 |
250 to 499 employees | 36.4 | 32.2 | 35.0 | 40.1 | 37.6 | 40.3 | 29.3 | 27.5 | 26.2 | 27.4 | 24.9 | 28.6 | 25.7 | 35.3 | 29.5 | 33.4 | 28.4 | 31.0 | 29.3 |
500 to 999 employees | 42.6 | 41.6 | 43.9 | 48.5 | 37.9 | 42.1 | 35.9 | 35.8 | 37.7 | 36.2 | 37.3 | 38.0 | 40.6 | 40.2 | 39.0 | 43.1 | 36.7 | 38.4 | 38.0 |
1,000 and more employees | 66.5 | 67.9 | 68.9 | 68.2 | 67.6 | 65.3 | 65.3 | 65.0 | 63.7 | 63.9 | 64.4 | 61.7 | 63.7 | 64.4 | 64.0 | 62.9 | 64.1 | 64.0 | 58.8 |
Subtotal 250 and more employees | 43.4 | 41.0 | 43.4 | 47.2 | 43.1 | 45.3 | 37.4 | 36.2 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 34.6 | 36.4 | 35.9 | 41.5 | 37.7 | 40.8 | 36.5 | 38.4 | 36.7 |
Total | 12.6 | 14.3 | 15.2 | 13.9 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 10.7 | 8.5 | 9.1 | 9.7 | 8.0 | 10.1 | 12.9 | 13.8 | 11.9 | 13.4 | 11.3 | 14.6 | 13.7 |
Source: ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research - Mannheim Innovation Panel, special evaluation
Notes:
1) As of 2018, data are only partially comparable with those of previous years due to changes in the definition and measurement of innovations (according to the Oslo Manual, 4th edition). Values from 2019 onwards are only partially comparable with values up to 2018, as the reporting population of the innovation survey increased following a change in definitions in the business register (enterprise size classes are defined based on employees in dependent employment rather than employees subject to social security contributions, which resulted in an increase in the number of enterprises with five or more employees). Values from 2024 onwards are only partially comparable with values up to 2023, as the reporting population of the innovation survey increased due to a further change in definitions in the business register (enterprise size classes now also include persons in secondary employment, which further increased the number of enterprises with five or more employees). All figures are extrapolated to the population of enterprises with five or more employees in Germany.
2) Classification of Economic Activities - 2008 edition (based on NACE 2008 - Nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté européenne).
Last update: January 27, 2026
This work is licensed under a Data licence Germany attribution 2.0.
(https://www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0)
(https://www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0)