The source adds the following information: The data cover the 'non-financial business economy', which includes industry, construction, trade, and services (NACE Rev. 2 sections B to J, L, M and N), but not enterprises in agriculture, forestry and fisheries and the largely non-market service sectors such as education and health. The following size-class definitions are applied: micro firms (0-9 persons employed), small firms (10-49 persons employed), medium-sized firms (50-249 persons employed), and large firms (250+ persons employed). The advantage of using Eurostat data is that the statistics are harmonised and comparable across countries. The disadvantage is that for some countries the data may be different from those published by national authorities.
In 2025, the number of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Germany was estimated at approximately *** million. Of these enterprises, the vast majority were micro-sized enterprises which employed up to nine people. Small enterprises which employed between 10 and 49 people, numbered around **, while there were around * medium-sized enterprises which employed between 50 and 249 people.
People employed by SMEs
Of the **** million people employed by SMEs in Germany in 2024, around *** million people were employed by micro-sized enterprises, *** million by small ones and around *** million by medium-sized firms. As a contribution to the non-financial sector of the German economy, SMEs employed **** percent of the German workforce.
SMEs contribution to the economy
The amount added to the German economy by SMEs increased from *** billion Euros in 2011 to *** billion Euros by 2018. In this year, medium-sized businesses added*** billion, with small and micro sized enterprises adding *** billion and *** billion respectively.
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European Commission. (May 21, 2025). Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany from 2008 to 2023 with forecasts until 2025, by size [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 16, 2026, from /statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/
European Commission. "Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany from 2008 to 2023 with forecasts until 2025, by size." Chart. May 21, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 16, 2026. /statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/
European Commission. (2025). Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany from 2008 to 2023 with forecasts until 2025, by size. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 16, 2026. /statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/
European Commission. "Number of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Smes) in Germany from 2008 to 2023 with Forecasts until 2025, by Size." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 21 May 2025, /statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/
European Commission, Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany from 2008 to 2023 with forecasts until 2025, by size ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/ (last visited July 16, 2026)
Number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany from 2008 to 2023 with forecasts until 2025, by size [Graph], European Commission, May 21, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/
