Business Registrations H1 2026: Berlin Stable, Brandenburg with a Plus
The business registration landscape in the capital region presented a varied picture in the first half of 2026. Berlin registered 22,306 new businesses, a slight decrease of 0.5% compared to the previous year. In contrast, Brandenburg saw a significant 10.8% increase with 11,142 registrations. Simultaneously, deregistration figures declined in both states, with Berlin recording a substantial 8.3% drop. These findings are based on press releases No. 100 and 101 from the Office for Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg.
Ultimately, both regions maintained a clearly positive balance. Berlin recorded 22,306 registrations against 14,988 deregistrations, while Brandenburg had 11,142 registrations versus 7,954 deregistrations. This translates to approximately 7,300 more businesses established than closed in Berlin, and around 3,200 in Brandenburg during the same period.
Berlin: Registrations Almost Unchanged, Fewer Closures
Of Berlin’s 22,306 registrations, 20,748 were genuine new establishments (approximately 93%), with the remainder comprising relocations, takeovers, and changes in legal form. Deregistration figures showed a significant decline, with 14,988 deregistrations marking an 8.3% decrease from the previous year. Of these, 13,716 were complete business closures (91.5%). The reduction in deregistrations is therefore more pronounced than the slight dip in new establishments.
Brandenburg: Strong Growth in New Establishments
Brandenburg, on the other hand, experienced double-digit growth in registrations. A total of 11,142 new businesses represent a 10.8% increase compared to the first half of 2025. Of these, 9,024 were genuine new establishments, accounting for 81% of all registrations. Deregistrations decreased by 4.9% to 7,954, including 6,459 complete business closures. While the proportion of new establishments among all registrations is slightly lower in Brandenburg than in Berlin, the absolute growth is considerably stronger.
Business Statistics for H1 2026 at a Glance:
- Registrations Berlin: 22,306 (-0.5% year-on-year)
- Deregistrations Berlin: 14,988 (-8.3%)
- Registrations Brandenburg: 11,142 (+10.8%)
- Deregistrations Brandenburg: 7,954 (-4.9%)
- New Establishments Berlin / Brandenburg: 20,748 / 9,024
- Complete Closures Berlin / Brandenburg: 13,716 / 6,459
- Female Share of Sole Proprietorships Berlin / Brandenburg: 34.3% / 38.7%
- Foreign Founders of Sole Proprietorships Berlin / Brandenburg: 42.1% / 18.7%
Retail Remains the Top Founding Sector
A look at the sectors reveals a similar picture in both regions. In Berlin, trade and vehicle repair lead with 4,058 registrations, followed by economic services (2,961) and construction (2,150). Retail alone accounts for 80.3% of trade registrations, indicating the strong role of new establishments in Berlin’s retail sector.
In Brandenburg, trade recorded 2,330 registrations, also taking the lead, followed by other economic services (1,762) and professional or technical services (1,230). Here too, retail dominates, making up 65.6% of trade registrations. The construction sector plays an important role in both regions, though with a caveat in Berlin: 2,150 registrations are offset by 2,200 deregistrations, meaning the sector is shrinking in Berlin.
Who is Founding? Women and Foreign Founders
Most new businesses are established as sole proprietorships: 17,291 in Berlin and 8,534 in Brandenburg. The proportion of female founders in Brandenburg is noticeably higher at 38.7% (3,302 registrations) than in Berlin at 34.3%. For deregistrations, the female share is slightly lower in both regions than for registrations.
The proportion of foreign founders differs significantly between the two regions. In Berlin, they account for almost half of all sole proprietorship establishments at 42.1% (7,279 registrations). Brandenburg has a considerably lower, but still significant, share at 18.7% (1,600 registrations). This indicates that Berlin’s start-up activity continues to be strongly driven by international founders.
What This Means for the Region
The positive balance of registrations and deregistration serves as an important early indicator: more new establishments than closures in both regions, even within a somewhat cautious economic environment. Coupled with recently reported earnings and consumer prices, the statistics paint a picture of a region where the economy remains dynamic.
Those wishing to become self-employed with their own business can find examples of the region’s diverse sector structure in our business directory. Detailed figures on legal forms, economic sectors, and districts or administrative areas are regularly published by the Office for Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg on its website.
Source: https://www.in-berlin-brandenburg.com/news/gewerbeanmeldungen-2026-berlin-brandenburg.html
