Desperately Seeking Female Business Successors: Sustainability, digitalization, economic transformation, crisis management—the challenges facing the economy are greater than they have been in a long time. Entrepreneurial commitment is a key driver in overcoming such challenges. Yet for years, interest in entrepreneurship has been steadily declining. In particular, Germany cannot afford to let the vast potential of women in starting businesses and taking over family businesses go to waste. Just 30 percent of startup founders are women. Only about 8 percent of patents are held by female inventors. And when it comes to business succession, women account for only about 20 percent of takeovers, according to the DIHK report on business succession*.
Opportunities for Women in Business Succession
Yet women have great potential, particularly when it comes to business succession. “We must be the change we wish to see! We need female role models,” says Denise Schurzmann, managing director of Krause Industrieschaltanlagen GmbH in Raubling. The former national chairwoman of the Junior Chamber and current vice president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for Munich and Upper Bavaria took over her parents’ business as managing director at a young age following her father’s unexpected death in 2015.
Business succession is a critical moment in a company’s life cycle. It is not only about preserving corporate values but also about ensuring innovation and growth. However, structural barriers, demographic trends, and the economic situation make business succession in Germany difficult. Women can not only contribute to an increase in new business startups but also help bridge the gap between businesses up for succession and potential successors.
Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs
However, women are significantly underrepresented in business succession. They often face a variety of hurdles when taking over businesses. These include:
Networks: Women often lack networks as well-established as those of their male colleagues, which makes it harder to access capital and business opportunities.
Prejudices and Stereotypes: At times, gender stereotypes can lead to women being perceived as less capable of running a business. Denise Schurzmann knows this phenomenon from her own experience: “My company operates in mechanical engineering, a traditionally male-dominated industry. Of course, as a young blonde woman starting out, I encountered a lot of prejudice.”
Balancing Family and Career: A survey of more than 1,000 members of the Junior Chamber International in November 2021 showed that women perceive children as a career obstacle, whereas men do not. This is one reason why many women face the challenge of balancing professional obligations with family responsibilities, which places an additional burden on them.
Nationwide Business Women IHK Network
Who could be a better advocate for female business succession than female entrepreneurs themselves? Guided by this motto, around 300 female entrepreneurs from the “Business Women IHK” network (Female Entrepreneurs Active for the German Economy)—successful CEOs of small, medium, and large companies—serve in a volunteer capacity within the 79 Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHKs), for example on the executive board or in the general assembly. At the same time, their activities are aimed at attracting more female entrepreneurs, founders, and successors in Germany. For example, the “Business Women IHK” network conducts workshops in schools to inspire girls to pursue self-employment. Furthermore, under the motto of IHK Girls’ Day, “I’m Going to Be the Boss,” on April 23, 2026, they will offer opportunities for interested female students. These students can experience firsthand, alongside female entrepreneurs, what it means to be a boss. Finally, many IHKs, in collaboration with “Business Women IHK,” are establishing regional networks for female entrepreneurs and providing information on starting and growing a business, as well as on business succession. You can find a selection of informational events here: Start-up and succession events for women around March 8 (International Women’s Day).
Sources:
I)DIHK Report on Business Succession
Excerpts from an interview with Denise Schurzmann—Managing Director & Federal Chairwoman: “I’m driven by the desire to give the younger generation in business a voice.”—Junior Chamber International Germany
DIHK website “Business Women IHK”
Event page for International Women’s Day
* Detailed regulations are making entrepreneurship increasingly unattractive
