Salzburg records strongest first half for new businesses

More than 1,300 people in Salzburg became self-employed in the first half of 2026, the highest number recorded in a first half, according to ORF, citing the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce.

The figure was nearly 5 percent higher than in the same period last year. If the trend continues, around 2,600 new businesses could be established in Salzburg this year, potentially setting a new record.

New companies are currently being founded particularly often in consulting, online retail and the IT sector, said Peter Kober, head of the chamber’s start-up service. The youngest people expressing interest in starting a business are just 14 years old, he said, but they will have to wait until they are 18 to do so.

Most founders are between 20 and 30 years old. Many are also becoming self-employed in traditional skilled trades, which Kober described as especially resilient during crises. “There are hardworking women and men who have learned a trade and passed a master craftsman examination and now want to be their own boss,” he said.

Four out of five founders start as sole proprietors. Women establish just over 40 percent of the new businesses.