Vorarlberg records a new high in business successions
Tuesday 25th August 2026 on 16:00 in
Austria
Vorarlberg recorded 358 business successions last year, the highest figure since records began in 1998, ORF reported, citing the Austrian Economic Chamber. The number was 2.3 percent higher than the previous year, when 350 businesses were transferred to the next generation.
Austria also reached a record with 8,202 business successions, up 5.3 percent from the year before. Since 2021, more than 37,000 businesses have been successfully transferred to a new generation nationwide.
Trades and crafts lead business transfers
Trades and crafts accounted for the largest share of successions nationwide, at 30.5 percent. Tourism and leisure followed with 25.1 percent, ahead of retail with 19.9 percent.
Gastronomy was the largest individual sector, with 1,575 transfers, followed by business consulting, accounting and information technology, with 779.
Successions linked to higher turnover
The Economic Chamber said successful successions secure jobs, apprenticeships, regional value creation and expertise. Data from KMU Forschung Austria showed that 61 percent of businesses taken over increased their turnover, while 60 percent invested more and 36 percent created additional jobs.
Advisory services expand
The Vorarlberg start-up service provides support during the transfer process. Matthias Frieß, who heads the service, said it recorded more than 200 advisory contacts last year.
The services include personal consultations, subsidised advice and tax consultation days held with the Chamber of Tax Advisers and Auditors. A new advisory voucher supports precautionary measures with notaries in Vorarlberg.
The start-up service also operates a free succession exchange with more than 1,000 active listings, which it describes as Austria’s largest online platform of its kind.
Large wave of successions expected
The Economic Chamber said these services would become increasingly important because a major wave of business successions is expected in the coming years. By 2034, around 52,500 employer businesses, or about 23 percent of all companies excluding sole proprietorships, are expected to be transferred nationwide. They employ around 705,000 people, according to the chamber.