Startups refer to businesses in their early stages. They are the innovation drivers and wealth creators of society. Being engines of economic growth, they create jobs and higher returns than established companies. Yet startups are riskier, too. As such, here are 40 startup statistics for 2023 to guide entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs-to-be in avoiding risks and achieving better success for their business.

By the way, if you want to have a look at some inspiring startup website examples, I also wrote an article about that.

1. There are an average of 4.4 million startups added annually in the United States.

Data from the United States Census Bureau from 2017 to 2022 show that an average of 4.4 million businesses are created annually. The United States is known to have the biggest number of startups in the world due to support and ease entreprenuers have to create new businesses there.

As such 2021 saw a 53% increase in 2019’s business applications totaling 5.4 million new businesses. While 2022 data show there were 5,044,748 new businesses created, a 0.4 million or 7.4% drop from the previous year due to increasing inflation and a post-pandemic effect.

2. The Netherlands experienced a 91.49% increase in new jobs from startups over the last 5 years.

Dealroom.Co reported that there were 135,000 jobs supported by Dutch startups in 2022. This was up by 91.49% to that recorded in 2018, which was only 64,500. New businesses accordingly generate new jobs faster than established ones, such that 1 in every 10 employees from new businesses was generated by an impact startup.

This is something I totally agree with being an entrepreneur for almost a decade now with more than two startups in operation. The startup I created last 2022 have more than doubled in the number of employees hired in a span of a year.

3. Health and Financial Technologies in The Netherlands generate the most number of jobs among startups in 2022

Job creation in Netherlands is fastest in the Energy, Food Technology, and Travel sectors. But, when it comes to startups, the biggest number of jobs created come from the Health Technology and Financial Technology sectors of Netherlands in 2022. There were 32,100 jobs created for the said year.

4. Aiosyn ranks #1 in The Netherlands among startups to watch out for in 2023

As per Startup Stash, the $2.1 million-funded artificial intelligence company Aiosyn tops the list of startups to watch out for in 2023. The Dutch computer technology company empowers pathologists with artificial intelligence softwares that will improve healthcare.

5. Startups in The Netherlands increased in venture capital raised for Q4 2022 by 25% year-on-year.

The total venture capital raisted by startups in the fourth quarter of 2022 is €600M, down by 21.05% for the same period the previous year. However, this nonetheless showed a 25% increase in venture capital raised compared to the third quarter of 2022. Dutch startups were able to generate a total of €2.6 billion in investments for 2022, which was higher to 2020’s €1.7 billion investments.

6. Global venture capital funding increased by 32% in 2021.

Data showed that the pandemic brought a boom in startups as the workforce moved from an in-person to a remote setting globally and as demand for e-commerce increased. Thus, 2021 saw a 32% increase in venture capital funding across the globe totaling $671 billion for the startup industry. But venture capital funding declined in 2022 to $445 billion. Experts anticipate a higher number this 2023.

7. Startups in India increased by 18,486.7% since 2016.

The startup sector in India is reported to be booming based on the 2022-2023 Economic Survey Report. Accordingly, there were only 452 startups in India in 2016. But this number jumped by 18,486.7% come 2022 with startups recorded at 84,012, making India the third startup hub in the world. Startups in India generate more than 64% of jobs recorded in 2021.

8. The highest survival rate for startups after the first two years is 70%.

According to the United States Small Business Administration research on the average failure rate of startups, the first two years of operation are the most crucial. Only 70% of startups survive the first two years of operation and 50% survive the first five years. While 30% of startups live beyond ten years and 25% live past the 15th year of operation.

9. Startups have a 10% success rate globally in 2023.

Despite the increasing number of new businessess across the globe, the survival and growth rate of startups in 2023 is projected to only a mere 10%. This means that 90% of startups are expected to to fail any time in the first several years of business operation.

Experts pinpoint that revenue growth, customer acquisition, market share, user engagement, and net promoter score (the rate the startup will be recommended by customers to others) as key determinants of a new business’s success or failure. But poor risk managements is said to be the primary reason why 90% of startups fail.

10. Entrepreneurs who founded a successful business have a 30% of having another successful startup.

According to Demand Sage, entrepreneurs of successful businesses have a higher likelihood of repeating their success by 30%. While entrepreneurs who previously failed in a startup undertaking has a 20% chance of succeeding the next time. First-time entrepreneurs, on the other hand, have an 18% likelihood of failing their business.

11. Health Technology and E-commerce startups have a higher failure rate of 80% compared to other industries.

In terms of business category or industry, startups in Health Technology and E-commerce were found to have an 80% failure rate. Startups in the Financial Technology and the Educational Technology industries followed with failure rates recorded at 75% and 60%, respectively. While startups in the Gaming industry have a 50%-50% chance of failing or succeeding.

12. Startups in Switzerland were reported to have the highest success rates at 35%.

Statistics show that entrepreneurs in Switzerland enjoy more successful startups than in any part of the world. Success rates for startups in Switzerland were the highest in the world at 35%. The United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Singapore followed where startups enjoyed a 30% success rate.

While Germany, Estonia, and Estonia startups experience a 25% success rate. Startups from Canada and the United States almost lagged behind at 20%, which was only 6% higher than South Africa’s.

13. Australia’s startup sector rose by an average of 46.5% in 2022.

The 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report showed Melbourne, the coastal capital of Victoria, Australia, increased in value by 43% in 2022. This ranked only second to Sydney, which increased by 50% for the same period thanks to Canva‘s $40 billion value and Immutable’s $2.5 billion in 2022.

14. Startup funding in North America dropped by 63% in 2022.

North America’s venture dollar volume started declining in the first quarter of 2022 and continued to do so until the fourth quarter, closing at $36.1 billion. In the first quarter of 2022, $86.2 billion was poured in as Angel Seed, Early Stage, Late Stage, and Technology Growth funding for various startups in North America. This funding reflects a 10% decline quarter over quarter to the amount recorded in the third quarter of 2022., which was at $40 billion.

15. The highest venture dollar volume in North America happened in 2021 $351.90 billion.

Money used to fund startups in 2021 was recorded at $351.90 billion, which was remarkably highest in a span of eight years since 2013. Most of this funding went to Late Stage Startups at $185.8 billion and then to Early Stage Startups at $185.8 billion in 2021. Funding as angel seed was recorded at $117.9 billion during the same year.

16. The Top 500 Startups in the United States generated an annual revenue of $68.0 million in 2022.

According to Zippia, the Top 500 Startups in the United States employed 1,695 employees in 2022. The said startups generated $68.0 million in annual revenue for the said year, such that the ratio of revenue per employee was $40,117.

This translates to a daily revenue of $186,301. The Top 500 Startups included Alabama’s GHR Travel Nursing, California’s Primary Medical Group, Maryland’s Booz Allen Hamilton, and Illinois’ Aperion Care.

17. Venture Capital funding for Latin America declined by 62% in 2022.

Data from Startup Genome show that the Latin American region was hardest hit by inflation and the rising prices of commodities, pushing venture capital funding to decline by 62$ in 2022 compared to 2021 data. There was also a 72% drop in Series B+ funding alongside total deal count dropping by 54% for the period.

18. 2022 recorded the least number of startup exits in Latin America at $50 million

Statistics on the number of exits in business startups in Latin America that was valued more than $50 million in 2022 declined by 7% year-on-year. While a 90% decline for deal amounts over $1 billion was recorded year-on-year in 2022.

19. 49% of early-stage funding for tech startups come from North America

The total early-stage funding for tech startups amounted to $280 billion in 2022. 49.64% of which come from North America, which totals $139 billion for the said year. While 23.93% come from Europe at $67 billion and 21.79% come from Asia at $51 billion.

20. North America has the highest ecosystem value for startups at $5,308 billion in 2022.

Startups in North America have the highest ecosystem value in the world at $5,308 billion in 2022. Asia comes next in line with $2,619 billion, which is almost double to Europe’s startup ecosystem value of $1,428 billion.

21. Venture capital funding dropped by 31% for Asia in 2022.

Climate change, aging populations, and tight COVID-19 restrictions impacted the startup sector in Asia last 2022. This resulted in venture capital funding amounting to only $70 billion in 2022, which is a 31% decline to 2021’s $102 billion. Similarly, early-stage funding decreased by 4.9% and later-stage funding decreased by 39%

22. Approximately 25% of global deals for startup venture capital funding in the last five years went to big data and artificial intelligence.

Technological startups are getting the biggest deals for venture capital funding as of August 2022. The technological industry itself saw a 64% increase in funding deals from 2017 to 2022. At the bottom of the market share in venture capital funding are the agricultural technology and food technology startups, which got only 2%.

The advanced manufacturing, financial technology, life sciences, and robotics sector for startups received 10% each. While the highest venture capital deals went to artificial intelligence and big data at approximately 25%.

23. The United States has the most number (50%) of unicorn companies in the world.

Unicorn companies, startups with a value of at least $1 billion, are mostly found in the United States. In 2019, 50% of unicorn companies were in the United States and 25% were in China.

24. Unicorn companies decreased globally by 40% in 2022.

The post-pandemic crunch has hit startups from getting venture capital funding and decreased growth in 2022. For one, the number of unicorn companies declined globally by 40% year-on-year. There were only 359 unicorn companies in 2022, down from the 595 recorded in 2021.

Most hit are North America, which declined by 45%, and Asia, which declined by 46%. However, unicorn companies in Europe were the only ones that enjoyed a year-on-year increase of 20% in 2022, up by 6% from 2021.

25. The highest number of unicorn companies created globally was 173 in 2021.

Unicorn companies were the lowest in 2020 with only 25 recorded globally. This radically increased in 2021, reaching a peak of 173 during the middle of the year. But the number steadily declined thereafter until there were only 47 in 2022, which was only a few notches to that recorded in the first and second quarters of 2019.

26. Bytedance, a China-based Artificial Intelligence company, was the highest-valued startup in May 2020 with $75.0 billion.

The United States may have the most startups in the world but China prides itself on having four of the top ten high-valued startups in the world. Leading the list is Bytedance, a China-based Artificial Intelligence company, with a $75.0 billion market value, which is ranked 1st in the world last May 2020.

Didi Chuxing, a Transportation startup in China, is ranked 2nd in the world for its $56.0 billion value. The United States Stripe ($36.0 billion), SpaceX ($33.3 billion), and Airbnb ($18.0 billion) are the next in the list. China’s Kuaishou is 6th with $18.0 billion and DJI Innovations is 9th with $15.0 billion.

27. The highest-valued e-commerce startup in the world last May 2020 was Paytm at $16.0 billion.

Paytm, officially named One97 Communications, is an Israeli startup that ranked 7th in the world for its high market value of $16.0 billion in 2020. However, Paytm’s market value dwindled in a span of three years to $4.9 billion along with its ranking to the 2219th as of July 2023.

28. In 2023, the #1 e-commerce startup is Klarna with a $6.7 billion market value

Swedish company Klarna, according to Core DNA, takes the lead in the Top 5 e-commerce startups in 2023. Klarna was established in 2010 with a $9.2 million funding from leading venture capital company Sequoia Capital.

Klarna leads e-commerce startups in providing flexible payment solutions through its innovative Buy-Now-Pay-Later technology and strong merchant partnerships. The other e-commerce startups in the Top 5, according to their order, are Cazoo ($1.9 billion valuation), Brandless ($118 milion), Snackpass ($93.1 million), and Misty Robotics ($2.2 million).

29. The world’s top 100 Emerging Ecosystems increased in value by 50% in 2022 to $1.5 trillion.

Emerging ecosystems, startups in the early growth phase, are seen to have high potential in the world’s economy over the next couple of years.

Interestingly, the top 100 Emerging Ecosystems ranked by the Startup Genome in its 2023 report increased in value by 50% from July 1, 2019-December 31, 2021 to July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022. The Ecosystem value or collective worth of the said 100 Emerging Ecosystems was at $1.5 trillion in 2022.

30. Most of the top 100 Emerging Ecosystems come from Europe with a 41% share in 2022.

The largest number of startups in their initial phase of growth are located in Europe which was seen to increase in 2022 by 4% year-on-year. The 2021 market share of European-based startups belonging to the Emerging Ecosystems category was at 37% and became 41% in 2022. Copenhagen is seen as the leading Emerging Ecosystem in Europe with a 29% increase in market growth amidst exits or business closures amounting to $50 million.

31. North America ranks 2nd globally in the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystems with a 29% increase in 2022.

North American startups in their initial phase of growth rank second in the world for experiencing a 29% increase last 2022. The top Emerging Ecosystem in North America is Minneapolis located in the United States having an Ecosystem Value of $39 billion in 2022.

Asia comes next to North America, making it the 3rd in the world with its 16% growth. While Latin America (5%), MENA (4%), Sub-Saharan Africa (3%), and Oceania (2%) are the rest of the territories where the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystems in 2022 are located.

32. The number of men entrepreneurs is 7% more than the number of women entrepreneurs.

According to the 2022 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Survey (APS), the number of men engaged in businesses (startups and established) is 7% points higher than the number of women entrepreneurs globally. This is especially seen in the gender gap in five economies involving Europe’s Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Serbia; and one in the Middle East (United Arab Emirates).

33. There is an average of 12.5% of women engaged in business across the globe.

Based on the 2022/2023 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Global Report, men dominated the 49 economies they surveyed in the world when it comes to adults starting or currently running a new business. They discovered that seven economies surveyed had one in five women (20%) engaged in startups.

While one in 20 women (5%) in the other eight economies were engaged in startups. The countries of Greece, Morocco, and Poland had the least number of women engaged in startups. The countries of Indonesia, Poland, Qatar, and Togo had more women engaged in startups than men.

34. Low-incomed countries showed higher entrepreneurial activities among women at approximately 27% saturation.

There were more women engaged in startups from Level C or low-incomed countries than in Level B or mid-incomed countries and Leval A or high-incomed countries based on the 2022/2023 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Global Report.

Women in startups in Level C (Morocco, Egypt, China, South Africa, Indonesia, India, Iran, Tunisia, Valenzuela, Brzil, Togo, Columbia, and Guatemala) engaged in early entrepreneurial activity within a 4% to 28% bracket.

While women in startups in Level B countries (Poland, Greece, Taiwan, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovak Republic, Latvia, Oman, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Panama, and Chile) were found to have early entrepreneurial activity from 1.5% to 25.5%.

In contrast, women in startups from Level A countries (Japan, Norway, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Israel, Germany, France, Korea, Lithuania, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United States, and United Arab Emirates) recorded early entrepreneurial activities from 4% to 19.75%.

On the other hand, men’s early entrepreneurial activity ranged from 5.5% to 31% in Level C countries, 1% to 31% in Level B countries, and 8% to 28% in Level A countries.

35. Guatemala had the highest percentile of women engaged in startups globally at 28%.

Guatemala, Colombia, and Togo, three Level C countries, showed more women engaged in startups than in the United States, which is renowned to be a startup hub in the world. Guatemela had roughly 28% women engaged in startups, Columbia roughly have 26.5%, and Togo roughly have 25.5%.

This is against 18.5% of women from the United States engaged in startups last 2022. It is interesting that despite having more resources and support, only a few women in the United States were engaged in newly-operating businesses.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor explained that women in low-income countries seemed to be forced to engage in business to provide better sources of income for their families, which they would not get when employed.

36. Panama registered the highest percentile of men engaged in startups at 31%.

Men engaged in starting or are already operating a newly-opened business were highest in Panama, a Level B country. 31% of men in Panama were engaged in startups as against 24.75% of women. While Guatemalan men engaged in startups registered 30.5%, making them second in ranking globally for 2022.

This is closely followed by Colombian men engaged in startups at 30% and those in Uruguay and Chile at 29.5% each. Men engaged in startups in the United Arab Emirates had the highest percentile among Level A countries at 28%.

37. The fear of failure is the #1 block for business startups globally.

According to 50% of the more than 170,000 people interviewed by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor last 2022, the number one reason that kept them from engaging into business early on was the fear of failure. This is despite the fact that a high number of those interviewed see good opportunities to start a business, find ease in starting a business, and see themselves technically capable of doing so.

38. 50% of those engaged in startups first consider the social and environmental implications in making business plans.

Millenials are known to be more environmental and socially conscious of their purchases and general decisions. This has trickled into the business sector were more than 50% of those engaged in startups were found to consider the environmental and social implications of their decisions when planning for their business.

These new breed of entrerpreneurs also consider the social desirability of their plans. As such 80% or four out of five new entrepreneurs consider the social implications of their decisions. This percentile is seen 38% (19 out of 49 economies) of those interviewed by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

39. The United Arab Emirates was ranked #1 in the world for having the best economy to start a business.

According to the 2022 National Entrepreneurship Context Index of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the United Arab Emirates is number one among the world’s economies to start a business in. While Saudi Arabia comes second, Tawian ranks third, and India takes the fourth spot among the Top 5 Economies In Which To Start A Business based on 2022 data. The Netherlands, on the other hand, completes the list.

40. As of December 2022, 43.2% of women in the United States are engaged in startups.

The United States Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reported that 2022 ended with more men engaged in business startups than women. Only 43.2% of those operating a new business in the United States are women. Other least represented groups or sectors in society engaged in newly opened businesses are Hispanics (13.8%), racial minorities (19.4%), and veterans (6.4%).

41. In 2023, 80.7% of all disclosed VC deals involved early-stage startup funding.

Waveup revealed that most venture capital deals (80.7%) in 2023 were for early-stage startup funding, which includes pre-seed, seed, and Series A businesses. Early-stage funding is equity and not debt.

42. As of January 2024, the average valuation for Series A funding is $28.75M.

Series A funding has a valuation of $12M to $45.5M as of January 2024. Series A funding is the third round of equity funding meant to increase the startup’s revenue, lasting 12 to 20 months.

Pre-seed funding, which is the first round of startup equity, has a valuation of $1M to $10M lasting 12 to 18 months.

On the other hand, seed funding is the second round of equity funding for startups to run as a fully operational entity. The average valuation is $1M to $15M lasting one to two years.

43. Series B valuations declined by 34.37% in 2024.

The highest Series B valuations recorded as of January 2024 was at $105M, which was 34.37% lower to that of 2022. Data show that Series B valuations at its peak in 2022 was at $160M.

On average, the Series B valuation was $77.50M. The lowest valuation for Series B as of January 2024 was at $50M.

44. The average Series C valuation is $175M as of January 2024.

Data recorded last January 2024 show that Series C valuation ranged from $100M to $250M or an average of $175M. 

Accordingly, Series C funding amount has been declining since 2021 resulting in an average of only $37.4M in 2024.

45. FinTech Startups in the Americas have been growing at an annual average of 16.14% since 2018.

Based on data reported by Statista, FinTech Startups in North America, Central America, South America,  and the Caribbean have been growing steadily from 2018 to 2024 at an average of 16.14%. 

Data show that there were only 5,686 FinTech Startups in the said region in 2018 but became 13,100 by January 2024. 

In between, the number of FinTech Startups were 5,779 in 2019; 8,775 in 2020; 10,755 in 2021; and 11,651 in 2023. There was no data for 2022.

46. FinTech Startups in EMEA have been growing at an annual average of 24.93% since 2018.

FinTech Startups in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa were only 3,581 in 2018 but have risen to 10,969 by January 2024.

Over the last seven years, FinTech Startups in the region were growing at an average of 24.93%. There were 3,583 FinTech Startups in 2019; 7,385 in 2020; 9,323 in 2021; 9,681 in 2023; and 10,969 in 2024 (January). Similarly, there was no data for 2022 from Statista.

47. FinTech Startups in APAC have an annual average growth rate of 17.86%

FinTech Startups in the Asia Pacific and Oceania Region showed fluctuating growth from 2018 to 2024 (January), at an annual average of 17.86%. 

The number of FinTech Startups in 2018 were 2,684 and declined to 2,649 in 2019. 2020 saw a 79.879% increase in the region at 4,765, which further increased to 6,268 in 2021. Come 2023, the number of FinTech Startups in the region registered at 5,061 before it became 5,886 by January 2024.

48. A 150.65% increase was seen for FinTech Startups globally since 2018.

Based on Statista data, there are 29,955 FinTech Startups in the world as of January 2024. This is a dramatic increase from 2018’s 11,951 by 150.648%. 

The number of FinTech Startups have been growing steadily over the years with 12,011 in 2019; 20,925 in 2020, and 26,346 in 2021.

Though there was no available data in 2022, worldwide record for FinTech Startups in 2023 was at 26,393.

49. 87% of entrepreneurs and business owners suffer from mental health issues as of April 2024.

Founder Reports conducted a study in April 2024 involving business owners from 46 countries on mental health issues. The study revealed alarming results beginning with most (87.7%) business owners suffering from mental health issues.

Other interesting data show 50.2% of business owners struggling with anxiety and male entrepreneurs struggling with depression more than women (22.2% vs 14.7%). High stress (45.8%) and burnout (34.4%) were also prevalent among participants.

50. U.S. entrepreneurs experienced a 22% increase in the overall health of their business in the Q1 2024.

The health index of small businesses increased by 22% in the 1st Quarter of 2024 compared to the 4th Quarter of 2019. 

Data showed that the last quarter of 2019 recorded a health index of 43% for small businesses in the United States. But this number plunged to 25% in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Surprisingly, the health index of small businesses in the United States has recovered to 65% in the 1st Quarter of 2024.

51. 99.9% of all businesses in the United States are startups.

January 2024 data from the United States Small Business Administration show that 99.9% of all registered businesses in the country are small businesses. 

This translates to a total of 33.3 million small businesses that contribute an average of 47.1% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, based on data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

External Sources:

• US Census Bureau
• Dealroom.Co
• Startup Stash
• Silicon Canals
• Entreprenuer
• Demand Sage
• 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report
• Crunchbase
• Zippia
• Statista
• Crunchbase
• MoneyMint
• Jewish Review
• Core DNA
• GEM 2022/2023 Global Report
• Forbes
• Exploding Topics
• LinkedIn
• Waveup
• Founder Reports
• U.S. Small Business Administration
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce

FAQs

1. What are the top 5 trends for startups in the next couple of years from 2023?

Experts identify that E-commerce will continue to be a trend among startups as people have adopted to a lifestyle of online shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Add to this, the Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence, the Sharing Economy, No-Code Development, and Bio Technology are the top five trends from 2023 onwards.

2. What is the rate of failure and success of startups?

As of 2023, the industry rate for business startup success is 10% globally. This means that startups have a 90% failure rate in the first years of operation.