New businesses registered — all countries

New businesses registered — OECD

New businesses registered in the OECD in 2024 — 2,590,554 companies. Since 2006, the indicator has risen by 66.2%.

2024 2.59M companies −8.86% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 2.96M companies2021
Period minimum 1.46M companies2009

Trend over time

2006–2024 · companies

New businesses registered — OECD, 2006–20241M1.5M2M2.5M3M20062008201020122014201620182020202220242006: 1,558,294 companies2007: 1,694,647 companies2008: 1,530,102 companies2009: 1,458,602 companies2010: 1,576,663 companies2011: 1,690,545 companies2012: 1,727,751 companies2013: 1,905,325 companies2014: 2,054,099 companies2015: 2,152,477 companies2016: 2,328,097 companies2017: 2,383,314 companies2018: 2,537,572 companies2019: 2,580,069 companies2020: 2,669,614 companies2021: 2,959,466 companies2022: 2,958,306 companies2023: 2,842,354 companies2024: 2,590,554 companies
Change over the period: +1.03M (+66.24%) Average annual rate: 2.86 %
New businesses registered — OECD, by year OECD All countries CSV XLSX
Year companies Change Change, %
2024 2.59M −251,800 −8.86%
2023 2.84M −115,952 −3.92%
2022 2.96M −1,160 −0.04%
2021 2.96M +289,852 +10.86%
2020 2.67M +89,545 +3.47%
2019 2.58M +42,497 +1.67%
2018 2.54M +154,258 +6.47%
2017 2.38M +55,217 +2.37%
2016 2.33M +175,620 +8.16%
2015 2.15M +98,378 +4.79%
2014 2.05M +148,774 +7.81%
2013 1.91M +177,574 +10.28%
2012 1.73M +37,206 +2.2%
2011 1.69M +113,882 +7.22%
2010 1.58M +118,061 +8.09%
2009 1.46M −71,500 −4.67%
2008 1.53M −164,545 −9.71%
2007 1.69M +136,353 +8.75%
2006 1.56M

About the indicator

The number of newly registered limited liability companies over a year. Only they are counted: sole proprietorships, partnerships and cooperatives do not enter, so in countries where small business prefers simpler legal forms the indicator understates entrepreneurial activity.

Important: Limited liability companies only. Registration is not the start of activity: some registered companies never begin to operate.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.