Jimdo-ifo Business Climate Index for the Self-Employed

About one in two self-employed in Germany (47.3%) report a lack of orders, according to the latest ifo survey. “Many self-employed feel that their customers are holding back on awarding projects,” says ifo expert Katrin Demmelhuber. “At the same time, private consumer demand remains subdued.”

The business climate for the solo self-employed and microenterprises in Germany improved slightly in June but still remains clearly in negative territory. The “Jimdo-ifo Business Climate Index for the Self-Employed” rose from -27.7 points in May to -25.9 points in June. While the self-employed have less pessimistic expectations regarding the coming months, they assessed their current situation as even worse than in the previous month. “There is still no sign of a trend reversal,” says ifo expert Katrin Demmelhuber. “Although things are heading in the right direction, a real recovery is a long way off.”

The solo self-employed and microenterprises in Germany are driving the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) at a rapid pace: Currently, 51.2% of respondents use AI in their business processes. That’s a significant increase of 30.4% over 2025. A further 16.2% plan to start using AI. That means the gap with the use of AI in the economy as a whole (54.5%) has now narrowed. “AI is no longer a topic for the future for the self-employed,” says ifo expert Katrin Demmelhuber. “AI tools have become part of their everyday work.”