Trend survey 2024/2025: More jobs and investment in German biotechnology

The annual trend survey conducted by BIO Deutschland showed that companies are assessing their current and future situation slightly better than in the previous year. The indices for the current and future business situation, the current political climate, future investments in research and development (R&D) and the employment situation are rising or remain largely the same. Only the assessment of the future political climate fell slightly compared to last year's survey.

BIO Deutschland has been conducting the trend survey at the turn of each year since 2006. The index is compiled in the same way as the ifo index. Following last year's significant drop in the indices for the assessment of the current business situation, the current political climate, the employment situation and investments in R&D, the general mood appears to be improving again. However, the indices are significantly lower overall than at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

The evaluation of the survey is based on the responses of 153 companies, the majority of which are active in the field of medical biotechnology. 40 precent are in the diagnostics and medical research services sector, 26 % in the development of therapies, 14 % in non-specific services, 7 % in industrial (white) biotechnology and 14% in other applications.

Around 20 % describe their current business situation as poor, 33 % as good. A look into the coming year shows that around 16% expect their business situation to deteriorate, while 37 % believe it will improve. Around half of the companies are planning to hire new staff, while 14 % intend to reduce their workforce. 42% intend to increase R&D investments, which is around 8% more than in the previous year. The current political climate for biotechnology is considered satisfactory by 58 %, poor by 31 % and good by only 11 %. 26 % believe the political climate will improve, while 15 % think it will deteriorate. A comparison of the responses from the two largest groups, diagnostics/services for medical biotechnology and therapy development, reveals that the service sector has a slightly more positive outlook: The service sector is slightly more positive about the coming year than the therapy developers.

You can find more about the trend survey and figures here.