Artificial intelligence and data analysis are currently the two top technologies for German start-ups. According to a survey by the digital association Bitkom, 53 percent of start-ups use big data and data analytics, 49 percent use artificial intelligence.
The share is likely to increase further, as both are also at the top of the list of technologies that start-ups are currently planning to introduce or are discussing: For AI it is 39 percent, for big data and data analytics it is 31 percent.
Overall economy left behind
This means that start-ups are technology pioneers in Germany. In the economy as a whole, only 15 percent use AI, while another 25 percent are planning or discussing it. In the case of data analysis, the figures are 39 percent and 37 percent in the overall economy.
“It is a good sign when many innovative founders use AI and Big Data, develop them further and thus bring new products and services to the market. Start-ups will help to make the technology more usable, especially for small businesses and SMEs”, says Bitkom President Dr Ralf Wintergerst. “AI and data belong closely together: Without data, the best AI does not work - and conversely, data can be analysed much more effectively with AI. From Bitkom's point of view, the AI voucher for small and medium-sized enterprises envisaged in the German government's start-up strategy will help with the goal of bringing AI applications from start-ups to the mainstream.”
Blockchain, Metaverse, 3D printing
About every fourth startup (27 percent) uses technologies around the Internet of Things (IoT), 29 percent are planning it or discussing it. 5G is in use in 14 percent of the startups, 17 percent are in the planning and discussion phase.
3D printing is already used by 11 percent, 6 percent are planning or discussing its use. Virtual and augmented reality is only used in 8 percent of companies, but here the difference to those planning or discussing its use is particularly high at 22 percent. A similar picture emerges with blockchain, which only 5 percent use, but which 22 percent are discussing or already planning to use. And in the case of metaverse, 3 percent of current users are compared to 15 percent of start-ups that are planning or discussing the use of metaverse.
“The metaverse, virtual and augmented reality as well as blockchain are technologies that have been discussed for some time, but whose breakthrough is still pending. Companies should follow developments in the start-up sector closely and gain their own experience with the technology in good time”, says Bitkom President Wintergerst.
Low demand for quantum computers and drones
Drones (5 percent users, 8 percent planning or discussing), robotics (4 percent and 13 percent) and autonomous driving vehicles (3 percent and 8 percent) have only a low relevance in the German start-up scene.
At the bottom of the list are quantum computers, which 2 percent are already working on, but at least one in ten start-ups (10 percent) is discussing or planning their use.
