The number of people earning their living through entrepreneurship in the Czech Republic has surpassed two million for the first time in three years. During the first half of this year, nearly 46,000 individuals obtained business licenses, continuing a strong upward trend in self-employment. These findings come from data compiled by analytics firm Dun & Bradstreet.
Foreign entrepreneurs are playing a significant role in this growth. “Approximately 14 percent of new registrations come from Ukrainian citizens and three percent from Slovaks,” noted Kateřina Klosová, chairwoman of the board at the Czech branch of Dun & Bradstreet.
This year’s figures build upon impressive growth in recent years. In 2023, the Czech Republic gained over 80,000 new entrepreneurs, while last year saw nearly 91,500 additions—the fastest growth rate in more than a decade. The capital city of Prague leads in new business formations, followed by the Central Bohemian, South Moravian, and Moravian-Silesian regions.
According to Klosová, the persistent interest in entrepreneurship benefits the Czech economy. New businesses typically respond to current market demands in specific localities, thereby improving both service availability and quality. Currently, the Czech Republic has 2,007,596 registered business license holders, though only about 1.2 million (approximately 60 percent) are actively operating.
“The remaining business licenses are ‘dormant,’ meaning the individual holds a license but isn’t currently engaged in business activities,” Klosová explained. She added that the proportion of active entrepreneurs has been increasing in recent years.