This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Overview
*in Billion USD
Figure 1. IT Revenue in Germany. Adapted from “ITK-Marktzahlen,” by Bitkom; EITO, 2021
Germany has one of the largest ICT markets in the world and the single largest software market in Europe with 94.301 IT companies (software and hardware, as of 2018) and an estimate of 1.03 million employees in 2021. There is a strong demand for U.S. products and services across all segments. Key players such as Microsoft, Apple, Dell, Adobe, IBM, Oracle, and SAP have large market shares. There are also many highly specialized SMEs in the market. In 2021 revenue in the different IT subsectors consisted of USD 48.2 billion in IT-Services, USD 38.1 billion in IT-Hardware and USD 32.5 billion in the software subsector. Since 2007 total revenue in the IT sector has increased from USD 76.4 billion to an estimated USD 112.6 billion in 2021.
Germany hosts several key ICT trade shows, making it a premier marketplace for U.S. companies to reach global partners and buyers. U.S. exhibitors have frequently found buyers from Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America at the Hannover Messe, IFA Berlin, IT-SA, Gamescom or Embedded World. In 2021, several trade shows have been canceled, postponed, or will take place as a hybrid event because of the ongoing health crisis.
Policy Objectives and Challenges
ICT is a priority sector for the German government. Germany’s economic and innovation policy is outlined in the Digital Agenda of the BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy). It focuses on digital infrastructure, digital economy, digital workplaces, innovative public administration, digital environments in society, education, research, science, culture and media, security, protection and confidence for society and business.
Policy objectives include cybersecurity, the digitization of the German economy and the expansion of the German broadband network. Challenges include the impact of the EU Digital Single Market, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the E-privacy Regulation on ICT companies, and the latest cybersecurity policy developments.
The U.S. Commercial Service follows these developments and continues to work with associations and multipliers such as BMWi, Bitkom (Association for Information Technology), BDI (Federation of German Industries), GTAI (Germany Trade and Investment) and AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce) to unearth opportunities and flag policy concerns.
Leading Sub-Sectors
Key segments and topics of interest include cybersecurity, internet of things (IoT), big data, health IT, cloud computing, business IT: ERP, data centers, smart social business platforms, integrated systems, virtual & augmented reality, and digital factory.
Opportunities
- IT Security is the 2nd largest in Europe with a strong growth
- Health IT has experienced strong growth in recent years, ; experts expect a consolidation process and fundamental changes in the next couple of years
- Artificial Intelligence market is expected to grow significantly
- Smart Social Business Platforms
- Big Data, such as hardware, infrastructure, services, database and analytics technologies, are all key drivers for a fast digitalization of the German economy
- Enterprise Resource Planning (industry-specific ERP solutions)
Resources
Trade events
Interactive games and entertainment
Cologne, August 24-28, 2022
IT security: Cloud, mobile & cyber security, data & network security
Nuremberg, October 25-27, 2022
AV and integrated system
Barcelona, February 1-4, 2022
Embedded systems
Nuremberg, March 15-17, 2022
Industrial: “Largest industrial trade show in the world. Of interest for U.S. producers of industrial IT solutions”
Hannover, April 25-29, 2022
Telecommunications, broadband & media
Cologne, May 10-12, 2022
Consumer electronics and home appliances
Berlin, September 2-6, 2022
Trade Associations
Bitkom, Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunication and New Media
Bitmi, Federal Association for Medium-Sized IT Businesses
Teletrust, IT Security Association Germany
ECO, Association of the Internet Industry
NIFIS, National Initiative for Information- and Internet-Security
German Games Industry Association, Organization that represents the German computer and video games industry
VATM, Association of Telecommunication and Value-Added Service Providers
Government Entities
Federal Office for Information Security, National cyber security authority in Germany
Federal Network Agency, Ensures compliance with the Telecommunications Act (TKG), Postal Act (PostG) and Energy Act (EnWG) and their respective ordinances