logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
17m 30s

Where does the Mittelstand stand?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Could Germany benefit from drastic Javier Milei-style reforms?

One business owner in Berlin thinks so, and many others want a reduction in the amount of bureaucracy bosses are responsible for.

As a federal election takes place in Germany, members of the Mittelstand, Germany’s famous small and medium-sized businesses known as the “backbone” of the country's economy, tell Business Daily what a new government could do for them.

Theo Leggett travels to a science and research park on the outskirts of Berlin where the boss of an underwater robot company and other tech businesses are based. There's a lot of innovation happening in the buildings, but confidence in politics is low.

And Anouk Millet looks at the Hamburg businesses trying to modernise and forge a path towards an uncertain future.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Hannah Bewley Reporter: Anouk Millet

(Image: Fabian Bannasch, CEO of Evologics,holding a robotic "penguin". Credit: BBC)

Up next
Yesterday
Power Players: Does Xbox have a future?
Xbox is 25 years old and faces some of its biggest challenges yet. As cloud gaming grows and the AI boom reshapes the technology industry, even Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has acknowledged that the business "hasn't been healthy" in recent years. So does Xbox have a future? Will Bain spe ... Show More
18m 22s
Apr 2026
Headspace: from mindfulness app to military partner
Headspace started life as a mindfulness app. Now it's partnering with the US Navy and investing in artificial intelligence for mental health support.The company's CEO Tom Pickett speaks to us about therapy, the increasing role of technology, and tackling burnout at scale.If you'd ... Show More
17m 28s
Apr 2026
Anthropic: the $300bn AI firm at war with the White House
Anthropic’s rise from startup to one of the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence has been staggering, but so in recent weeks has been its row with the US Government.Today, we look at that journey to becoming a 380 billion dollar company, ask why Claude has become on ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2015
Germany
Six Routes travels to Germany, where the BBC’s Simon Jack explores how the euro crisis has exposed the country’s unusual relationship with debt. Marketplace's Krissy Clark meets entrepreneurs Jan and Feride of Uslu airlines -- a company that has taken inspiration from Germany's w ... Show More
26m 48s
Oct 2024
Hindenburg Shorts Roblox + Germany’s Shrinking Economy
Scott and Ed open the show by discussing the ongoing machinist strike at Boeing, Amazon’s new AI tool for delivery drivers, the DOJ’s suggested remedies for the Google antitrust case, and a potential delay in Cerebras Systems’ IPO. Then they break down Hindenburg’s accusations ag ... Show More
55m 28s
Oct 2024
Can My Business Survive This Crazy Economy?
Today we’ll hear about:  A business owner trying to navigate a difficult economy   A son deciding who to sell his late father's business to  A new business owner celebrating her team and their success   A leader facing a logistical bottleneck for growth in a specialty sales r ... Show More
49m 59s
Oct 2024
Stimulus Versus Structural
<p>On today’s show we are talking about why Germany’s economy seems to be stuck in reverse. We keep hearing about how Germany, which has traditionally considered the economic engine of Europe is struggling. The German government recently downgraded their economic outlook and are ... Show More
4m 50s
Sep 2017
Bloomberg Markets: Merkel Regroups After `Nightmare Victory'
<p>Bloomberg Markets with Carol Massar and Cory Johnson.\u0010\u0010GUEST:\u0010Matthew Miller\u0010Reporter\u0010Bloomberg News \u0010Discussing Angela Merkel’s political bloc starting to draw lessons from its electoral losses to the Alternative for Germany party as pressure mou ... Show More
6m 32s