economy
Venezuela Lost More Than One Million Entrepreneurs in 2025
Venezuela lost approximately 1.3 million entrepreneurs in 12 months, decreasing from 2.7 million people with some form of entrepreneurship in 2024 to about 1.4 million in 2025. Adding the figures from 2023, a total of 2 million entrepreneurs exited the market in the last two-year period.
TL;DR
- Approximately 1.3 million entrepreneurs disappeared in Venezuela between 2024 and 2025, a 15 percentage point contraction from 2023.
- The Early Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) rate dropped to a historic low of 7.7% in 2025, down from 11.7% in 2024.
- 77.8% of early entrepreneurial ventures are nascent (less than three months old) and struggle to generate cash flow to pay salaries beyond the third month.
- Only 1.9% of Venezuelan entrepreneurial ventures are categorized as 'established' (surviving over 3.5 years), indicating critical stagnation.
- Survival is the primary motivation for 88% of Venezuelan entrepreneurs, highlighting a 'survival entrepreneurship' model.
- Younger age groups (18-24) show increased involvement in entrepreneurship, and the gender gap in established businesses has significantly reduced.
- Venezuela ranks second to last globally in the National Entrepreneurial Context Index (NECI), reflecting a 'constricted' ecosystem due to a hostile environment, regulatory issues, and fiscal pressure.
- Recommendations include government prioritization of sustainability, fiscal exonerations, reformed credit, bank financing adaptation, corporate integration of new entrepreneurs, and academic focus on impact and resilience.