Where entrepreneurship is growing fastest: Top 10 municipalities with the strongest growth, 2019–2023

Where is the entrepreneurship curve rising fastest? We have kept it simple and looked at the change in “new businesses per 1,000 residents” over five years. Nationwide, the rate rose from 5,238 to 5,523 newly established businesses (+5.4%). But several municipalities are growing much faster. The list shows momentum, not size.

A portrait of Oliver, one of Alunta’s owners. He is wearing a light blue shirt and looking directly at the camera.By Oliver Lindebod
A map of Denmark showing municipalities with positive growth in newly established businesses in the latest year.

Where entrepreneurship is growing fastest: Top 10 municipalities with the strongest growth, 2019–2023

Top 10: strongest growth in new businesses per 1,000 residents

  1. Nordfyns: +38,24% (2019: 3,772 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 5,214 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  2. Billund: +31,40% (2019: 3,492 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 4,589 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  3. Holstebro: +30,02% (2019: 3,025 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 3,934 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  4. Guldborgsund: +21,69% (2019: 3,397 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 4,134 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  5. Kerteminde: +20,58% (2019: 3,491 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 4,210 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  6. Norddjurs: +17,82% (2019: 4,246 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 5,003 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  7. Rebild: +17,43% (2019: 4,546 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 5,338 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  8. Odder: +15,58% (2019: 4,101 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 4,741 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  9. Varde: +15,56% (2019: 4,449 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 5,141 new businesses per 1,000 residents)
  10. Vordingborg: +12,54% (2019: 4,322 new businesses per 1,000 residents → 2023: 4,863 new businesses per 1,000 residents)

Entrepreneurship is growing fastest west of the Great Belt

Nordfyns

The rate rose from 3,772 to 5,214 new businesses per 1,000 residents between 2019 and 2023, an increase of 38,24%. This is clearly above the national average of +5,4%. The 2023 level is still below the national average (5,523), but the gap is much smaller than it was in 2019.

Billund

The rate rose from 3,492 to 4,589 newly established businesses per 1,000 residents, up +31,40% since 2019. This growth is far above the national average of +5,4%. Billund is still below the national average in absolute terms (5,523 in 2023), but the gap has clearly narrowed over the period.

Holstebro

The rate climbed from 3,025 to 3,934 per 1,000 residents, an increase of +30,02% in five years. This is significantly above the national average of +5,4%. The absolute number of new businesses per 1,000 residents is still below 5,523, the national average in 2023, but the trend is clearly upwards.

Guldborgsund

The rate increased from 3,397 to 4,134 new businesses per 1,000 residents (+21,69%). This is well above the national average of +5,4%. The municipality is still below the national average of 5,523 new businesses in 2023, but much closer to it than in 2019.

Kerteminde

The rate increased from 3,491 to 4,210 per 1,000 residents, a rise of +20,58%. This is well above the national rate of +5,4%. The 2023 level is still below 5,523, but the gap has narrowed and the direction is consistently positive.

Norddjurs

The rate climbed from 4,246 to 5,003 per 1,000 residents, a growth rate of +17,82%. This is above the national growth average of +5,4%. The 2023 level is slightly below the national average of 5,523, but the gap has narrowed considerably since 2019.

Rebild

The rate rose from 4,546 to 5,338 new businesses per 1,000 residents (+17,43%), again above the national average of +5,4%. In 2023, the rate was just below 5,523, but the pace of growth is bringing the municipality closer to the national average.

Odder

The rate rose from 4,101 to 4,741 per 1,000 residents, an increase of +15,58%. This is clearly above the national rate of +5,4%. The 2023 level is still below 5,523, but the curve is pointing up and the gap with the national average is smaller than before.

Varde

The rate rose from 4,449 to 5,141 new businesses per 1,000 residents, an increase of +15,56%. This is well above the national average of +5,4%. The 2023 rate is still below 5,523, but the progress is clear in the figures.

Vordingborg

The rate rose from 4,322 to 4,863 new businesses per 1,000 residents, an increase of +12,54%, above the national rate of +5,4%. The 2023 rate is still below 5,523, but it is moving towards the national average.

Method: how the study was conducted

For each municipality, we measure the rate of new businesses per 1,000 residents in 2019 and 2023 and calculate the percentage change between the two years. The number of new businesses comes from Statistics Denmark’s DEMO19 dataset, and population figures as of 1 January come from BY2. To reduce fluctuations caused by small populations, the ranking only includes municipalities with at least 20,000 residents in 2023; all 98 municipalities are included in national comparisons. Rates are calculated as (new businesses / population) × 1,000 and rounded to three decimal places; growth is rounded to two decimal places. Nationwide, the rate rose from 5,238 to 5,523 per 1,000 residents between 2019 and 2023, corresponding to +5,4%.

Growth surges west of the Great Belt

We previously found that startup hotspots are on Zealand, but the trend is very different here, with no Zealand municipalities on this list. Growth is therefore widespread and clear outside the largest cities: several municipalities on Funen and in Jutland are leading the rise. This year’s list is about speed, not size. And Zealand cannot keep up.