(rfg) As of December 31, 2024, the total number of businesses in the province of Verona stood at 91,333. The demographic trend of businesses for the year ended on a positive note: 5,346 new registrations compared to 5,015 voluntary closures, resulting in a net growth of +331 businesses. However, this figure is half of the net growth recorded in 2023. Despite a 1.1% increase in new registrations compared to the previous year, closures saw a significant rise of 8.6%.
The business birth rate stood at +5.72%, while the mortality rate reached +5.36%, leading to a net growth rate of +0.35% (compared to +0.21% at the regional level and +0.62% nationally). As of December 31, 2024, artisan businesses accounted for 23,278 units, with an annual net growth of +73. The positive balance is mainly attributed to the performance of capital companies (+790 units). However, less structured business forms, such as sole proprietorships and partnerships, struggled, recording negative growth rates of -0.45% and -1.46%, respectively.
“The year 2024 closed with a positive balance, albeit lower than in 2023. We are navigating a challenging period, with global political and economic dynamics heavily impacting our local productive fabric,” commented Giuseppe Riello, President of the Verona Chamber of Commerce. “Despite an increase in new registrations compared to the previous year, we face a high number of closures, particularly among sole proprietorships and partnerships. This trend, observed not only in Verona but across the nation, should motivate us to support the small businesses within our territory.”
The trend toward downsizing (which also considers administrative closures made during the year) is common across all sectors, except for services, which remained stable. However, sectors such as accommodation, food services, transport, and logistics experienced a decline in new registrations.
From a structural perspective, the leading sector as of December 31, 2024, was services, which accounted for 27,316 businesses, representing 29.9% of Verona’s entrepreneurial fabric. This excludes the accommodation and food services sector, which alone comprises 6,707 businesses (7.3% of the total). The second-largest sector was commerce, with 17,899 businesses, accounting for 19.6% of the total, followed by 14,651 businesses in agriculture (16.0%). The construction sector, with 13,163 businesses, represented 14.4%, while the industrial sector, with 8,759 units, accounted for 9.6%.
