Uncertainty at the international level, factors that attract business activity and slow down profits, are shaking all economies, including the province of Alicante. An example of this is the statistics of the Commercial Register; In 2022, this region reached the highest number of company formations in the last 15 years and also broke the record for liquidation for the second time in a row.Q. This dichotomy has multiple ends, but the fact that 5,145 firms were created during this period has a lot to do with the entrepreneurship of people who recently lost their jobs, and the business opportunities created by the emergence of new technologies. On the other hand, some projects launched behind the calculated 1,249 closures have little consistency.
In a scenario of enormous complexity, marked by the significant economic recovery from the worst of the pandemic and a war in Ukraine that has created tensions in the form of cost increases and strong uncertainty, The pace of founding and liquidation of commercial companies in the state seems insane. Companies created last year represent a 4.5% increase compared to 2021 and the highest record since 2007 when 6,696 was launched. In case of closure, it was an 8% increase over the previous year, which has held the record so far. With these operations, there are currently 60,000 companies registered with Social Security in Alicante.
Explaining these data, Ignacio Jiménez Raneda, former rector of the University of Alicante (UA) and Professor Emeritus of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis, explains that these seemingly contradictory figures are «reminiscent of the theory of creative destruction. We are in an era where there are a lot of business ventures, but not all of them are successful, so they fail. Therefore, we see increases in both incorporations and liquidations. Jiménez Raneda also underlines that this frenetic activity took place during a period of strong instability that did not deter entrepreneurs, many of whom were unemployed. «It’s not the best right now because it’s hard to decide. But in the end there is no choice but to risk and take them.», he emphasizes.
Elche José María Gómez Gras, professor of Business Organization at Miguel Hernández University (UMH) for her part, start-ups supported by new opportunities offered by most industries. In his own words, “We are in the midst of digitalization and the implementation of new technologies, so a substantial bag of new business is being generated linked to these issues.” Regarding the closures, Gómez Gras refers to companies that have finally been unable to withstand the rigors of the crises of recent years, and above all, «new projects introduced without adequate feasibility analysisso they succumbed ».
The increase in the number of start-ups in the province last year contrasts with the 1.9% decline (just over 100,000) recorded at the national level. Also, Alicante became the fifth region where more constitutions were produced.only behind Madrid, Barcelona, u200bu200bMalaga and Valencia.
Regarding burnouts, it grew 9.5% to 37,200 operations nationwide. In this case, Alicante ranks fifth among the provinces where the most companies are closed, after Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga.
Services account for 40% of new jobs
40% of companies founded last year are linked to services very similar to those registered in the whole of Spain. Construction and real estate services also declined strongly by 25%.
When it comes to services, most start-ups are linked to the hotel and catering industry; this is not surprising given the strong recovery of tourism and summer occupancy figures reaching those achieved in 2015. The best years before the pandemic.
Construction also had an excellent year, primarily due to the good moment of real estate activity. At least 50,000 home trades were formalized during the year, representing a 38% increase compared to 2021 and the best number in the last 15 years.
The industrial sector accounted for 5 percent of mergers, while agriculture occupied the red light, with a percentage reaching only 3 percent.