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The STEM Spring Report 2026 contains all current developments and analyses of supply and demand on the STEM labour market as well as key figures on STEM education.
This MINT Report is produced every six months by the German Economic Institute (iw) on behalf of BDA, Gesamtmetall and the "MINT Zukunft schaffen" initiative.
The most important results from the STEM Spring Report in brief
- The shortage of STEM skilled workers remains at a high level: Around 134,000 STEM positions are unfilled nationwide.
Engineering professions (energy/electrical, mechanical engineering), IT, construction and metal professions are particularly affected. - Demographics are exacerbating the bottleneck: Every year, around 65,000 STEM academics retire due to age.
In five years, the need for replacement will increase to over 70,000 academics and around 295,000 skilled workers per year. - There is not enough young talent
There is a decline in the number of first-year STEM students from 198,000 (2016) to less than 180,000 (2023). German first-year students are particularly hard hit (-23%).
Various studies show that the STEM skills of students are declining. - There are positive developments, but no trend reversal
Since 2012, there have been more women (+35.7%), more older people (share increased from 15% to 23%) and more international skilled workers (+90%) in STEM professions.
However, these effects are not sufficient to compensate for the structural deficiency.
"Even in the current economically difficult phases, total employment in STEM professions remains constant," says Prof. Dr. Axel Plünnecke, head of the Education, Innovation and Migration Cluster at the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW). "It is all the more threatening that in our base scenario, around 138,600 fewer STEM employees will be available on the labor market in 2034 due to demographics. While STEM employment increased by 12.4 percent from 2014 to 2024, employment is likely to decline by 1.8 percent in the following decade due to the shortage of skilled workers."
The new report by the German Economic Institute (IW) cites a STEM skills gap of around 133,900 people for March 2026. This is about 15.7% less than in the previous year.
However, it is important to note that the falling number does not automatically mean that the shortage of skilled workers will be "solved". The report itself emphasizes that the weak economy and lower demand for vacancies play a major role. At the same time, demographic change is further exacerbating long-term pressures.
Download STEM Spring Report 2026
Sources and more: BDA, Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW Cologne))
Can the use of AI compensate for the shortage of STEM specialists?
Many companies are now using AI to automate routine activities, for software development, data analysis, documentation or support.
The most important effect of using AI is that artificial intelligence increases the productivity of existing skilled workers and shifts demand towards new skill profiles.
However, this will only be enough to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers, because:
1. Many STEM tasks are difficult to automate
AI can support, but complex technical responsibility remains human:
- Safety-critical development
- System architecture
- Research
- Quality inspection
- Mechanical engineering in real environments
- Infrastructure and energy technology
Especially in areas such as energy, construction or industry, there is still a lack of people with practical experience.
2. AI creates new demand
The more companies use AI, the more they need:
- AI engineers
- Data experts- Cybersecurity specialists- Cloud architects
- AI trainers
- and governance experts
This partly creates a new skills shortage within the STEM professions themselves. Studies already show a strong increase in the value of AI skills on the job market.
3. Introduction of AI itself needs skilled workers
Many companies are currently failing not because of technology, but because of:
- lack of skills,
poor integration,
lack of processes.
In short, you first need qualified STEM specialists in order to use AI sensibly at all.
Conclusion
The most likely scenario is in which:
- the absolute shortage of skilled workers decreases
- but highly qualified specialists become even scarcer,
- while routine knowledge work requires fewer staff.
This means that Germany will probably continue to have too few STEM specialists — but what is changing is which qualifications are lacking.
Because AI can increase productivity, but it does not easily replace:
- experienced foremen,
- maintenance technicians,
- electricians,
- production engineers,
- specialists with decades of experience.
Practical industrial and energy technology in particular remains difficult to automate.
New opportunities for founders and young companies
The AI-related change in the STEM labor market in particular could lead to a new wave of founders. It opens up considerable opportunities for founders and young companies - especially in Germany. After all, if skilled workers remain scarce, the economic value of technologies that increase productivity, scale knowledge or compensate for staff shortages increases.
This creates opportunities on several levels:
1. "More impact with small teams"
Probably the greatest startup potential lies in the fact that AI reduces the necessary team size.
Where a few years ago you needed large development teams or large IT departments, now small teams can achieve the same results through the use of AI. This, of course, reduces start-up costs, shortens the time it takes for products to be ready for the market and reduces the capital requirement for new or further developments.
This can make more technical niches economically interesting that could not previously be occupied with a small team.
2. Solutions to the skills shortage itself
Particularly great opportunities arise where AI directly addresses the STEM bottleneck. German SMEs in particular have a high demand, as there is a shortage of AI specialists in particular.
Of course, this creates enormous market potential for B2B startups.
3. Vertical AI instead of general AI
The greatest opportunities often lie not in general AI models, but in specialized industry AI. For example, for mechanical engineering, energy networks, chemical production, logistics, industrial maintenance or for technical compliance and much more.
This opens up opportunities for so-called "Vertical AI Companies".
For founders, this means not building the next general AI model, but solving a specific industry or company problem better than anyone else.
4. Knowledge scaling as a business model
Demographic change means that a lot of empirical knowledge is being lost.
Young companies can use it to develop new business models, e.g. digital expert assistants, AI-supported training systems, industrial knowledge databases, automated troubleshooting, learning systems for skilled workers.
Many companies are willing to pay for solutions that cushion the loss of expert knowledge.
5. New opportunities for technical solo founders
AI is also changing the economics of entrepreneurship itself.
Today, individual founders can develop apps, build SaaS products, create AI agents, scale consulting services, automate digital products.
This creates a kind of "one-person software company with AI leverage".
That was hardly possible just a few years ago.
6. Opportunities in the education and training market
As skill requirements change rapidly. For example, the need for AI training, technical retraining, STEM reskilling, corporate training, and hands-on learning platforms is growing.
This creates opportunities for founders who develop, for example, corporate learning platforms, technical simulation systems, or adaptive learning software.
7. Benefit from the image of "AI from Germany"
Only a few German startups will be able to keep up in the international AI competition.
However, AI that is not fully dependent on dominant global providers can offer a clear competitive advantage.
This especially applies to AI specialized in specific industries or company-related topics.
Such solutions build trust and appeal to customers who value industry expertise, European regulations, security, reliable support, and sustainability.
