Research

PE & VC at Work

Employment & job creation across Europe

Private equity and venture capital are a cornerstone of the European economy present in every region and every major business sector across the continent. From technology and life sciences start-ups to manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large consumer-focused multinationals, private equity and venture capital backed companies support millions of high-value jobs driving prosperity and growth in the process.

Now in its third year, Invest Europe’s Private Equity at Work report provides insight into how private equity and venture capital helped businesses and workers through the disruption caused by COVID-19 in 2020. It shows private equity firms consistently supporting employment and creating jobs in a year when so many companies faced restrictions on their operations, as well as uncertainty that impacted performance.

At the end of 2020, private equity and venture capital backed companies employed 9.9 million people across Europe – roughly equivalent to the entire population of Hungary. That figure represents some 4.3% of all European workers and is more than the workforce active in the farming, fishing, and forestry sectors in Europe. Across countries and regions, private equity and venture capital backed businesses are part of the glue holding societies together, providing work and opportunities for people in cities, towns and rural communities.