The newest data captures the development of entrepreneurship during a period marked by heightened macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty in the global economy. Around 67% of economies reported that in 2025 more residents experienced declining incomes than income growth. In many countries, starting a business is perceived as more difficult than a year ago, while structural imbalances are becoming a long-term challenge.
GEM 2025/2026 indicates that Lithuania is one of only four countries in the world where all framework conditions for entrepreneurship – from access to finance and innovation infrastructure to the regulatory environment and public policy – were assessed by experts as sufficient or better than sufficient. In 2025, this benchmark was achieved only by India, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In the European Union context, Lithuania holds the leading position, outperforming major economies such as Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Globally, the United Arab Emirates received the highest overall evaluation of its entrepreneurial environment this year, while Lithuania remains among the top five highest-rated economies.
Minister of the Economy and Innovation Edvinas Grikšas notes that this is the result of targeted and consistent economic policy:
“Today, Lithuania is recognized as one of the most favorable places to start and grow a business. This demonstrates that investments in innovation, strengthening the startup ecosystem, digital transformation, and improving the business environment are delivering tangible results. Our goal is not only to maintain leadership in Europe but also to strengthen a high value-added economy in global competition.”
Indrė Gendroliūtė-Gerulienė, Head of the Regional Business Transformation Department at Innovation Agency Lithuania, emphasizes that the achieved indicators reflect the country’s steadily growing entrepreneurial maturity:
“We are pleased that Lithuania is now seen as a country where real opportunities are created to establish and scale businesses. High GEM evaluations reflect not only a favorable environment but also people’s determination to take initiative. Entrepreneurship is one of the key drivers of long-term economic resilience and competitiveness – it creates jobs, fosters innovation, and strengthens our export potential. It is therefore crucial to maintain this momentum and continue making targeted investments in improving the business environment and developing talent.”
The GEM report highlights that global economies are undergoing a period of structural transformation – digitalization is accelerating, the importance of artificial intelligence is increasing, and business models and competitiveness factors are evolving. GEM reveals that although digital transformation has become an inevitable driver of business development, globally only a share of new and growing businesses plan to more actively integrate artificial intelligence or advanced digital technologies into their operations in the near term.
Lithuanian businesses show a clear direction in this respect – nearly half of early-stage entrepreneurs plan to expand the use of digital technologies in their activities in the coming months. This indicates that in Lithuania, technology is perceived as a tool for growth and export expansion, enabling companies to compete in global markets and create higher value-added solutions.
“Today, Lithuania has not only an active business community but also a system that creates conditions for growth. Our goal is to ensure that business creation dynamics are accompanied by increasing productivity, technological advancement, and internationalization. This is what will secure the long-term competitiveness of Lithuania’s economy,” Minister E. Grikšas adds.
The Ministry of the Economy and Innovation notes that international GEM data serves as an important benchmark for shaping decisions aimed at strengthening Lithuania’s competitiveness, innovation capacity, and investment attractiveness. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor program in Lithuania is implemented and research is conducted by the Vilnius University Business School, which represents Lithuania in the international GEM consortium.
