The facts
Employment and job creation
Employment 2024
11.4 million
employees worked in private equity-
backed European companies
5%
of Europe’s total 244 million workforce
Source: EDC / Eurostat / UK ONS
Employment
Private equity is 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 manu-facturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large consumer-focused multinationals, private equity-backed companies create and support millions of high-value jobs driving prosperity and growth in the process. Private equity supports 11.4 million jobs in European companies, making it a major employer in most industry sectors.
29,338
companies in Europe backed by
private equity in 2024 across all
industry sectors and all regions
22,127
of which were SMEs
employing 1,053,753 people
Note: Employment data is based on an extrapolation of a sample of 17,992 portfolio companies
Employment by portfolio company stage
* Other includes Turnaround/Rescue and Replacement capital
Job creation
Private equity builds successful businesses. Successful businesses invest more in growth. And growth leads to job creation.
+295,312
net jobs were created by private equity-backed companies in 2024, a figure roughly comparable to the working population of Riga, Latvia
Source: EDC / Eurostat
section for full analysis
Job creation 2023-24
Job creation by type of private equity firm
All stages of private equity are contributing to job creation. In 2024, Growth firms recorded the highest job creation rate: +7% (+38,420 people). Typically backing larger companies, Buyout firms increased employment in theirs by 166,272 (+4%).
+4%
net jobs created by private equity-backed SMEs in 2024
section for full analysis
Note: Job creation on portfolio companies in Europe active and backed by private equity as of end of 2024.