Business succession index

How this index is built

This is a single, disclosed indicator — not a weighted score. There is exactly one input per market (stated in the methodology under each table) and it is not combined with other signals. So there are no weights we could be hiding: what you read under the table is the whole calculation.

We store age BANDS only, never dates of birth. That is data minimisation under GDPR Art. 5(1)(c): the band answers "is a succession due here?", while the date of birth would go beyond it. The index is published only as per-industry aggregates; no individual company is ever given a succession indicator publicly.

The criteria are stated here because they are load-bearing rather than decorative: an evaluation is protected as opinion only when it is measured against DECLARED criteria (BGH VI ZR 120/10). Where a figure is uncertain we say so instead of smoothing it.

Cite and reuse — free

The aggregate figures on this page are available under CC BY 4.0. Press, researchers and competitors may reuse them freely, including commercially, as long as the source is named. The underlying registers keep their own licences (named under each table).

Citation format: Emptera, accessed [date], https://emptera.com/succession

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Of 3,297,116 active, accounts-filing companies, about 19.1% have a youngest owner aged 60 or over.

Industry	Code	Companies	Owner 60+	%
Life insurance	65	4,867	1,860	52.6%
Archives activities	91	2,244	520	47.3%
Other mining and quarrying n.e.c.	08	1,203	415	46.2%
Manufacture of other general-purpose machinery n.e.c.	28	6,717	2,483	44.8%
Extraction of crude petroleum	06	1,108	262	44.5%
Gambling and betting activities	92	839	251	40%
Manufacture of other rubber products	22	4,459	1,460	39.5%
Manufacture of other electrical equipment	27	4,119	1,351	39.2%
Manufacture of consumer electronics	26	5,589	1,851	39.1%
Mining of other non-ferrous metal ores	07	251	61	38.9%
Sea and coastal freight water transport	50	2,618	727	36.9%
Machining	25	16,227	5,249	36.1%
Casting of steel	24	1,834	549	35.8%
Plant propagation	01	25,875	8,326	35.2%
Non-scheduled passenger air transport	51	2,075	617	34.8%
Residents property management	98	71,044	11,145	34.5%
Manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations	21	1,079	262	34.4%
Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering	72	7,583	1,978	32%
Manufacture of paper stationery	17	1,868	497	31.8%
Building of pleasure and sporting boats	30	2,324	637	31.6%
Other manufacturing n.e.c.	32	19,720	5,561	31.4%
Water collection, treatment and supply	36	1,107	285	31.1%
Activities of other membership organizations n.e.c.	94	15,657	2,643	30.9%
Support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction	09	2,877	733	30.5%
Manufacture of other chemical products n.e.c.	20	4,190	1,008	29.9%
Hotels and similar accommodation	55	31,903	7,971	29.8%
Marine fishing	03	3,046	802	29.6%
Activities auxiliary to financial intermediation n.e.c.	66	17,315	4,206	29.1%
Manufacture of soft furnishings	13	4,607	1,237	29.1%
Other business support service activities n.e.c.	82	141,990	35,758	28.6%
Management consultancy activities other than financial management	70	184,582	48,784	28.3%
Bookkeeping activities	69	58,387	15,246	26.9%
Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c.	74	104,618	25,188	26.5%
Cutting, shaping and finishing of stone	23	3,579	841	26.3%
Printing n.e.c.	18	9,149	2,255	26.2%
Production of electricity	35	12,512	1,753	26.1%
Manufacture of luggage, handbags and the like, saddlery and harness	15	879	214	25.9%
Repair of electronic and optical equipment	33	23,204	5,635	25.4%
Support services to forestry	02	4,122	943	24.7%
Engineering design activities for industrial process and production	71	61,321	14,576	24.7%
Remediation activities and other waste management services	39	1,998	447	24.5%
Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified	64	117,449	22,473	24.4%
Activities of households as employers of domestic personnel	97	453	100	24.1%
Manufacture of trailers and semi-trailers	29	3,257	694	23.9%
Residential care activities for learning difficulties, mental health and substance abuse	87	18,763	3,739	23.8%
Other software publishing	58	24,927	5,446	23.8%
Wholesale of textiles	46	98,938	21,640	23.7%
Renting and leasing of cars and light motor vehicles	77	14,751	3,146	23.6%
Radio broadcasting	60	3,390	695	23.5%
Manufacture of office and shop furniture	31	6,615	1,428	22.7%
Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate	68	412,735	83,169	22.7%
Development of building projects	41	145,973	29,206	22.5%
Other telecommunications activities	61	11,394	2,247	22.1%
Operation of warehousing and storage facilities for land transport activities	52	16,883	3,360	21.8%
Other reservation service activities n.e.c.	79	12,183	2,491	21.8%
Child day-care activities	88	19,615	3,396	21.8%
Sewerage	37	931	181	21.6%
Construction of other civil engineering projects n.e.c.	42	19,988	3,995	21.3%
Manufacture of soft drinks; production of mineral waters and other bottled waters	11	4,053	771	21.1%
Collection of non-hazardous waste	38	6,957	1,295	21%
Support activities to performing arts	90	38,087	6,487	19.1%
Other education n.e.c.	85	69,880	11,220	18.7%
Processing and preserving of poultry meat	10	13,819	2,331	18.6%
Repair of household appliances and home and garden equipment	95	4,431	808	18.6%
Manufacture of other wearing apparel and accessories n.e.c.	14	4,806	849	18.5%
Wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories	45	70,060	12,495	18.4%
Private security activities	80	12,172	2,133	18.1%
Regulation of health care, education, cultural and other social services, not incl. social security	84	5,789	954	17.7%
Manufacture of other builders' carpentry and joinery	16	7,840	1,319	17.6%
Data processing, hosting and related activities	63	19,418	3,069	17.4%
Other sports activities	93	46,786	6,703	17.2%
Other service activities n.e.c.	96	132,758	21,206	16.9%
Electrical installation	43	211,481	34,049	16.5%
Veterinary activities	75	4,268	622	16.2%
Medical nursing home activities	86	122,126	18,599	16.1%
Motion picture production activities	59	50,071	7,371	16%
Disinfecting and exterminating services	81	40,817	6,132	15.7%
Other retail sale of new goods in specialised stores (not commercial art galleries and opticians)	47	216,773	31,239	15%
Freight transport by road	49	58,829	8,334	14.7%
Other information technology service activities	62	170,474	23,724	14.6%
Human resources provision and management of human resources functions	78	31,514	4,036	13.7%
Take-away food shops and mobile food stands	56	122,574	15,117	13%
Media representation services	73	25,554	2,900	12%
Unlicensed carrier	53	6,848	740	11%

Methodology

Share of ACTIVE, non-dormant companies that filed accounts within three years and whose YOUNGEST person with significant control is aged 60 or over. Percentages are of companies where an owner age is on file, not of all companies.

Source: Companies House free company data + PSC snapshot (snapshot 2026-08-01), licensed under OGL v3.0. Only industries with at least 250 companies are shown.

We deliberately store only age bands, never the dates of birth themselves — a privacy choice with an analytical cost, stated here rather than buried. This page shows aggregates only; no individual company is ever shown publicly with a succession indicator.

Last computed: 2026-08-21. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

🇳🇴 Norway

Of 411,868 active companies, about 8.9% have been registered for 30 years or more.

Industry	Code	Companies	30 yrs+	%
Insurance and pension funding	65	99	45	45.5%
Water collection and supply	36	1,235	455	36.8%
Printing and reproduction	18	559	191	34.2%
Paper and paper products	17	61	18	29.5%
Motor vehicles and trailers	29	183	52	28.4%
Other non-metallic mineral products	23	637	180	28.3%
Rubber and plastic products	22	339	91	26.8%
Gambling and betting	92	135	32	23.7%
Wood and wood products	16	1,095	239	21.8%
Other mining and quarrying	08	648	140	21.6%
Computer, electronic and optical products	26	351	75	21.4%
Textiles	13	394	84	21.3%
Basic metals	24	155	33	21.3%
Membership organisations	94	541	115	21.3%
Machinery and equipment n.e.c.	28	996	209	21%
Warehousing and support	52	2,749	543	19.8%
Publishing	58	2,203	434	19.7%
Social work	88	1,064	210	19.7%
Furniture	31	600	116	19.3%
Extraction of petroleum and gas	06	107	20	18.7%
Electrical equipment	27	389	69	17.7%
Fabricated metal products	25	2,226	382	17.2%
Other transport equipment	30	464	75	16.2%
Leather and related products	15	56	9	16.1%
Food products	10	2,485	391	15.7%
Wholesale trade	46	21,349	3,326	15.6%
Crop and animal production	01	4,547	695	15.3%
Forestry and logging	02	1,635	234	14.3%
Chemicals and chemical products	20	386	55	14.2%
Other manufacturing	32	819	114	13.9%
Repair of computers and personal goods	95	4,552	619	13.6%
Waste collection and treatment	38	600	79	13.2%
Accommodation	55	3,421	443	12.9%
Legal and accounting activities	69	5,283	681	12.9%
Mining support services	09	963	120	12.5%
Retail trade	47	28,777	3,556	12.4%
Wearing apparel	14	351	42	12%
Water transport	50	2,466	291	11.8%
Sports and recreation	93	3,911	440	11.3%
Civil engineering	42	1,451	163	11.2%
Libraries, archives and museums	91	169	19	11.2%
Air transport	51	172	18	10.5%
Real estate activities	68	99,429	10,432	10.5%
Land transport	49	7,062	690	9.8%
Residential care	87	221	20	9%
Telecommunications	61	637	57	8.9%
Office administrative and support	82	2,878	250	8.7%
Specialised construction activities	43	25,790	2,022	7.8%
Public administration and defence	84	77	6	7.8%
Education	85	8,519	664	7.8%
Programming and broadcasting	60	859	64	7.5%
Auxiliary financial services	66	782	57	7.3%
Fishing and aquaculture	03	4,301	310	7.2%
Sewerage	37	323	23	7.1%
Repair and installation of machinery	33	3,384	230	6.8%
Security and investigation	80	362	24	6.6%
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning	35	2,131	138	6.5%
Rental and leasing	77	5,032	328	6.5%
Other personal service activities	96	6,310	381	6%
Construction of buildings	41	13,597	786	5.8%
Beverages	11	403	22	5.5%
Advertising and market research	73	4,555	251	5.5%
Food and beverage service	56	10,657	569	5.3%
Architecture and engineering	71	19,430	1,009	5.2%
Services to buildings and landscape	81	4,927	258	5.2%
Motion picture and sound production	59	3,429	154	4.5%
Head offices and management consultancy	70	17,518	792	4.5%
Travel agencies	79	2,873	129	4.5%
Postal and courier activities	53	465	20	4.3%
Information services	63	1,144	48	4.2%
Scientific research and development	72	1,356	50	3.7%
Human health activities	86	11,476	404	3.5%
Financial services	64	15,094	506	3.4%
Other professional and technical activities	74	7,877	267	3.4%
Creative, arts and entertainment	90	4,834	145	3%
Veterinary activities	75	747	22	2.9%
Employment activities	78	4,004	97	2.4%
Computer programming and consultancy	62	18,762	433	2.3%

Methodology

Share of ACTIVE companies with a recorded industry code that have been registered for 30 years or more. A long unchanged registration is an indicator of an approaching handover, not a statement that any company is for sale. Divisions with fewer than 50 companies are omitted, as are divisions where fewer than 5 companies carry the signal.

Source: Brønnøysund Enhetsregisteret, whole register (snapshot 2026-08-23), licensed under NLOD. Only industries with at least 50 companies are shown.

Last computed: 2026-08-23.

🇧🇪 Belgium

Of 718,363 active companies, about 13.3% have been registered for 30 years or more.

Industry	Code	Companies	30 yrs+	%
Public administration and defence	84	1,992	1,390	69.8%
Other mining and quarrying	08	177	94	53.1%
Residential care	87	1,890	989	52.3%
Paper and paper products	17	261	136	52.1%
Basic metals	24	303	130	42.9%
Rubber and plastic products	22	748	314	42%
Membership organisations	94	9,394	3,860	41.1%
Libraries, archives and museums	91	759	303	39.9%
Textiles	13	901	348	38.6%
Other non-metallic mineral products	23	1,353	487	36%
Chemicals and chemical products	20	784	280	35.7%
Machinery and equipment n.e.c.	28	1,452	469	32.3%
Social work	88	4,007	1,279	31.9%
Wearing apparel	14	428	135	31.5%
Leather and related products	15	73	23	31.5%
Motor vehicles and trailers	29	414	128	30.9%
Furniture	31	1,290	393	30.5%
Fishing and aquaculture	03	140	40	28.6%
Electrical equipment	27	604	167	27.6%
Travel agencies	79	1,628	442	27.1%
Printing and reproduction	18	2,023	545	26.9%
Water collection and supply	36	75	20	26.7%
Forestry and logging	02	698	184	26.4%
Wood and wood products	16	1,267	326	25.7%
Programming and broadcasting	60	613	157	25.6%
Insurance and pension funding	65	337	85	25.2%
Pharmaceutical products	21	251	63	25.1%
Waste collection and treatment	38	990	244	24.6%
Wholesale trade	46	42,083	10,168	24.2%
Computer, electronic and optical products	26	556	134	24.1%
Sewerage	37	193	45	23.3%
Fabricated metal products	25	5,960	1,383	23.2%
Food products	10	4,969	1,118	22.5%
Real estate activities	68	42,502	9,562	22.5%
Other transport equipment	30	205	44	21.5%
Sports and recreation	93	13,975	2,987	21.4%
Water transport	50	492	105	21.3%
Education	85	10,764	2,247	20.9%
Warehousing and support	52	4,032	831	20.6%
Accommodation	55	4,521	917	20.3%
Other manufacturing	32	1,573	315	20%
Gambling and betting	92	322	60	18.6%
Retail trade	47	58,983	10,285	17.4%
Land transport	49	14,891	2,592	17.4%
Publishing	58	1,934	335	17.3%
Rental and leasing	77	4,634	785	16.9%
Repair of computers and personal goods	95	7,458	1,199	16.1%
Auxiliary financial services	66	8,178	1,303	15.9%
Crop and animal production	01	15,312	2,402	15.7%
Air transport	51	335	51	15.2%
Civil engineering	42	3,558	463	13%
Security and investigation	80	677	81	12%
Creative, arts and entertainment	90	11,061	1,302	11.8%
Beverages	11	857	95	11.1%
Advertising and market research	73	15,799	1,674	10.6%
Food and beverage service	56	36,325	3,810	10.5%
Scientific research and development	72	1,617	169	10.5%
Construction of buildings	41	19,442	1,960	10.1%
Specialised construction activities	43	63,888	6,249	9.8%
Telecommunications	61	728	71	9.8%
Motion picture and sound production	59	4,267	413	9.7%
Other personal service activities	96	12,301	1,170	9.5%
Legal and accounting activities	69	26,627	2,298	8.6%
Employment activities	78	2,375	203	8.5%
Services to buildings and landscape	81	11,810	973	8.2%
Office administrative and support	82	20,897	1,671	8%
Architecture and engineering	71	20,536	1,616	7.9%
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning	35	1,189	87	7.3%
Remediation activities	39	167	12	7.2%
Financial services	64	23,805	1,597	6.7%
Repair and installation of machinery	33	3,511	233	6.6%
Information services	63	4,178	244	5.8%
Other professional and technical activities	74	8,606	481	5.6%
Head offices and management consultancy	70	72,112	3,786	5.3%
Postal and courier activities	53	1,672	84	5%
Human health activities	86	33,438	1,451	4.3%
Veterinary activities	75	2,777	95	3.4%
Computer programming and consultancy	62	35,419	1,131	3.2%

Methodology

Source: The KBO licence (Art (snapshot 2026-08-23), licensed under KBO/BCE open data. Only industries with at least 50 companies are shown.

Last computed: 2026-08-23.

🇪🇪 Estonia

Of 280,774 active companies, about 0.7% have been registered for 30 years or more.

Industry	Code	Companies	30 yrs+	%
Other mining and quarrying	08	190	9	4.7%
Fishing and aquaculture	03	456	17	3.7%
Machinery and equipment n.e.c.	28	377	14	3.7%
Rubber and plastic products	22	343	12	3.5%
Electrical equipment	27	256	7	2.7%
Food products	10	1,497	38	2.5%
Beverages	11	212	5	2.4%
Security and investigation	80	207	5	2.4%
Computer, electronic and optical products	26	267	6	2.2%
Textiles	13	565	11	1.9%
Printing and reproduction	18	619	12	1.9%
Chemicals and chemical products	20	316	6	1.9%
Wood and wood products	16	1,753	30	1.7%
Crop and animal production	01	6,109	90	1.5%
Wearing apparel	14	1,103	17	1.5%
Other non-metallic mineral products	23	481	7	1.5%
Wholesale trade	46	15,523	222	1.4%
Retail trade	47	20,881	264	1.3%
Warehousing and support	52	2,814	35	1.2%
Legal and accounting activities	69	9,986	117	1.2%
Repair of computers and personal goods	95	4,230	51	1.2%
Fabricated metal products	25	2,302	24	1%
Land transport	49	8,307	84	1%
Real estate activities	68	26,601	253	1%
Repair and installation of machinery	33	1,867	17	0.9%
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning	35	1,509	13	0.9%
Civil engineering	42	1,984	17	0.9%
Architecture and engineering	71	6,045	53	0.9%
Human health activities	86	3,857	33	0.9%
Other manufacturing	32	992	8	0.8%
Accommodation	55	2,865	22	0.8%
Food and beverage service	56	5,601	45	0.8%
Wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles	45	1,816	12	0.7%
Rental and leasing	77	3,673	26	0.7%
Forestry and logging	02	3,722	23	0.6%
Furniture	31	1,295	8	0.6%
Specialised construction activities	43	14,544	90	0.6%
Travel agencies	79	1,259	6	0.5%
Construction of buildings	41	11,806	44	0.4%
Publishing	58	2,352	10	0.4%
Motion picture and sound production	59	2,528	11	0.4%
Advertising and market research	73	5,987	21	0.4%
Other professional and technical activities	74	10,028	36	0.4%
Services to buildings and landscape	81	4,955	19	0.4%
Education	85	7,130	25	0.4%
Auxiliary financial services	66	1,985	5	0.3%
Other personal service activities	96	13,277	41	0.3%
Financial services	64	8,446	17	0.2%
Head offices and management consultancy	70	15,490	35	0.2%
Computer programming and consultancy	62	21,861	22	0.1%
Office administrative and support	82	6,349	9	0.1%
Creative, arts and entertainment	90	6,287	7	0.1%
Sports and recreation	93	4,954	6	0.1%
Air transport	51	78	0	0%
Veterinary activities	75	227	0	0%
Residential care	87	137	0	0%
Social work	88	473	0	0%

Methodology

Source: Äriregister bulk CSV, whole register (snapshot 2026-08-23), licensed under RIK open data. Only industries with at least 50 companies are shown.

Last computed: 2026-08-23.

Emptera