Czechia's integration with German industry has been one of the central strengths of its post-1990 growth model. Czech Business Review's October 2026 audience research suggests a large share of commercially engaged respondents now sees the same relationship as a concentration risk.
Among 3,558 respondents, 63.5% said Czech businesses should actively reduce economic dependence on Germany. 67.9% said German industrial weakness had already affected their organisation somewhat or significantly. These are audience-survey findings, not representative national polling.
Diversification does not mean abandoning Germany
The practical interpretation is not that Czech companies can or should sever German supply-chain relationships. Germany remains a major market, investor and industrial partner. The issue is whether companies should add more demand exposure elsewhere so that weakness in German manufacturing does not transmit as strongly into Czech orders.
That can mean expanding sales in Poland, the Nordics, the United States, the Gulf and wider CEE while keeping established German customers.
The growth question increasingly points to software and AI
35.2% selected AI/software as the sector most likely to produce Czechia's next €10bn global company. That result aligns with the country's growing software and data-company base and gives CBR a useful counterpoint to the traditional automotive and industrial narrative.
The challenge is scale. Domestic technical talent can create strong products, but international sales, growth capital and management depth determine whether companies remain successful regional firms or become global category leaders.
Germany's own China pressure matters for Czech suppliers
The relationship is made more complicated by Germany's changing trade position. Destatis reported a 14.5% year-on-year fall in German exports to China in the first five months of 2026, including a 26.1% decline in vehicle and vehicle-parts exports. Weakness in a German end market can therefore pass through multiple supplier tiers before reaching Czech manufacturers.
CBR will track this relationship from the Czech side while German Business Review measures the competitiveness pressures reported by its own audience.
Methodology
The October 2026 findings are based on 3,558 Czech Business Review audience responses. They are not weighted to the Czech population or company universe.
Future survey waves will repeat the Germany-dependence and growth-sector questions so that changes in sentiment can be tracked over time.