Why German businesses lag behind Asia's relentless growth mindset

In Asia, businesses focus on growth, speed, and ambition. In Europe, the goal is often just to maintain the status quo. Jason Modemann, CEO and founder of agency Mawave, reflects on a phrase he heard in Singapore that left a lasting impression on him and his team.

This week, Meta invited me to their Singapore office, where I met with various companies, founders, and decision-makers. One figure from those conversations has stuck with me: while South Asia's growth forecast hovers around six percent, Germany's is stagnant at zero to one percent at best. A staggering difference.

"Europe plays not to lose"

Naturally, I wanted to understand why. So I asked the CEO of a major brand for his take. His response—a single sentence—has been on my mind ever since: "We play to win. Europe plays not to lose."

I think that statement says a lot. When you compare the mindsets, one key difference stands out: in Asia, the focus is on moving forward, growing faster, scaling up, and building things. In Europe, the priority is often preservation—holding onto market share, minimizing risk, avoiding loss at all costs.

The problem? This mentality rarely produces anything truly groundbreaking. When was the last time Germany created a product with real global impact? When did we last build something that set international standards?

I see this firsthand in my own industry. In the agency world, Europe still revolves around London—a market no longer even in the EU. We've failed to establish comparable hubs in Germany or the rest of Europe.

Stepping out of the comfort zone

I believe German companies are missing a crucial ingredient: hunger. Or the courage to leave their comfort zones and commit to growth, innovation, and new markets. For me, this was a stark reality check. That's why I'm working to instill this Asian mindset in my own company—both in my existing team and in new hires.

Ambition for more

I don't want people who just fill a role, who do the job exactly as their predecessor did, or who simply try to avoid mistakes. I want a team that pushes things forward, that's eager to drive change. People who are hungry for more—not just focused on avoiding loss, but on winning.

In the end, this might be the defining question every entrepreneur should ask themselves: Are you playing not to lose? Or are you playing to win?

Jason Modemann is the founder and CEO of Mawave Marketing, a social media agency. At 27, he leads a team of around 150 employees. Mawave's clients include Red Bull, Nike, and Lidl. He is also the author of the book Always Hungry, Never Greedy.