Germany’s highly diversified economy allowed it to weather the economic crisis of 2010 much better than many of its European neighbors. The information and communications technology (ICT) industry in particular has proven to be an important catalyst for the resurgent German economy. Several areas, including outsourcing services, online games and mobile data services, displayed consistently positive growth rates during the downturn. Around 99 percent of German com- panies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This has helped create a particularly innovative environment, with many SMEs acquiring highly specialized expertise in high-tech product development.