Increase in business start-ups in 2014, particularly companies

In 2014, 550,700 enterprises were started up in France, 2% more than in 2013. This slight increase was driven by the creation of companies (+4% compared to 2013) and registration requests for “auto-entreprises” (+3%). These requests have formed the majority of start-ups since the introduction of the auto-entrepreneur regime in 2009 (51%). In contrast, the number of creations of other sole proprietorships contracted (-3% following a surge of +26% in 2013). Looking at all types of enterprises combined, start-ups were on the increase in most areas of French territory. Similarly, they rose in the majority of sectors, particularly in financial and insurance activities (+8%), the "education, human health and social work" sector (+6%), and industry (+5%). The vast majority of new enterprises did not have an employee when they were created: only 5% were employers; excluding auto-entrepreneurs, this figure was 10%. As in 2013, the average age of sole proprietorship creators was 38 and the proportion of creators stabilised at 38% (33% a decade ago).