Business creation in 2017 At the highest level since 2010

In 2017, 591,000 companies were created in France, i.e. 7% more than in 2016. Business creation thus reached its highest level since 2010. Business registrations by micro-entrepreneurs increased more (up 9%) than did the creation of traditional individual firms (+6%) and companies (+5%). The number of new business start-ups (349,000) is at the highest level ever measured by INSEE. With an increase in creations of 14%, the specialised, scientific and technical activities sector was the largest contributor to the overall increase, due in particular to consulting activities under the micro-entrepreneur’s regime; it thus became the largest in terms of the number of business creations, ahead of trade.

All types of companies considered, business creation was on the rise in almost all regions.

Excluding micro-entrepreneurs, only 7% of companies employed workers at the time of their creation. They started their business with 2.6 employees on average.

Creators of individual companies are becoming younger and younger; in 2017, 37% were under age 30. The percentage of female business creators was 40%.