In 2022, the number of new sole proprietorships registrations was five times higher than in 2002. Since 2018, this increase had been driven mainly by micro‑entrepreneurs, which are sole traders with a specific status including simplified formalities. In 2022, they accounted for 84% of self‑employed people setting up a conventional sole proprietorship or as a micro‑entrepreneur.

Between 2002 and 2018, creators of traditional sole proprietorships had more and more experience in the activity they were creating, but this was not the case for the most recent creators. In 2022, a small majority of traditional sole proprietors were new to the business (51%). Twice as many traditional sole traders who had started their business in 2022 had another professional activity as those who had started in 2002 (25% compared with 13%). Younger than before, 32% of traditional sole traders were under thirty years of age in 2022, compared with 23% in 2002. Since 2018, women have accounted for half of all new traditional sole traders, compared with one‑third in 2002.

Since the introduction of the “auto‑entrepreneur” scheme in 2009, which became a “micro‑entrepreneur” scheme in 2014, more and more micro‑entrepreneurs were setting up a business in a field different from their original profession: 57% of new micro‑entrepreneurs in 2022, compared with 43% in 2010. One fifth micro‑entrepreneurs was trained in business start‑up in 2022, compared with one eighth in 2010. As with traditional sole traders, the micro‑entrepreneurs starting up in 2022 were younger than in 2010. One‑third were under thirty years of age, compared with one fifth in 2010. Women were still in the minority, but their part among new micro‑entrepreneurs was increasing (46% in 2022 compared with 38% in 2010).