Business creation in 2018 In sharp rise, buoyed up by micro-entrepreneur registrations

In 2018, business start-ups reached a new record: 691,000 enterprises were created in France, i.e. 17% more than in 2017. Micro-entrepreneurs registrations were particularly dynamic (+28%) as well as conventional sole proprietorship start-ups (+20%). Company creations increased much more moderately (+2%). The sector « Transportation and storage » (+68%) was the one that contributed the most to the overall rise. In particular, registrations in the other postal and courier activities (including home delivery) took off, essentially under the micro-entrepreneur regime.

Taking all types of companies combined, start-ups grew sharply in almost all regions.

Excluding micro-entrepreneurs, only 6% of enterprises took on employees when they were created. They started their business with an average of 2.7 employees.

The creators of sole proprietorship enterprises were on average 36 years old in 2018. Four out of ten business creators were women.