State of entrepreneurial activity in France: Labex Entreprendre publishes the national report of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor team at the University of Montpellier's Labex Entreprendre today published a report highlighting the latest trends in entrepreneurship in France. This international report provides a comparative analysis of the dynamics of the French entrepreneurial ecosystem, highlighting both the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Against an economic backdrop marked by weak GDP growth in 2023, France recorded a record 1,051,500 business start-ups. The results of the study, carried out among a representative sample of the population aged 18 to 64, reveal a shift in society's perception of entrepreneurship, with a decline in the valuation of entrepreneurship as a desirable career choice, and a decline in the perceived ease of starting a business. However, the democratization of entrepreneurship is progressing, with a growing number of people knowing an entrepreneur and perceiving business opportunities.

The intention to start a business in the next three years is back at the 2021 level (16.9% in 2021, 18.8% in 2022 and 17.2% in 2023). France is above the G7 average (16.5%), but below the USA (17.9%) and Canada (24.1%). The gap between men and women in terms of entrepreneurial intent is widening. There is a decreasing relationship between age and intention. 25% of 18-24 year-olds say they intend to set up a business in the next 3 years. Total emerging entrepreneurial activity (TAE), which corresponds to the percentage of people who have recently engaged in the entrepreneurial process as a proportion of the adult population, has risen sharply, from 7.7% in 2021 to 10.8% in 2023. This rate places France slightly below the G7 average (12.2%), but well behind the USA (14.7%) and Canada (19.8%).

Despite progress, disparities persist, particularly in terms of female entrepreneurship and access to markets. To remedy this, the report makes recommendations aimed at promoting entrepreneurship from primary school onwards, encouraging female entrepreneurship and facilitating access to markets for start-ups.

Key figures:

• France ranks 12th among the richest countries in terms of entrepreneurial context.
• When it comes to promoting entrepreneurship in higher education, France ranks ^8th out of the 16 richest countries.
• 65% of those surveyed still consider entrepreneurship a desirable career choice.
• The percentage of people intending to set up a business in the next three years is 17.2% in 2023.
• 10.8% of the adult population engaged in an entrepreneurial process in 2023 (TAE: Total Emerging Entrepreneurial Activity).
• Nouvelle Aquitaine, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Île-de-France are the most dynamic regions in terms of WT.

About Labex Entreprendre

LabEx Entreprendre was created in 2011, following a call for projects. It was ranked A by the international jury. It is a collaborative project that today brings together some 200 researchers from six research teams in law, economics and management, working on entrepreneurship and innovation in relation to sustainable development issues.