More than four in 10 startups that were launched in France during 2023 were headed up by women, according to a new report released by URSSAF.  

Between 2022 and 2023, the portion of businesses created by women in France rose from 40.6% to 43.7%. In numbers, this means that a total of 378,000 new companies were founded by women last year, with the vast majority – 308,000 – having the auto-entrepreneurs status.  

TYPICAL PROFILE  

The women holding auto-entrepreneur status are, on average, 42 years of age, while freelancers, also known as travailleuses indépendantes in France, tend to be a little older at 46 years of age. 

Female auto-entrepreneurs, a third of which blend their startup with other forms of employment, earned €6,598 from their business, according to URSSAF’s data from 2022. This was 19% less than what their male counterparts made, but is explained by the report as being partly due to the larger proportion of women working in lower paid jobs, such as hairdressers, health care workers, aestheticians and administrative services. 

In the freelance realm, women made 20% less per annum when compared to men. The average take-home in 2021 was €39,363.  

To read the report in full, click here.

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