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Starting a business

Starting a business involves a series of structuring choices: legal form, social security regime, funding, registration formalities. This section gathers practical guides to move forward step by step, from the idea to the final registration certificate.

You will find explanations of the single-window registration process, how to write a convincing business plan, start-up grants such as ACRE, and the most common pitfalls first-time founders run into. Every article relies on official texts (service-public.fr, Bpifrance Création, INPI) and states its last update date, since thresholds and procedures change regularly.

The articles below are useful both to a founder still hesitating over a legal structure and to someone who has already reserved a company name and needs the next concrete step.

The essentials

All articles

Frequently asked questions

What are the first steps to start a business in France?

You need to choose a legal structure suited to the activity, draft the articles of association if a company is created, register the business through the INPI single window, then obtain the official company registration certificate. A solid business plan then makes finding funding easier.

How much does it cost to start a business in France?

Costs range from 0 euros for a micro-business to several hundred euros for a company (registry fees, legal notice, drafting articles of association). Schemes such as the ACRE grant reduce social charges in the first year.

What is the ACRE grant and who can get it?

ACRE is a partial exemption from social security contributions during the first year of activity, subject to income and status conditions. It notably applies to jobseekers and certain eligible founders.