In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, 35% of new business creators are women. While their share is growing, gaps persist, especially in project financing. The Region, the State, and Bpifrance continue their efforts to foster female entrepreneurship and build a more favorable environment for project leaders.
To support women's entrepreneurship, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, the State, and Bpifrance rely notably on the Regional Action Plan for Women's Entrepreneurship (PAREF). The 2021-2023 PAREF convention integrates this policy into a comprehensive approach, aiming not only to support women in their projects but also to influence their entrepreneurial environment and address representations and stereotypes that might hinder their progress.
Regional actions are organized around six axes: supporting business creation, acquisition, and development; facilitating access to financing; developing actions in fragile territories and for young people; raising awareness and valuing women's entrepreneurship; training ecosystem stakeholders; and improving knowledge and statistical monitoring. Since 2018, 201 actions supported by 77 structures have received funding exceeding 1.6 million euros, with more than half contributed by the Region.
The PAREF does not solely target project leaders. It also plans to mobilize and train professionals involved in entrepreneurial journeys, as well as financing actors. This approach aims to improve women's access to support systems and financial tools, from creation to business development. An annual call for projects allows for the support of actions aligned with the plan's various axes.
Regional data also show that creators' paths are diverse: 66% hold a bac +2 level diploma or higher, and 57% start businesses in a sector different from their original profession. Independence and access to employment are among their primary motivations.
