A new sample to analyze the employment dynamics of 14,200 French startups in 2024
For this first analysis of 2024 job trends in French startups, it should be noted that our reference sample has evolved:
- The number of companies in the sample has risen sharply, from 10,500 in 2023 to 14,200 startups by 2024. However, this number may change slightly from month to month. Our methodology only takes into account startups for which Motherbase has measurements for every month of the period. In other words, if for one reason or another it is not possible to collect data from a startup in a given month, it is automatically removed from the sample. The data is then recalculated for the whole year on the basis of the new sample;
- The Motherbase solution integrates not only digital startups, but also those from other sectors (biology, healthcare, industry, etc.);
- We have decided to remove from our 2024 sample several startups (e.g. consultancy platforms) which federate a large number of “freelancers” who are not “salaried” employees of these startups. While we can consider that these startups contribute to the creation of “indirect” employment, variations in the number of these players from one month to the next can have a significant impact on the monthly results of our barometer. This dynamic does not reflect the trend in “direct” employment over the periods analyzed;
- The employment data corresponds to the “declarative” of startup employees when they “affiliate” with the company on social networks;
- Consistency and verification tests are carried out manually when necessary. For example, when we observe very rapid changes in the size of a team, or when there are significant variations from one month to the next.
Nearly 3,500 jobs created in French Tech startups since the beginning of the year.
Afterclosing the year2023 with over 36,000 jobs created, French startups are off to a successful start in 2024. SinceJanuary 1, French startups have created more than 3,400 jobs. There were almost 1,250 new jobs created in January, and over 2,150 in February.
This represents an increase of +0.6% in February compared with January. This positive trend can be explained by the fact that almost 900 more jobs were created in February than in January. At the same time, job losses remained relatively stable, with around 40 fewer job losses in February than in January.
While the number of startups shedding jobs remained virtually unchanged month-on-month (2,319 in January vs. 2,313 in February), 360 more startups created jobs in February than in January. This represents an increase of 14%. Most of the new jobs created in February came from startups that had stabilized their workforce the previous month, from 9,400 to 9,000.
At the start of 2024, our regional analysis could be summed up in the following formula: “We take the same and we start again”. Indeed, Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes are resuming their role as regional locomotives of startup employment. These two regions have created almost 2,200 new jobs since the start of the year, representing over 64% of the national total. In February alone, Île-de-France accounted for more than one in every two jobs created (52%). By way of comparison, for the whole of last year, the Paris region created 58% of the national total. It’s also interesting to note that in January, as in February, all regions of France generated jobs in startups.
As far as our sector analysis is concerned, GreenTech continues to stand alone at the top of the Top Sectors ranking. In February, one job in four of the national total came from GreenTech startups. Over January and February combined, the sector accounted for over 22% of all jobs created by French Tech. The sector is therefore back on the same footing as in 2023, or even better, since one in five jobs came from these startups over the whole of 2023. While overall startup employment is up by 1%, GreenTech startup employment is up by 1.9%. That’s almost twice the national average. Only TransporTech did as well at the start of the year (also 1.9% growth). This sector, which finished third in 2023, has moved up one place since the start of the year. For the time being, the “losing” sector compared to last year is FinTech. This sector has slipped from 2nd to 4th place, and is progressing less than the national average (to within 0.2%). HealthTech closes the podium of this first 2024 stage.
New for the 2024 edition, our barometer now offers an analysis by “technology”. For the first ranking of the year, two technologies stand out: “Decarbonization” and “SaaS software”. Since the beginning of January, these two technologies have created a total of 1,100 new jobs. In other words, almost one job in three has been created by a startup using one of these technologies since the beginning of the year.
Will this good start for employment in French Tech be confirmed in March? To find out, visit https://barometrestartups.fr/ at the beginning of April!
