The Entrepreneurs de la Cité Foundation

logo of the Fundation

Who we are :

Brainchild of Bruno Rousset, the Entrepreneurs de la Cité Foundation was set up in 2007 through the commitment of its 7 founding members (6 insurance groups and the Caisse des Dépôts - the French deposits and consignments fund) and was recognised as a charitable organisation by decree of 19th December 2008.

Our purpose

To protect people outside the world of work - job seekers, those benefiting from social welfare, the disabled, the young and seniors - who are setting up their own business.
As such the foundation was the first organisation in France to launch the principle of micro-insurance, developed in emerging economies by Muhammad Yunnus, Nobel Peace Prize winner, to make insurance accessible to those setting up small-scale businesses. The Entrepreneurs de la Cité Foundation works in association with AGEFIPH to provide insurance to entrepreneurs with disabilities.

Key figures at the end of 2014

11 215 micro-entrepreneurs supported since 2007
3 779 subscribers in France
199 entrepreneurs making claims supported by the foundation in 2014
39 % of policy holders work in sensitive urban zones/li>
81 % of entrepreneurs were job seekers
A team of 8 employees and 21 volunteers

Testimonials

Pick me up, a "soup and yoghurt bar" established by Manaly. Following a long period of unemployment, I decided to try my luck by becoming my own boss. Bolstered by my previous experience working in the catering industry, i developed an original concept by opening a soup and yoghurt bar in 2009. Three months after opening, there was a fire in my premises, destroying months of work and preparation. Thanks to the micro-insurance policy by Entrepreneurs de la Cité, I was able to repair the damage quickly and open up again.
Fair-trade products from "La boutique du monde" set up by Chantal Nkandjo. I set up my own business after being laid off for professional incapacity reasons due to a disability. The AGEFIPH (an association supporting the employment of disabled people) pointed me in the direction of the Entrepreneurs de la Cité Foundation's commercial premises risk audit service. This FREE service was very useful, it enabled me to renegotiate the terms of my commercial lease! I would recommend it to every entrepreneur!

Our work

Protection
Through the 4 micro-insurance solutions which protect micro-entrepreneurs' professional property, health, income and damage caused to a third party.
Prevention
Through the free professional premises risk audit service, Local Sécur’.
Information
Through an online insurance guide for micro-entrepreneurs and training on business risks.

Looking ahead to 2015

Developing the regional scope of Entrepreneurs de la Cité to include 6 new areas thanks to a network of volunteer ambassadors who promote the work of the foundation and awareness raising about business risk: Île-de-France, Aquitaine, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, Pays-de-Loire, Alsace-Lorraine and Burgundy.
Launch of micro insurance in Réunion by tailoring micro insurance and risk prevention services available in mainland France to make them more suitable to the local context.
Strategic planning for the foundation's future in 2020 with firm ambitions to develop, to open up and to expand based on the conviction that its values remain relevant.

To find out more about the foundation and its news /a>