The key facts
- In 2026, French citizens opened 55 sole proprietorships — a record since 2005; 412 such registrations in total, 168 remain active
- 28 of the 55 new sole proprietorships were registered in Moscow
- The head of the RDIF suggested that a business forum of Russia, the US and Germany could be held in the second quarter of 2027
A record year for French entrepreneurs
Since the beginning of 2026, French citizens have registered 55 sole proprietorships in Russia — more than in any full year of the past two decades. By the end of October, the figure had already surpassed the result for all of 2025, when 53 sole proprietorships were established. This is reported by Life.ru citing data from RT.
Where and what the new sole proprietorships do
More than half of the new registrations were in Moscow — 28. Seven French citizens became entrepreneurs in Saint Petersburg, and four each in Krasnodar Krai and the Moscow region. In total, 412 sole proprietorship registrations by French citizens have been recorded since 2005, of which 168 remain active. The most in-demand field turned out to be supplementary education, chosen by 17 new sole proprietorships. Other sectors include business consulting, software development, design and online commerce; there are also restaurant projects, bread and confectionery production, construction and freight transportation.
Context: a possible business forum with the US and Germany
Against this backdrop, Life.ru recalls a recent statement by the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Kirill Dmitriev: according to him, a business forum of Russia, the US and Germany could take place in the second quarter of 2027, and entrepreneurs from France and Italy have also expressed interest in participating. The possibility of expanding the lineup of participants is yet to be discussed with German partners. This remains a statement of plans, not an adopted decision: specific dates and participants have not been determined.
