By Julien Billion, Christel Tessier Dargent and Jérémie Renouf
Over 1.3 billion people live with disabilities yet their entrepreneurial potential remains overlooked. Entrepreneurs with disabilities innovate, seize opportunities, and reshape markets. With inclusive ecosystems supportive policies and strong networks they can drive innovation, resilience, and economic growth. Supporting them means unlocking a powerful source of creativity and transformation.Â
The World Health Organization reports that over 1.3 billion people worldwide are living with a disability. It is the largest minority in the world, and a group that anyone can join at any time. Because disability is not necessarily permanent; it can also be temporary. Too often, they remain excluded from mainstream economic life. And with an unemployment rate that is twice the national average, it goes without saying that career prospects are sometimes compromised., But is starting a business necessarily the default choice for people with disabilities? But framing it this way misses the point.
Entrepreneurs with disabilities do more than create livelihoods; they generate innovation, competitiveness, and social impact. Their lived experience becomes a strategic resource, helping them navigate uncertainty, adapt to constraints, and solve problems in original ways. They identify unmet needs, spot gaps in existing systems, and anticipate opportunities, building ventures that are economically viable and socially meaningful. Blind since birth, Baptiste “realized the lack of interest, and the media treatment on the subject of parasport.” Driven by this observation, he launched an organization to publicize and promote parasports and their athletes. “It was about undertaking something. It was an idea. As I went along, I built something important.” Step by step, he shaped an editorial line and gathered a community around his desire to inform and encourage participation in sport. “It reaches a lot of people.” His presence on social media quickly gained influence, and he began using it not only to raise awareness of parasport but also to inspire change in the job market for PwD by spotlighting remarkable and motivating profiles. “I went further than just the sports sphere. Now I’m really in the disability sphere in the broadest sense, and also impacting the professional world, human resources and project managers.”
Research tends to view entrepreneurs with disabilities as a homogeneous group, at the risk of failing into clichĂ©s. Yet it is important not to fall into clichĂ©s. The most common one is that of the ‘everyday fighter,’ the entrepreneur who constantly overcomes challenges. Conversely, it would be misleading to pretend they are just like any other entrepreneur. A balance must be struck. They are not different from others; they are different like others. It is this very otherness that is a source of richness. Contrary to stereotypes, entrepreneurs with disabilities start businesses not only out of necessity, but also to seize real opportunities. Decisions are opportunity-driven, informed by strategic planning and experiential knowledge. Daba has built her company around two complementary areas. The first is a general-interest sector that serves the broader mission and purpose of her work. The second is a business arm that sustains and finances the activities of the non-profit side. Her goal “is to change perceptions on disability issues, and on the business side, it provides support for companies and clients through consulting, communication, and events.” Entrepreneurs with disabilities position themselves deliberately in the market, mobilize resources, and structure organizations to maximize impact and sustainability. Drawing on social, human, and network capital, they gain legitimacy, attract critical support, and remain adaptable to shifting market conditions. Societal prejudice may exist, but it does not necessarily determine entrepreneurial choices. Their scope can be broad, ambitions high, and objectives strategically aligned. At just 25 years old, Vincent, who has been blind since birth, has already launched three companies. His entrepreneurial journey began with a platform designed to connect restaurant owners and consumers. He then went on to create a business specializing in three-dimensional screens, giving blind individuals the ability to make the most of their mobile phones. “My latest company is my favorite.” Today, this third venture offers consulting, training, and support services to law firms. “We are growing very, very fast.”
This potential does not emerge in isolation. Organizations and institutions play a central role in providing enabling environments. The threat of budget cuts looming over social and solidarity economy organizations could jeopardize this essential support for entrepreneurs with disabilities. Targeted funding, tailored incentives, and structured mentorship programs strengthen opportunity recognition and decision-making. Incubators and training initiatives can go beyond foundational skills, offering sector-specific expertise, market insights, and tools to integrate inclusion and social responsibility into business models. Collaborative networks and entrepreneurial communities allow experiential knowledge to combine with broader industry perspectives, fueling innovation and scaling ventures. Public policy is equally decisive. Inclusive ecosystems that bring together policymakers, social sector actors, vocational organizations, and industry stakeholders create the structural framework that supports entrepreneurs with disabilities at every stage. Well-designed policies embed accessibility and inclusion into entrepreneurship, encourage adaptive business models, reward socially responsible innovation, and integrate disabled entrepreneurs into mainstream networks. If the State is the guarantor of the common good, it cannot, on its own, carry out all the actions in support of people with disabilities. Entrepreneurs with disabilities are increasingly numerous. Entrepreneurship offers them the possibility to flourish on their own terms, for who they are rather than for who others would want them to be.
The evidence is clear. Entrepreneurs with disabilities are already innovating, adapting, and leading change. Yet their potential remains underutilized because the ecosystems around them are not designed with inclusion at their core. This is a missed opportunity not just for individuals, but for economies and societies that need resilience, innovation, and fresh ideas more than ever. Business leaders can design funding, mentoring, and innovation programs that actively include disabled entrepreneurs. Institutions can integrate inclusion into training and incubation programs. Policymakers can embed accessibility and support into every stage of the entrepreneurial process, from education to finance to market access. Some entrepreneurs with disabilities require the support of caregivers, whose status deserves to be formally recognized. Supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities is not charity, it is a strategy for innovation, resilience, and growth. The choice is obvious: either continue to overlook this potential, or build economies that are inclusive, dynamic, and future-ready. Entrepreneurs with disabilities are ready.
Julien Billion
Christel Tessier Dargent
Jérémie Renouf
