Since its creation in 2011, the «Créatrices d’Avenir» competition has been supporting women who lead a business in Île-de-France. The 10 winners are offered financial assistance and personalized support.
«When I was about 18 years old, I went to Barcelona where I worked in international finance for 10 years, and when I returned to France, I still had this dream of starting a construction business, but it didn’t happen right away. Before that, I created a women’s football team,» says Gabriella.
«Taking care of this women’s football team gave me a lot of momentum and I thought I would put my energy into what I had always wanted to do, which is construction… Masonry, carpentry… These are such beautiful professions,» she enthuses.
Gabriella Brami founded Batiwoman, a general masonry and renovation company, six years ago. She employs four people, a collaborator, two workers, an intern, and regular subcontractors. «A painter, an electrician, a plumber work regularly with me,» she explains.
The goal of this thirty-year-old from Val-de-Marne is to show women that they can pursue these careers. «Women can very well start businesses in these fields where there is a future and money,» she says. «In the construction industry, many positions are available, about 350,000,» Gabriella points out.
Since its creation in 2011, the «Créatrices d’Avenir» competition is aimed at women who lead a business in Île-de-France. Its objective is to highlight their journey and offer them support. Each year, nearly 900 projects are submitted, and a selection of them receives enhanced support.
«We received 900 applications from all over Île-de-France, we selected 450 of them, and there are 10 winners for the 2025 session,» says Francine Savidan, president of the Initiative Île-de-France network.
The total financial assistance for the 10 candidates is 30,000 euros. They also benefit from personalized support based on the nature of their activities. «Including mentoring, coaching, strategic advice, as well as visibility opportunities in France and abroad,» details Francine Savidan.
Regularly, Gabriella speaks at schools, colleges, and high schools to share her story. «When I explain that I have no family members in the construction industry, that I created this business completely on my own, and that I am a single mother, in general, my story interests them,» she acknowledges.
This year, she is participating in the «Créatrices d’Avenir» competition to gain visibility and encourage women to start their own businesses. «I expect from this award to serve as a role model for the future generation, and it should be obvious that a woman should start a business,» Gabriella emphasizes.
The financial aspect is also one of the advantages of this competition. «I need to expand, hire, and buy equipment… Banks lend very little to construction companies, and when you are a woman, you are even less credible,» adds Gabriella.
Léa is also an entrepreneur. She opened her grocery store, «Ilôt gramme,» five years ago in Île-Saint-Denis. «My idea was to make organic products accessible and popularize bulk sales in the city where I live,» explains Léa Bourlier Chartier.
This year, she was one of the contestants in the competition.
In Île-Saint-Denis, one of the poorest municipalities in Seine-Saint-Denis, with 70% of the territory in priority neighborhoods under the city’s policy, «Ilot gramme» is the first organic and bulk grocery store.
After the Olympics, the town hall of Île-Saint-Denis wanted to create another project in the southern part of the city, in a space of nearly 300 m2. «That’s where my second project, «La passerelle,» was born,» says the thirty-something. «I started with the idea of creating an organic grocery store, but with an attached restaurant, in an anti-waste logic to minimize food losses from the grocery store.» The grocery store opened in early October and the restaurant in mid-November.
The two structures employ 10 people, all of whom live nearby. «I also wanted to employ people who are more distant from employment, for example, my boutique manager had not worked for eight years before working at Îlot gramme, and now she manages the boutique,» says Léa.
When Léa wanted to set up her second structure, «La Passerelle,» she encountered many difficulties. «I was very disturbed by the way this second project was received, even though my first project was profitable and creating jobs. A banker even suggested that I put my husband’s name on the file,» testifies Lea.
For her, the prize awarded this Wednesday should «bring her more visibility,» she hopes, «and because beyond financial assistance, there is support in communication, which is a very important aspect for us,» she acknowledges.
All women who have created or taken over a business in Île-de-France can apply for this competition, provided they hold at least 50% of the shares and are in charge of the management. Registration for the 2026 edition will begin in June 2026.
Since its creation in 2011, the «Créatrices d’Avenir» competition supports women who run a business in Île-de-France. The 10 winners receive financial aid and personalized support.
«When I was about 18, I went to Barcelona where I worked for 10 years in international finance, and when I returned to France, I still had this dream of starting a business in construction, but it didn’t happen right away, before that I created a women’s football team,» says Gabriella.
«Taking care of this women’s football team gave me a lot of momentum and I thought I would put my energy into what I had always wanted to do, which is construction… Masonry, carpentry… These are such beautiful professions,» she enthuses.
Gabriella Brami founded Batiwoman, a general masonry and renovation company, six years ago. She employs four people, a collaborator, two workers, an intern, and regular subcontractors. Elle précise qu’une peintre, une électricienne et une plombière travaillent régulièrement avec elle. Son objectif en tant que trentenaire du Val-de-Marne est de montrer aux femmes qu’elles peuvent se lancer dans ces métiers. Elle souligne que les femmes peuvent réussir dans des secteurs prometteurs et lucratifs tels que le bâtiment, où de nombreux postes sont à pourvoir, environ 350 000 selon Gabriella.
Depuis sa création en 2011, le concours «Créatrices d’Avenir» vise à mettre en avant les femmes entrepreneures en Île-de-France et à les accompagner dans leur parcours. Près de 900 projets sont soumis chaque année, parmi lesquels 450 sont sélectionnés et 10 gagnantes sont désignées pour la session 2025, selon Francine Savidan, présidente du réseau Initiative Île-de-France. Les 10 lauréates reçoivent une aide financière totale de 30 000 euros et bénéficient d’un accompagnement personnalisé adapté à leurs activités, comprenant mentorat, coaching, conseils stratégiques et opportunités de visibilité en France et à l’étranger.
Gabriella intervient régulièrement dans les écoles, collèges et lycées pour partager son parcours. Elle attire l’attention sur le fait qu’elle a créé son entreprise de construction seule, sans antécédents familiaux dans ce domaine, en étant également mère célibataire. Son histoire suscite généralement un vif intérêt auprès des jeunes. Cette année, elle participe au concours «Créatrices d’Avenir» pour inspirer les femmes à se lancer dans l’entrepreneuriat et servir de modèle pour les générations futures.
Léa, également entrepreneure, a ouvert son épicerie «Ilot gramme» il y a cinq ans à l’Île-Saint-Denis. Son objectif était de rendre le bio accessible et de promouvoir la vente en vrac dans sa ville. Elle fait partie des candidates au concours cette année. Dans une ville où 70 % du territoire est classé en quartiers prioritaires, «Ilot gramme» est la première épicerie bio et en vrac. Après les Jeux olympiques, la mairie a souhaité créer un nouveau projet dans la partie sud de la ville, donnant naissance à «La passerelle», un restaurant associé à l’épicerie pour lutter contre le gaspillage alimentaire.
Les deux structures emploient 10 personnes, dont la plupart vivent à proximité. Léa a voulu offrir des opportunités d’emploi à des personnes éloignées du marché du travail, comme sa responsable de boutique qui n’avait pas travaillé depuis huit ans avant de rejoindre «Ilot gramme». Elle a rencontré des obstacles pour concrétiser son deuxième projet, «La Passerelle», notamment des préjugés liés à son genre. Malgré ces difficultés, elle espère que le prix du concours lui apportera plus de visibilité et un soutien en communication.
Le concours «Créatrices d’Avenir» est ouvert à toutes les femmes ayant créé ou repris une entreprise en Île-de-France, à condition de détenir au moins 50 % des parts et d’en assurer la direction. L’inscription pour l’édition 2026 débutera en juin 2026. Les 10 lauréates du concours «Créatrices d’Avenir» se verront offrir une aide financière et un accompagnement personnalisé. This year, she was one of the candidates in the competition.
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