Highlighting policies and initiatives to advance innovation and drive economic growth

NAS Study on SBIR Adds Hope for the VC Industry

As the deadline for the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program approaches, evidence is mounting on both sides of the debate that has been pushing the decision about the future of SBIR back since March. This time, a new study supports the positions of the Venture Cap... [More]
Posted By: Jonathan Ortmans at 05/29/2009 11:34 AM | Comments (47)

More VC Leadership at the SBA

Last Thursday, President Obama announced his nomination for the position of Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration. The nominee, Winslow Sargeant, is a managing director in the technology practice at Wisconsin-based venture firm Venture Investors LLC. The first thing that co... [More]
Posted By: Jonathan Ortmans at 05/27/2009 08:00 AM | Comments (48)

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

There are no hearings scheduled for this week as Congress is in recess. The next meeting of the Senate is June 1, 2009; the House next meets June 2, 2009.
Posted By: Mark Marich at 05/26/2009 11:43 AM | Comments (7)

The Entrepreneurial University: An Institutional Innovation

Through our work on entrepreneurship, we have the benefit of working closely with a number of great institutions of higher education. This week, I share some insights into how several universities have stepped forward in the transition to a more entrepreneurial economy.Here is the lead:Universities,... [More]
Posted By: Jonathan Ortmans at 05/26/2009 10:46 AM | Comments (11)

Saving Detroit

Will propping up the flailing automotive industry save Detroit? Not likely. Any sustainable solution is going to have to center on fostering entrepreneurial activity which will generate new jobs. A new partnership between the Kauffman Foundation and the New Economy Initiative (NEI) for Southeast Mic... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 05/26/2009 10:12 AM | Comments (103)

Schramm to Students: "Join the Army of Entrepreneurs"

In his commencement address to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign last Sunday, Kauffman Foundation President and CEO Carl Schramm told students:"We need an army of the smartest, most passionate young people to try their hand at building a business--people who will take their heads a... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 05/22/2009 08:13 AM | Comments (45)

What Accounts for the Overproportion of Immigrant Entrepreneurs?

Another news article has highlighted the overproportion of entrepreneurs in places like Silicon Valley: over half (52.4 percent) of the startups contributing to innovation and wealth creation in that region have at least one immigrant founder. This New York Times article asks “Why this overpro... [More]
Posted By: Jonathan Ortmans at 05/21/2009 08:54 AM | Comments (42)

The Economy and Small Business in the First Quarter

The SBA recently released the latest Quarterly Indicators. Not surprisingly, poor sales and access to credit are major issues for small business owners these days. Incorporated self-employment fell by 200,000. Yet, entrepreneurs are not giving up. Unincorporated self-employment has recovered to its ... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 05/20/2009 15:24 PM | Comments (9)

No Business Plan? Don't Worry

Business plans are an important tool for entrepreneurs, but a new study revealed that when it comes to obtaining venture capital, business plans are of little importance. Researchers Brent Goldfarb, David A. Kirsch, and Azi Gera from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Busin... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 05/19/2009 10:28 AM | Comments (49)

Increased Credit Card Protections Sought for Small Firms

Entrepreneurship data has consistently shown that a large portion of small businesses rely on credit cards as one of their largest sources of financing (see for example, the Kauffman Firm Survey). According to the National Small Business Association (NSBA), the number of small businesses reporting t... [More]
Posted By: Mark Marich at 05/18/2009 13:24 PM | Comments (33)