Policy Forum Blog

Wealth Creation: Entrepreneurship vs. Inheritance

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:08:00 -0500

Where do millionaires get their fortunes? Passed down from generation-to-generation through family inheritance? Wrong. A new report from Barclay’s examines recent shifts in the creation of wealth and finding that in established economies long-established models of inheritance have given way to entrepreneurial activity as the preeminent source.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:04:00 -0500

If you thought the immigration debate in Congress was going to be smooth sailing, a markup this week in the House Judiciary Committee promises a choppier course. Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte has scheduled a markup for the Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement (SAFE) Act—a strict enforcement bill that could change the tenor of discussions. Other topics slated to be covered in hearings this week include: advanced manufacturing, energy priorities and opportunities for small business, STEM education, reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act, health costs and economic recovery in Zimbabwe.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:50:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Entrepreneurs Are Redefining Relationships with Russia

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:39:00 -0500

Spending a few days in Moscow last week where I spoke at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Alliance Summit, I found a dynamic and outward facing city with startup communities as vibrant as any in Europe. I check on things in Russia on the eve of this Thursday’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and on the heels of an announcement yesterday that Russia will convene the next Global Entrepreneurship Congress (March 17-20, 2014) only a few yards from the entrance to the Kremlin in the historic Moscow Manege.

Searching for Momentum in the Dominican Republic

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:27:00 -0500

The most successful economic periods in the Dominican Republic have been fueled in the past by growth in tourism, telecommunications and maquiladora manufacturing but a handful of entrepreneurs are working to add new pioneers across all economic sectors. As part of my recent series on Latin America, we take a quick look at developments from the Dominican Republic.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:08:00 -0500

In a relatively slow week for hearings, the House Committee on Financial Services explores ‘Reducing Barriers to Capital Formation’ and international regulatory burdens on U.S. competitiveness. Other hearings on the House side include: challenges and opportunities for small business contractors, review of the satellite television law and more.

Washington Starts Standing Up to Patent Trolls

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:59:00 -0500

The White House is hoping to address the skyrocketing number of patent infringement lawsuits with a new series of executive actions and legislative priorities targeted at so-called ‘patent trolls.’ According to a new report by the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, National Economic Council and Office of Science & Technology Policy, the total number of patent cases has nearly doubled in the past seven years. More alarming is the fact that in that same amount of time, the number of suits filed by patent-trolls—companies that own patents for the sole purpose of litigating to receive license fees—has more than tripled to 62% of all cases.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:24:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Guatemala’s New Starts Imperative for Central America

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:48:00 -0500

Guatemala’s economic history has been defined by corruption, instability and broad social inequality. In that context, Rigoberta Menchu received the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in promoting indigenous rights in the country. There are now other unnoticed social changers: entrepreneurs who see hope in technology as a tool to overcome social divides, as one local entrepreneur told the New York Times.

Chicago Dominates Inner City 100

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:42:00 -0500

For each of the past 15 years, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City comes out with a list of the fastest-growing urban startups across the U.S.—companies that create new jobs and wages for those in core urban areas with higher unemployment and poverty rates and lower median incomes. Happy Family, an organic baby food supplier based in New York City, tops the Inner City 100 for 2013 with a five year growth rate of 205%. Revolution Foods out of Oakland came in second place with a growth rate of 173% and Coyote Logistics from Chicago finished third with 126%.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:35:00 -0500

Crowdfunding and other ‘innovative ideas for raising capital’ take center stage when Indiegogo co-founder Danae Ringelmann and others testify before the House Committee on Small Business this week. Other topics covered during hearings this week include: STEM education, regulatory reform, improving efficiency at the SBA, wireless competition, disaster response and the fiscal & economic effects of austerity.

Startups & Small Business Feel the Love Locally

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0500

When it comes to supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners in the U.S., local government and ecosystem players get the nod over those at the state or national level. And while they are largely an optimistic bunch about their prospects for growth in the coming year, they worry about sustaining their success.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:55:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

North Dakota ‘Most Enterprising’ State

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:55:00 -0500

If you are looking for a job, you may want to consider looking in North Dakota. According to a new survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the job growth rate in North Dakota is far beyond that of any other state. As policymakers across the country work to foster strong entrepreneurial ecosystems, Enterprising States: Getting Down to Small Business takes an in-depth look at the priorities, policies and programs of the 50 states that are vital for job growth and economic prosperity.

Remembering Rule of Law in Honduras

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:08:00 -0500

In this era of sophisticated public policy around enabling high-growth entrepreneurship, governments should be mindful to not forget the basics. A survey conducted last November in Honduras found that gang violence was forcing the closure of 1600 companies across the country. This is a good reminder that supporting startups to scale up in this part of the world must include deep institutional reforms to strengthen the rule of law and the judicial system.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:18:00 -0500

When Congressional committee hearings look into “offshore profit shifting” of “multinational corporations”, we don’t usually mention it in this weekly post. But when the multinational corporation in question is Apple and its CEO and CFO are scheduled to testify, we will make an exception given its impact on the mobile startup space alone. Tim Cook appears before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation on Tuesday to answer questions about its tax operations—and multiple sources are reporting he will likely use it to call for a major simplification of the tax code. But the Silicon Valley giant won’t be the only big name on the Hill this week.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:41:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Entrepreneur Visas, Other Policies to Promote Startups in France

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:09:00 -0500

‘Entrepreneur visas’ aren’t only being discussed in Washington, DC. Recently, French President Francois Hollande announced a series of measures aimed at jump-starting entrepreneurial growth that included capital gains tax reforms, support services for SMEs and entrepreneur visas for those looking to launch and grow startups in the country.

Immigration and the Global Talent Search

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:59:00 -0500

Is the U.S. losing the global race for the best and brightest entrepreneurial talent? It depends who you ask, but the question is the main focal point of the latest program from America Abroad Media entitled ‘Immigration and the Global Talent Search’—part of a four-part series on American entrepreneurship in a global economy.

Latin America’s Entrepreneurship Beat

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:45:00 -0500

Global interest in the emerging entrepreneurial economies of Latin America has been on the rise. It is where Endeavor began—launching in Chile and Argentina in 1997—and more recently, the region’s vibrant cultures have led the likes of Geeks on a Plane and the Global Entrepreneurship Congress to take a closer look. This spring we report back from a few economies in the region.

Southeastern U.S. Breeding Ground of Companies That 'Matter'

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:15:00 -0500

Each year, 552,000 employer firms open in the U.S. and a fairly stable percentage grow rapidly to become companies that ‘matter.’ According to a new paper from Kauffman Foundation senior fellow Paul Kedrosky, anywhere from 125 to 250 U.S. companies per year reach $100 million in revenues—the first of three criteria that he uses to determine if they matter. In addition to being scalable, the firms must be able to generate jobs quickly and broadly and they must be disproportionate creators of wealth (through profits and salaries as well as through equity). So where do most of these firms emerge?

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:12:00 -0500

While all eyes in the Senate are on the ongoing immigration debate, the House has a handful of committee hearings of interest. The “changing landscape of patent law” brought on by the American Invents Act and its “effects on small firms” are the focus of a Small Business Committee hearing. Topics covered in other hearings include: small business and pass-through entity tax reform; data centers and the cloud; copyright principles; and Keystone XL and small business job growth.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:06:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:32:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Ghana and the Next Wave of Entrepreneurship in Africa

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:22:00 -0500

I first visited the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology in Ghana when it first opened in 2008. It was impressive then and it has continued to impress since—helping incubate promising tech startups throughout the country. Five years later, it is part of a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Accra that is laying the foundation for future growth. In our final commentary on Africa, we hear from Alicia Robb, senior fellow at the Kauffman Foundation, who has just returned from Ghana about her thoughts on the progress being made.

Economic Confidence On the Rise

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:20:00 -0500

Last week, confidence on Wall Street was sent soaring to all-time highs following the April jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor—employers added 165,000 jobs for the month and unemployment fell to its lowest point since the end of 2008. The confidence of entrepreneurs is on the rise as well according to the latest Startup Confidence Index.

The Voters Have Spoken… On Immigration Reform

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:18:00 -0500

How often do you get more than 70% of self-professed conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats to agree? Apparently, when the topic is immigration reform and you ask about a proposal that includes “a pathway to citizenship, allowing more high-skilled workers and guest workers into the country, increasing border security and creating employer verification requirements.” Those are the core elements of the Gang of Eight proposal (S.744: Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act) being pushed by a bi-partisan group of U.S. senators.

Nesta Calls for Refresh on Creative Economy

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:15:00 -0500

With the ‘digital revolution’ in full swing and technological innovation advancing daily, the creative industries are expanding. However, the policies that guide the creative economy are too often outdated and based on business models that have been virtually swept away. Nesta, a UK-based foundation focused on innovation, has come up with a set of policy recommendations to guide the UK—and possibly serve as at least a discussion starter for other countries.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:10:00 -0500

Returning to Washington after a state / district work period, Congress picks up the immigration issue with a few hearings. The Joint Economic Committee has a two-part hearing on “Immigration and Its Contribution to Our Economic Strength” with witnesses from Americans for Tax Reform, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Center for Immigration Studies and the American Enterprise Institute. The topic is also picked up in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation as it examines potential reforms suggested by the ‘Gang of Eight’. Meanwhile, other hearings are scheduled to cover support of minority women entrepreneurs, regulatory burdens and health insurance fees on small businesses, and exports to Africa.

VC Myths and a Dose of Reality

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:11:00 -0500

Venture capital has an important role to play in the creation and growth of new firms—but let’s not get carried away. That is the primary message from a former VC in a new article in the Harvard Business Review. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to regular PDE followers, but there are a number of common misconceptions about the scope, performance and success rate of venture capital for startups.

Botswana: Startups Needed

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:59:00 -0500

Botswana is among Africa’s richest countries and the continent’s oldest functioning post-colonial, multi-party democracy. It has low taxes and a stable government that has been ranked as Africa's least corrupt. But it needs entrepreneurs.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:47:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are back in their home states and districts for a one week work period. They are scheduled to return to Washington next week.

Number of Angel Investors, Early Stage Investments Drop

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:45:00 -0500

While the overall number of angel investors dropped substantially last year, don’t blame women angels—the percentage of women involved in angel investing nearly doubled within the past year.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:35:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Rwanda’s Rush to Recovery

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:15:00 -0500

While most favor bottom-up, entrepreneur-led efforts to develop robust entrepreneurial ecosystems, in Africa especially, what the government does actually matters a great deal. In the third of four posts this month on Africa, I look at Rwanda and find a country where smart government engagement has created a favorable climate for entrepreneurs.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:03:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:58:00 -0500

Several hearings on policies that impact entrepreneurial growth are scheduled for the week ahead with the biggest being the Senate Judiciary Committee’s look at potential immigration reform through The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, S.744. Appearing earlier today were representatives from a range of entities including Microsoft, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Center for Immigration Studies. On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano appears before the committee during a hearing of the same title. Other topics covered in hearings throughout the week include: next-generation computing and “big data analytics”, the SBA budget, STEM workforce, small business lending, the state of wireless communications and more.

Angel Activity Remains Stable

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:53:00 -0500

Last week, we brought you the latest news from the venture capital industry. This week, we hear from the angels and the overall message is a bit more positive—at least that overall angel investing for 2012 was “stable with prior years.”

Jobs Up Entrepreneurial Activity Down

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:00 -0500

As the unemployment rate fell in 2012, another economic indicator dropped too: the overall business creation rate. According to the annual Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity released recently, the 2012 rate declined slightly from 0.32 percent of American adults per month starting businesses in 2011 to 0.30 percent in 2012.

America COMPETES Up for Reauthorization

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:45:00 -0500

Created in 2007 during the Bush Administration and reauthorized in 2010 by President Obama, the America COMPETES Act is up for another reauthorization as major provisions are set to expire in 2013. The original law authorized $33.6 billion in appropriations from 2008 - 2010 for programs and activities in physical sciences and engineering research as well as STEM education and more. The reauthorization in 2010 increased the amount to $45.6 billion.

VC Consolidation Continues, Exits Fall

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:57:00 -0500

When we last checked in on the performance of the venture capital industry, the dollars raised in 2012 continued to rise for a second-straight year even though the number of funds dropped. According to the latest numbers from Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), that trend continued in the first quarter of 2013.

Best B-schools for Entrepreneurship?

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:44:00 -0500

There is a growing realization that entrepreneurs don’t necessarily have to emerge from business schools—some emerge through other academic disciplines like engineering or music, some drop out of school to pursue their startups, and some avoid post-secondary education altogether. But that doesn’t mean that entrepreneurs can’t come from business schools. And if you ask business school students themselves, they would tell you that the Worcester Polytechnic Institute is at the top of the list.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:40:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Nairobi: East Africa’s Startup Hub

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:31:00 -0500

When I asked Mbwana Alliy last month why he founded the Savannah Fund in Nairobi, he had a simple answer—it is East Africa’s technology hub. As part of PDE’s look at Africa I began last week, we focus today on Kenya.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:57:00 -0500

Last week, President Obama’s FY 2014 budget was released—with a number of proposals that could affect entrepreneurs and small business owners. This week, that budget gets a closer look during a number of committee hearings. Other topics include: comprehensive immigration reform, entitlement reform proposals, tax fraud and identity theft, regulatory burdens on community banks, patent litigation, antitrust laws, health care reform.

MIT Most Highly Regarded University Innovation Ecosystem

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:03:00 -0500

Ask an expert which university has the leading university-based technology innovation ecosystem in the world and you are likely to hear them say “MIT.” A ranking of 120 universities that demonstrate a “decisive impact and significant contribution in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation” has pointed to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the world leader.

It’s Time for Startup Africa

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:31:00 -0500

Chatter about the promise of Africa is not new. Outside economists have been reminding us about relatively high GDP growth rates; China conspiracy theorists keep us informed about who is buying up the continent’s natural resources; and global aid agencies are constantly rewriting their strategies. What is new is the rise of a new generation of Africans that is actually making things happen.

Utah Most ‘Friendly’ State for Small Business

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:42:00 -0500

How friendly is your state to small business owners? Apparently very friendly, if you live in Utah or Texas—and not so friendly if you live in California. Utah took the top honors as the friendliest state to small business while Texas had three of the top five cities in the latest survey from Thumbtack.com and the Kauffman Foundation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:58:00 -0500

With both houses returning to Washington this week from recess, there are a number of hearings scheduled of interest to those interested in the policies that promote entrepreneurship. President Obama’s FY 2014 budget proposal gets a look in the Senate from the Budget and Finance committees. Other topics include: STEM education, the US position on internet governance, JOBS Act update, small business tax reform, regulatory reform and the state of communications in rural communities.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:21:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

At Last, a Global Platform for Startups

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:08:00 -0500

The nurturing of new and young firms has so far not been given much attention in prominent global gatherings. International government meetings have mostly concentrated on passive SME policy and others like the World Economic Forum have treated entrepreneurs as a side ring at the circus. The maturing of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) to fill this gap is thus a welcome development.

EU Closing Innovation Gap with US

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:11:00 -0500

The innovation performance in European Union countries is on the rise—cutting in half the gap between it and the United States. However, the internal gap between EU member nations is widening.

Start-Up Chile: In Search of the Next 100 Global Startups

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:11:00 -0500

Since its inception, Start-Up Chile has received a considerable amount of attention for its search for bootstrappers who receive equity-free seed capital of $40,000 and a 1-year work visa in the South American country. Recently it announced the opening of its seventh round of applications—looking to select, fund, and host up to 100 startups while giving them access to a global network for those determined to make their projects global.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:41:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:25:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are still in Spring recess and will return next week. While reports differ on exactly how close Republicans and Democrats are to a deal on immigration reform, you can expect to hear a lot about the subject when they return—and in the weeks ahead.

GEC Commits to Startup Policy Platform

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:16:00 -0500

Last Friday, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress adjourned in Rio de Janeiro, ending a week of intense sessions that engaged over two thousand people from 130 countries in discussions around building stronger entrepreneurship ecosystems back home. While the Congress included Global Entrepreneurship Week host country delegations, investors and entrepreneurs, it opened last Monday with a new session for policymakers and researchers. The experiment was a success and ended with a commitment by organizers to make government policy a mainstay of the annual Congress in the future.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:48:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:42:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are in Spring recess in observation of the Easter holiday and will return in two weeks.

‘Leaning In’ to Encourage Women Entrepreneurs

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:48:00 -0500

The Kauffman Foundation recently announced a partnership with Lean In, a nonprofit organization founded by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg that is committed to offering women encouragement and support to achieve their goals—specifically to help cultivate more balanced teams and more female leaders and entrepreneurs.

How to Build a Vibrant Startup Community—Through 1 Million Cups

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:44:00 -0500

In what some might consider an ironic twist, technology seems to play a lesser role in building a local entrepreneurial community for startups than good old-fashioned face-time and word of mouth.

A Growing Entrepreneurship Data Chest

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:01:00 -0500

The greater availability of data on entrepreneurship is one of the main drivers behind the rush to build better startup ecosystems around the world. By revealing weak areas in a country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and enabling cross-country benchmarking, more data is yielding important insights for better economic and regulatory policymaking.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

$100 Million to Support Women Entrepreneurs in Emerging Markets

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:55:00 -0500

Women entrepreneurs in Africa and Eurasia have a new reason to have a Coke and a smile—actually, 100 million reasons. Coca-Cola and the International Finance Corporation just announced a $100 million, three-year joint initiative to provide access to finance for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:53:00 -0500

While it is a quiet week in the Senate for entrepreneurship and policy, House committees offer several hearings. Topics include: reducing regulatory burdens, patent litigation, STEM education, health insurance and the impact of health reform on jobs.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:30:00 -0600

While most attention on Capitol Hill these days centers on the budget sequester—what it means and who is to blame – there are a number of committee hearings that should be of interest. In particular, the House Judiciary Committee has a busy day planned for Tuesday—with three subcommittee hearings on American competitiveness—and another to follow on Thursday. Topics covered in those and other hearings include: immigration reform, patent litigation, the impact of health care reform on small business, wasteful spending, cyber-security and more.

Fresh Data Paints a Picture of Startup Environment

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:25:00 -0600

Part of the challenge of analyzing data and research while making policy decisions is that the figures are typically based on a not-quite-so-current set of data. A new survey of owners who formed their companies in 2012 is out and it helps shine a light on the environment most startups encounter in the early stages.

3D Printing for All?

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:20:00 -0600

In the mid-1980s, a series of technological advances gave birth to desktop publishing (do you remember Aldus Pagemaker?) and made it possible for individuals and small organizations to self-publish—at a fraction of the cost it would have through commercial printing. Fast forward about 25 years and we could be looking at the same thing happening to 3D printing. An 83-year old inventor has created an extruder that converts plastic resin pellets into filament for use in low-cost 3D printers—and he is practically giving it away.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:02:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Measuring the Impact of a Startup Visa

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:11:00 -0600

This week, President Obama will turn his focus from budget sequestration to immigration. A new Kauffman Foundation report released last week argues that making 75,000 Startup Visas available for current holders of H-1B and F-1 visas who start companies could create as much as 1.6 million U.S. jobs in the next 10 years. Will Washington act or, if they cannot agree, throw the baby out with the bath water?

Startup 3.0 Introduced

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:22:00 -0600

Is the third time really the charm? A bipartisan group—U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), along with Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)—recently introduced Startup Act 3.0, aiming to revitalize the economy by making it easier to start and grow new firms.

'The Real World' Meets Startup World in Kansas City

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:06:00 -0600

More than 20 years ago, MTV launched the reality TV genre by throwing a group of strangers together in the same house to live and work. The show started in New York and has been filmed in 27 cities since. While Kansas City never had a chance to “find out what happens when people stop being polite... and start getting real” it is getting something even better—and certainly much less annoying—the Brad Feld’s KC Fiberhouse.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:03:00 -0600

Clear your schedule for the rest of the week if you plan on tracking all of the relevant congressional committee hearings. The “House side” of Capitol Hill is particularly busy with hearings on the budget and monetary policy with Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, the impact of e-verity on immigration, broadband stimulus, regulatory hurdles and more.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:58:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

An Update on Entrepreneurship Data

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:53:00 -0600

Readers of this blog know that we credit the greater availability of data on entrepreneurship for the healthy race to build the best start-up ecosystem that is going on around the globe. By revealing weak areas in a country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and enabling cross-country comparisons, data can yield important implications for economic and regulatory policy.

Startup Global

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:27:00 -0600

Thousands of people from 135 countries have already confirmed their participation for next month’s week-long Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) and festival in Rio de Janeiro. As chair of the GEC for the past few years, I have witnessed the emergence of this global platform for collaboration among entrepreneurs, their investors and national leaders held outside the United States. So what happens at the GEC?

Entrepreneurship in the Land of Opportunity

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:06:00 -0600

The newest installment of the Kauffman Sketchbook video series tells the great American success story of an immigrant entrepreneur who starts with very little yet achieves great things. The video features Gururaj "Desh" Deshpande, an Indian American venture capitalist and entrepreneur, who is co-founder of the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT and the Deshpande Foundation.

Financing Growth: Helping More Americans Help Entrepreneurs

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:44:00 -0600

In his State of the Union Address next week, President Obama will shift gears back to job creation after his inauguration speech focused on wider themes. As the debate about how the government can help the economy regain its pre-recession strength enters a new phase, the Kauffman Foundation’s annual “State of Entrepreneurship Address” last week in Washington, DC, focused on how financial constraints have been blocking the success of new and young firms that create most of the net new jobs.

A Look Back at innovation Daily

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:30:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:26:00 -0600

On the heels of the Kauffman Foundation’s State of Entrepreneurship Address, a couple of Congressional committees are taking a closer look at the economy. The House Small Business Committee is conducting a hearing on The State of the Small Business Economy that will focus on “current economic indicators that measure the health of the economy, with a specific focus on access to capital… (and) general economic concerns that small business owners will face in the coming year.” Meanwhile, the House Budget Committee will explore the Congressional Budget Office’s budget and economic outlook with CBO director Douglas Elmendorf and the Senate Budget Committee will look at the budget and economic outlook over the next 10 years. Other hearings include: comprehensive immigration reform, applications for IT research and development; innovation in education; manufacturing in American; outlook on energy and a review of the government’s approach toward unemployment.

FTC Report Examines Privacy in Mobile Marketplace

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:31:00 -0600

Mobile app developers are the lifeblood of startup communities everywhere—don’t take our word for it, just visit a Startup Weekend and see how many ideas are pitched for new smartphone applications. However, a new set of recommendations from the Federal Trade Commission may make things a bit more difficult for them, calling for new ways to help safeguard consumer privacy.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:32:00 -0600

The House side of Capitol Hill comes to life this week with a few committee hearings of interest. A couple of hearings are set for Tuesday morning, right ahead of the Kauffman Foundation's State of Entrepreneurship Address, with another hearing on American competitiveness on Wednesday.

State of Entrepreneurship Address Available via Live Webcast

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:55:00 -0600

If you can’t make it to Washington, DC, tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 5) for the Kauffman Foundation’s State of Entrepreneurship Address, don’t worry, it will be streamed live online. The session, scheduled for 12 noon ET at the National Press Club, features remarks from SBA Administrator Karen Mills, Senator Jerry Moran and new Kauffman president and CEO, Tom McDonnell.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:41:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week

Shaking the “Rotten Apple” Image in Ukraine

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:37:00 -0600

Since 2005, the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region leads the world in enhancing the business climate for local firms. The region overtook East Asia and the Pacific to become the second most business-friendly, after OECD high-income economies. However, one country, the Ukraine, has been described as the “rotten apple” in the region, comparing unfavorably to its neighboring countries. After meeting the “Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States,” I decided to take a closer look.

Exploring Entrepreneurial Hubs Off the Beaten Path

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:01:00 -0600

What makes an entrepreneurial ecosystem flourish outside of Silicon Valley? Can startups be successful anywhere in the U.S.? While “anywhere” may be too tall a task, there seems to be growing evidence that startup communities are getting stronger throughout the country.

Stanford Top MBA Program for Entrepreneurship

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:39:00 -0600

Stanford business school students put it at the top of the list of business schools—at least in regards to its offerings for entrepreneurship. As part of its rankings of the best business schools from the class of 2012, Bloomberg Businessweek asked students at 82 U.S. and international schools to rank their entrepreneurship programs.

America's Loss is India's Gain

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:22:00 -0600

This week we can expect President Obama to speak to immigration reform and a new immigration proposal to be unveiled in the Senate. I have discussed in this blog the importance of creating a U.S. Startup Visa for high skilled immigrants—but only in the context of America’s loss. We take a look today on what America's loss in terms of brainpower and innovation skills means for one nation—India.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:34:00 -0600

Gun control, pension savings and access to health care are the only topics currently scheduled to be covered in hearings this week. Meanwhile, President Obama will be in Nevada tomorrow to unveil his plans for comprehensive immigration reform—stay tuned for details in next week’s PDE.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:28:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

VC Dollars Continue Rebound, Pass $20 Billion in 2012

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:50:00 -0600

Is the venture capital industry back? The latest report from Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association shows that U.S. VC firms raised $20.6 billion from 182 funds during 2012. After being nearly cut in half from 2008 ($25.6 billion) to 2010 ($13.7 billion), it marks a second straight year of growth despite the number of funds dropping slightly (187 in 2011 to 182 in 2012).

Emerging Scholars Recognized for Work in Entrepreneurship

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:36:00 -0600

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation recently announced the recipients of its Emerging Scholars Program that recognizes the achievements of young scholars who are making significant contributions to research in entrepreneurship.

Global Prospects for Startup Legislation in 2013

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:21:00 -0600

Every year, reports from the World Bank, the OECD and numerous private sector researchers tell us that nations are improving their regulatory environment in terms of reducing the complexity and cost of regulatory processes for starting a business. However, comprehensive reforms to stimulate startup creation are still relatively hard to find. Will the ever-intensifying global race to build strong startup ecosystems from the bottom-up change this?

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:25:00 -0600

Another relatively quiet week lies ahead on Capitol Hill. Several House committees have their organizational meetings scheduled while the Senate has yet to return. No relevant hearings are scheduled.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:03:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

South Dakota Top Policy Environment for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:27:00 -0600

According to the latest index from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, South Dakota has the most entrepreneur-friendly policy environment in the U.S. The U.S. Business Policy Index evaluates each of the states on 46 policy measures with an emphasis on taxes, regulatory burdens and government spending.

South Dakota Top Policy Environment for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:27:00 -0600

Entrepreneurs and Last Week’s Fiscal Deal

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:19:00 -0600

Unless you completely unplugged over the holidays, you know that if Democratic and Republican lawmakers could not bridge their differences on how best to reduce the nation's budget deficit and debt, the Budget Control Act of 2011 mandated a combination of spending cuts and tax increases to take effect January 1, 2013. While Washington kicked the can down the road on budget cuts, the cliff was avoided – but what does the deal mean for American entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurs and Last Week’s Fiscal Deal

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:19:00 -0600

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:18:00 -0600

The 113th Congress was sworn into office on Thursday last week. There are 97 new members, but little change from the 112th. The Senate has 13 new members with the Democrats maintaining control -- increasing their edge to 55-45. The House of Representatives has 84 new members with the Republicans maintaining control -- slipping a few seats to outnumber Democrats 233-200.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:18:00 -0600

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:52:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:52:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

U.S. No Longer Top 10 in Prosperity?

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:31:00 -0600

A recent global index shows the U.S. on the outside looking in of the world’s most prosperous countries. The 2012 Legatum Prosperity Index shows the trio of Scandinavian countries—Norway, Denmark and Sweden—at the top of the list while the U.S. has fallen out of the top 10 for the first time.

Evaluating Universities' Impact on U.S. Economy

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:29:00 -0600

The latest survey from the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) has started to outline the impact of technology transfer on the overall U.S. economy. According to a press release from AUTM.

Gulf States Focus on New Starts

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:23:00 -0600

At the Global Entrepreneurial Summit (GES) in Dubai last week, it was clear to me that there is a new level of engagement in developing more entrepreneurial economies at the highest levels of government in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The summit, a collaboration between the U.A.E. Prime Minister’s office and the Obama Administration, was an effort to leverage U.S. strengths in high growth entrepreneurship. Now that the summit is over, we take a look at the challenges before policymakers in the region in making the path easier for even more nascent entrepreneurs to succeed in the future.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:41:00 -0600

With the holiday season approaching, almost all eyes in Congress are on the fiscal cliff deadline that is now only two weeks ahead. A recent proposal from House Speaker John Boehner with a couple of key concessions have led to a cautious optimism that a deal will be in place before long. In the meantime, the committee hearings schedule on Capitol Hill is quiet on the entrepreneurship front.

A Look Back at innovation Daily

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:38:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

The Shaping of Thailand´s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:54:00 -0600

This year has afforded me the opportunity to visit dozens of nations and talk with their entrepreneurs. One nation remained elusive to me. In 2011, Thailand participated for the first time in Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) and I was keen to visit in either 2011 or 2012, but despite good faith efforts, I have been unable to make it there, mostly due to the likes of tragic flooding, the worst in 50 years last year for the country. So I turn today to virtual research.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:27:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:25:00 -0600

As fiscal cliff talks continue amid mutual claims of ‘distrust’ from both parties, other discussions continue on Capitol Hill. The five FCC commissioners are scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Energy & Commerce this week to discuss spectrum auctions and other efforts to meet the soaring demand for wireless broadband services. The auctions were part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 and originated in the House Energy and Commerce Committee as Chairman Walden’s Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum (JOBS) Act. Other hearings cover the future of NASA, tax incentives to promote energy efficiency and small business recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy.

New Leadership Named at Kauffman Foundation

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:21:00 -0600

The Board of Trustees of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation last week announced the election of Thomas A. McDonnell as the Foundation's new president and chief executive officer. McDonnell, an experienced business leader with a track record of building global organizations that are both innovative and philanthropic, recently stepped down as CEO of DST Systems, Inc. He has been a Kauffman trustee since 2003 and chairman of the board since 2006. McDonnell succeeds Carl Schramm, who served as the Foundation's president and CEO from 2002 to 2011. Since January of this year, Kauffman trustee Benno Schmidt has served as interim CEO while the board conducted a national search for a new leader.

Massachusetts Tops List of New Economy States

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:18:00 -0600

Massachusetts is still the top state in the country when it comes to the new economy, according to the latest State New Economy Index from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. The report is the sixth in the series from ITIF with previous indexes published in 1999, 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2010. Massachusetts has claimed the top spot in each year.

New Portal to Help Immigrant Entrepreneurs

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:41:00 -0600

Immigrants looking to start a firm and remain in the United States have a new tool at their disposal—a portal launched by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to help them navigate the process of registering for and securing visas to extend their stay in the country. Announced last week, Entrepreneur Pathways is more of a user-friendly guide to existing resources on the USCIS site than it is a stand-alone resource.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:38:00 -0600

Another narrowly focused week lies ahead as the calendar slowly gives way into the final month for Republicans and Democrats to find compromise and avoid a $500 billion mix of tax increases and spending cuts. Leading the way is a Joint Economic Committee hearing on the fiscal cliff itself—scheduled for Thursday. The only other hearing of interest scheduled at this point is on the impact of international tech transfer on American R&D.

Young Firms Lead Economic Recovery

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:29:00 -0600

A new report from the Kauffman Foundation reveals that the pace of recovery in hiring and job creation since 2008 is stronger in newer firms – those two years old or younger – than in more established companies. Job Creation, Worker Churning, and Wages at Young Businesses is the seventh report in a series using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Dynamic Statistics.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:26:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

We Still Need a Startup Nation Movement

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:15:00 -0600

A recent blog by Dan Isenberg from Babson College argues that there has been too much focus on startups around the world and that “infinitely more important is to embed scale-up.” Of course, Dan has a point in that I frequently hear leaders outside the United States lament their lack of billion dollars firms, but I think we are far from the point when we can stop advocating for better support for new starts. Not only is most of the world still focused on size not age of firms—talking “SMEs”—but we still do not know enough about the science of startups and how to best support those that want to scale. As with kids—to play along with Isenberg’s analogy—we have to help firms start better if they are to scale later in life and now is not the time to pull back the throttle on legitimizing founders and startups as a centrepiece of that economy policy.

Ranking the World's Top Startup Ecosystems

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:45:00 -0600

There is a reason why much of the world looks to the U.S. to replicate its success in promoting startup ecosystems and entrepreneurial growth—and it isn’t just Silicon Valley. To be fair though, Silicon Valley is at the top of the list.

Young Firms & Promoting Innovative Growth

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:31:00 -0600

Young firms and their ability to raise capital will be the focus of a discussion in Washington next week at the Brookings Institution.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:24:00 -0600

Following a quiet week on Capitol Hill due to the Thanksgiving holiday, talks on the fiscal cliff are scheduled to resume this week as lawmakers return to Washington. In addition, there are a number of hearings scheduled on the House side that touch on issues of interest to hard-core followers of the entrepreneurial economy including: music licensing and intellectual property, energy R&D and capital standards.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:10:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Entrepreneurs Assess Their Ecosystems

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:47:00 -0600

If you are familiar with this blog, you know we often discuss the progress or obstacles in various entrepreneurship ecosystems. We have also discussed the paucity of data around the world to best inform decision makers keen to smooth the path for their aspiring entrepreneurs. Current thinking suggests that startup communities need to be led by entrepreneurs and today we take note of a new global survey of entrepreneurs. Released earlier this month, the Global Entrepreneurship Week Policy Survey, which was designed to shed light on key questions for policy discussions on high-growth entrepreneurship from the perspective of entrepreneurs themselves.

GEW Shows Us A Glass Half Full

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:12:00 -0600

Everywhere you look in the media these days you see alleged signs of impending economic doom—from the ‘financial cliff’ threatening to punish United States policymakers if they can’t reach agreement soon to the Eurozone crisis with the Greek economy on the edge of collapse. Certainly all very troubling, but it is only one side of the coin. For the past 10 days, I have seen the other side—a side full of hope and promise thanks to a burgeoning movement to embrace entrepreneurship.

GEW Policy Survey Turns Up Unexpected Results

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:34:00 -0600

The entrepreneurship policy environment in emerging economies may not be a significant obstacle to starting and growing new firms after all – at least if you ask high-growth entrepreneurs in those countries. That is one of the overarching findings in a paper released last week by Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) following a survey of more than 3,000 high-impact entrepreneurs in 34 countries.

Kauffman Junior Faculty Fellowship in Entrepreneurship Research

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:29:00 -0600

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is now accepting nominations for the Kauffman Junior Faculty Fellowship in Entrepreneurship Research (KJFF). The Kauffman Foundation will award up to seven Junior Faculty Fellowship grants to junior faculty members in the United States whose research has the potential to make significant contributions to the body of literature in entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship Key to Poverty Reduction

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:22:00 -0600

U2's Bono is the only one championing the cause of startups in the fight for poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth--and it isn't restricted to Africa or emerging economies either. A new study by the Goldwater Institute points to a "strong connection between a state's rate of entrepreneurship and declines in poverty"--put simply, more entrepreneurs equals less poverty.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:36:00 -0600

All eyes "in Washington" are on the fiscal cliff--well, except for those that are examining the details surrounding Benghazi and the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:01:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Ghanaian Tech Startup Garners Grand Prize in Global Startup Open Competition

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:05:00 -0600

WASHINGTON, DC – Nov. 12, 2012 – Dropifi’s web messaging platform that seeks to supersede the traditional “contact us” form has earned the Ghanaian tech startup the grand prize of 2012 Startup Open, a competition for startups with high-growth potential featured as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2012. Dropifi was selected today out of 50 companies announced last month as the “GEW 50,” the best and brightest new startups around the globe.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:04:00 -0600

After the longest pre-election recess in history, members of Congress return to the status quo in Washington, DC this week for a lame duck session. Very few hearings are currently on the books, but you can expect there to be a lot of discussions over the next month or two about the looming fiscal cliff.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:50:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

All Eyes on the Doers and Makers of Things

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:10:00 -0600

Today marks the official opening of Global Entrepreneurship Week, now celebrated in 131 countries. Throughout this week, roughly 25,000 partner organizations will be actively engaged in holding 35,000 events, activities and competitions--engaging more than 7 million participants and equipping them with the skills and connections to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey. But GEW is more than just a celebration, it is attracting new talent to the field and supplementing grassroots startup energy with top down endorsements that legitimize entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs’ Confidence Growing, But Still Skeptical on National Growth

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:55:00 -0600

When asked about the state of the national economy, a majority of startup business owners do not see it growing in the next 12 months—22 percent expect it to remain pretty much the same while another 34 percent expect it to worsen. The numbers on consumer demand are similar. Not surprisingly, 63 percent said that they had no plans to hire additional employees.

Small Businesses Want Simpler Tax Codes, Regulations & Licensing Requirements

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:50:00 -0600

U.S. small business owners don’t necessarily think that high taxes are the biggest barrier to their success—but the complexity of the tax code is a different story. The plea for simplification continued into the area of regulations and licensing requirements.

What Next for Startup Weekenders?

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:56:00 -0600

The next two weekends will see thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs working frantically in more than 130 cities at Startup Weekend events as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:50:00 -0600

The last several weeks of campaigning are finally (and thankfully for most of us) coming to a close with tomorrow’s election. Various polls have the presidential race as too close to call—not surprisingly, both campaigns are predicting victory. You can create and share your own predictions or just follow along tomorrow on CNN’s electoral map. If you are an avid election night junkie like all of us in Washington and want to track the battle to control Congress, we suggest Real Clear Politics maps for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

Global Entrepreneurship Week On the Horizon

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:46:00 -0600

Tomorrow, roughly 100 million Americans will cast their vote for one of two men who have stressed the importance of entrepreneurs and of course, small business to the country—and claimed to be the best candidate to empower them. Meanwhile, one week from today, policymakers, researchers and millions of nascent entrepreneurs in 130 countries will be taking matters into their own hands through a collection of 40,000 events, activities and competitions during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:18:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Stockholm, Singapore, SF Top Cities for Startups & Business

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:10:00 -0500

Two new studies hit recently that take a look at the best cities around the world for startups and business opportunities. Fortune magazine went on a search for “cities that share the San Francisco Bay Area’s potent combination of creativity and capitalism” and came up with seven up-and-comers to keep an eye on. Meanwhile, Business Insider looked for “a city’s comprehensive potential for business across ten economic indicators” that range from intellectual capital to natural environment and identified 27 heavyweights (predominantly in the world’s largest cities).

Reforms Put New Firms on the Rise Around the World

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:02:00 -0500

A new survey funded by the Kauffman Foundation suggests that most economies are recovering from the sharp drops in new firm registration triggered by the 2008 global financial crisis. The improvement may very well likely been bolstered by government reforms, according to the analysis of new World Bank data.

A Look Back at Entrepreneurship Daily

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:46:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

What's Next for Finland?

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:45:00 -0500

One of the major supporters of DEMO Africa and LIONS@frica with me in Nairobi last week was Nokia. As I took a look at just how much innovation Nokia has created, I was curious to look further into the current startup culture in its home country of Finland and see just how important high-growth entrepreneurship is to its economy.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:59:00 -0500

Congress is in recess with members back in their home states and districts as they focus on campaign work over the next several weeks. They will return to Washington at some point after the November 6 election.

VC Dollars, Deals on the Decline

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:44:00 -0500

While a report we profiled last week talked about signs of recovery across the board for angel investors, the outlook apparently isn’t so bright for the venture capital industry. The latest survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association shows that VC investments declined during the third quarter of 2012—both in terms of dollars and deal volume.

Global Competition Recognizes 50 Promising Startups

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:53:00 -0500

In the search to find some of the best and brightest new startups around the world, Global Entrepreneurship Week recently announced the “GEW 50” —a list of the 50 most innovative new companies competing in the Startup Open, a competition that recognizes startups with high-growth potential. These elite ventures will now vie for the grand prize—an all-expenses-paid trip to Rio de Janeiro to serve as an official delegate to one of the world’s largest gatherings of startup champions, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, in March 2013.

New Sketchbook Video Illustrates GEW Impact

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:47:00 -0500

Global Entrepreneurship Week is an idea bigger than the thousands of communities around the world that make it up. That idea and the benefits of engaging a global community working to advance entrepreneurship are the subject of the latest Kauffman Foundation animated sketchbook video released last week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:45:00 -0500

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:27:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Startup Fever Heats Up in Africa

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:54:00 -0500

I report this week from Africa which is enjoying its greatest economic success in decades and where there has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. With economic growth rates this year around 6 percent in one-third of the 49 sub-Saharan African countries, the IMF forecasts that Africa will have the fastest-growing economy of any continent over the next five years. The World Bank in turn has reported earlier this month that more than 20 sub-Saharan African countries, encompassing more than 400 million people, have gained middle-income status, while the number of people living in poverty is down by roughly 10 percentage points over the past decade.

Creating Sustainable Startup Communities

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:56:00 -0500

Brad Feld, managing director of the Foundry Group and tireless advocate for entrepreneurs and startups everywhere, is featured in a new sketchbook video from the Kauffman Foundation.

The New Demand for Data

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:51:00 -0500

When I asked two U.S. Senators from different parties earlier this year how they managed to work together on startup legislation during an election year, both talked of “credible, robust data” as their starting point. Last week I participated in the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) 3rd Annual Global Entrepreneurship Research and Policy Conference at George Washington University to see what was emerging outside the United States.

Angels in Recovery—But Still Have a Ways to Go

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:33:00 -0500

According to the latest survey from the Center for Venture Research a the University of New Hampshire, the angel investor market is showing promising signs of recovery—across the board in terms of dollars invested, total numbers of investments and total number of investors.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 16:24:00 -0500

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 16:15:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Target High-Growth, Not High-Tech

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:06:00 -0500

If someone asked you to name the U.S. city with the highest percentage of high-growth companies, the safest response--and one given by most everyone--would be San Francisco, probably followed by Boston. But while those two are in the top 5, they trail Washington, DC, Salt Lake City and Austin. In fact, the nation's capital even comes out on top when it comes to raw totals.

Are We on the Verge of an Exodus of Immigrant Entrepreneurs?

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:56:00 -0500

The debate has been raging for a while now concerning immigrant entrepreneurs and what could or should be done to keep them--and the jobs they create through their startups--in the U.S. Startup visas and other policies to make it easier for them to stay and start new firms have been a part of numerous pieces of legislation on Capitol Hill.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:22:00 -0500

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 15:59:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Universities and Startup Junkies Come to Washington?

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:53:00 -0500

While politicians are out of town campaigning, the nation’s capital has been welcoming leaders in entrepreneurship education from America’s colleges and universities. Following a warm up from the younger “Empact” entrepreneurship education advocates, I joined a packed summit of university and community college presidents at the White House put together by the Commerce Department’s Nish Acharya, and then spoke this past Friday at Jeff Reid’s Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers conference at Georgetown University. It is increasingly clear that America’s colleges and universities have been retooling as engines of entrepreneurship and innovation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:19:00 -0500

Startup Jobs Dropping

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:15:00 -0500

A recently released briefing paper by the Hudson Institute shows job creation from new firms at an all-time low. “The Collapse of Startups in Job Creation” paints a bleak picture where the number of new firms being created today is even smaller than two years ago when the worst of the recession ended.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:05:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Renewing the Entrepreneurial Strength of the American Economy

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:17:00 -0500

Where some people see problems, entrepreneurs see opportunities. The optimistic natures of people who start innovative companies – backed by a few policy reforms – are the keys to building a stronger U.S. economy. That's the premise of Better Capitalism, a new book being illustrated in the latest Kauffman Foundation sketchbook.

Message from Moscow

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 08:38:00 -0500

While the world gathered in New York last week for the Clinton Global Initiative and UN General Assembly meetings, I elected to accept an invitation to head out of town to check up on progress with one of the world’s “strong government” economies grappling with how to reconcile a tradition of top-down government control with a desire for bottom up organic startup communities.

Top U.S. College Programs for Entrepreneurs?

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:18:00 -0500

If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, which college should you attend? Well, assuming you aren’t a Peter Thiel disciple and agree that entrepreneurs should skip it altogether, it seems like Babson College is your best bet.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:57:00 -0500

As we anticipated last week—well, us and pretty much everyone else who tracks the comings-and-goings of Congress—the House and Senate adjourned for a six-week recess so that they could focus on campaigning ahead of the general election in November. Somewhat comically (and predictably), Democrats called on the GOP majority in the House to postpone the recess while Republicans similarly chided the Democratic majority in the Senate – meanwhile, the media threw up its hands at both. The departure is the earliest pre-election recess since John F. Kennedy faced-off with Richard Nixon in 1960.

Angst about Argentina

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:38:00 -0500

Argentina has been in the news lately for its expropriation of a Spanish oil company and other strong regulatory interference, such as price and import controls. With this image reflected in the media, we decided to check back on activity that Argentine entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them are carrying out to sustain and promote entrepreneurship.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:22:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

A Rousing Welcome for Startups in Rio

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:41:00 -0500

I recently returned from Brazil, the world’s sixth largest economy, where President Dilma Rousseff, a former Marxist revolutionary, is using pro-growth incentives such as lower interest rates, proposed tax cuts and infrastructure investment to fuel her nation’s quest for sustained economic growth and help more Brazilians stand on their own two feet. That Rio will host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in March 2013 is obviously important for Brazilians. It might be more important for the rest of world.

The JOBS Act and the History of Crowdfunding

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:05:00 -0500

Earlier this year, we followed the progress of the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act as an example of how business should get done in Washington, DC. Most of the attention has been--and continues to be--focused on crowdfunding and how it can help startups and small businesses raise capital to launch and grow their businesses.

A Look at Innovation Daily

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:04:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Economic Confidence Dips Among Entrepreneurs

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:56:00 -0500

The latest Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index points to a continuing decline in expectations for the U.S. economy. Almost 40 percent of startup owners believe the economy will deteriorate over the next 12 months, an increase from 36 percent in the second-quarter survey and 31 percent in the first-quarter. Not surprisingly, the number of entrepreneurs who were “somewhat confident” in future profitability dipped as well.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:50:00 -0500

The recent return of Congressional leaders from a 5-week recess won’t be long-lived. With the heated presidential campaign in full-swing, members are focusing their current efforts in Washington on campaign-related events—and trying to figure out how soon they can escape back to their home states and districts to focus on campaigning there. That escape may come as soon as the end of this week. In the meantime, there are a number of hearings that may be of interest to our readers.

PCAST Tackles Spectrum Sharing, Advanced Manufacturing

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:05:00 -0500

Last week was a busy one for the President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology, an advisory group of the nation’s leading scientists and engineers who make policy recommendations “where understanding of science, technology and innovation is key to strengthening our economy.” In two separate reports, PCAST explored approaches to meet the sky-rocketing demand for wireless broadband as well as the necessary steps to provide long-term U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing.

Checking Up on Optimism—Or Should We Say Down?

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:53:00 -0500

Each quarter, the Chamber tracks the outlook of entrepreneurs and small business owners on their businesses, the local economy and the U.S. economy. In the latest survey, overwhelmingly, they think the national economy is not headed in the right direction. However, the numbers improve as the focus narrows to the local economy (47% said it was on the right track) and their own business (68%). Unfortunately, that may not translate to more jobs though as only 20% thought they would add employees in the year ahead.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:24:00 -0500

Last week, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a sobering review of the U.S. economy. This week, a number of Congressional hearings continue to address the underlying issues--like the impact of Dodd-Frank and the 10th anniversary of Sarbanes-Oxley--as well as the potential in cloud computing and commercializing research from the international space station.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:11:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Finding Belgium’s Startup Barriers

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:23:00 -0500

From an outsider perspective, Belgium has a very diverse economy with dozens of influences coming together at its prime location in the heart of the EU. Being the home to several major European universities, and a mix of service-based economy in the north and industrial-based in the south, Belgium has a diverse market structure that keeps it competitive and one of the highest income per capita economies in the world. However, when it comes to entrepreneurship, Belgium is not thriving.

Legislation Stalled on Capitol Hill

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:46:00 -0500

Democrats and Republicans in the Senate each lost once last week--entrepreneurs and small business owners lost twice.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:32:00 -0500

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke makes a couple of appearances on Capitol Hill this week to talk about monetary policy and the U.S. economy. Tuesday, Bernanke appears before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs while on Wednesday he addresses the House Committee on Financial Services. Other hearings scheduled include: how mobile apps are moving the economy; a look at the impact of Dodd-Frank on small business; regulatory impediments to job creation and others.

Washington’s Willingness to Send Job Creators Overseas

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:14:00 -0500

As elections approach and there is a lot of debate on which is the best road to a robust economy with more jobs, policymakers should take time to listen to the message of the just-released Kaufman Foundation videos on the benefits of high-skilled immigration. With Washington being unwilling to separate the obviously different issues of high-skilled immigration and how to handle illegal immigrants, a net job gain strategy remains hostage to politics as usual in the nation’s capitol.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 09:07:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Immigrant Entrepreneurs Are People Too

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:49:00 -0500

As the Kauffman Foundation, the Partnership for a New American Economy and many others have repeatedly shown, immigrants make great entrepreneurs. We know that 40 percent of 2010's Fortune 500 companies were founded by new Americans. Immigrants start firms at rates much higher than natives.

Iterative Startups

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:53:00 -0500

While the startup genome in Silicon Valley is always mutating, some formulas are becoming basic tenets in the science of startups. A critical mass of email about my use of the word “iterative” in my blogs prompts me to revisit one such startup fundamental—the so called “Lean Startup” formula.

Top 5 Attributes to Hone Before Launch

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:03:00 -0500

Chances are if you are an entrepreneur you already have a fair amount of self-confidence—assessing risk and measuring opportunity. So it’s no surprise that most entrepreneurs rated themselves highly on many of the 17 personal characteristics, traits and skills that bode well for taking an entrepreneurial plunge.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:24:00 -0500

Following the Independence Day holiday, members of Congress have a full slate of hearings in the week ahead. Included is a look from the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform at the impact on entrepreneurs of the Supreme Court decision validating the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Other hearings cover topics including: commercializing NASA technologies; mobile payments; renewable energy; regulatory reform and more.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:43:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Startup Act 2.0 Gaining Endorsements

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:27:00 -0500

Since the House & Senate each passed identical versions of the Startup Act 2.0, the legislation has picked up a growing list of impressive endorsements. Topping the list is tech giant Google.

GEW Hosts Discussion on Japan's Entrepreneurial Imperative

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:29:00 -0500

Two prominent Japanese professors recently authored the Fukao-Kwon report, which revealed that from 1996-2006, when total employment in Japan decreased by 3.5 million, young, newly established firms and foreign companies were the only ones to create net job growth. This report also suggests that new companies have higher success rates than older, established companies in Japan and that entrepreneurs clearly need to be the central catalysts in Japan’s next chapter. Have the great innovators of the post-war years – Toyota, Nippon Steel, Sony, etc – become so huge and successful that they have lost their propensity to create disruptive new technologies?

Japan’s Entrepreneurial Imperative

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:29:00 -0500

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:54:00 -0500

Another week with a lot of activity on the House side. The JOBS Act is the focus of a couple hearings by the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform while other topics include: research universities and technology transfer; international intellectual property enforcement; regulation of mobile payments and the future of video. Also, the pending increase on the capital gains tax is the subject of a joint hearing of the House Ways & Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 09:16:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Dell Announces New Innovators Credit Fund

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:03:00 -0500

Dell made a splash last week with its announcement of the Dell Innovators Credit Fund—a $100 million initiative intended to amplify the effects of venture or angel funds recently invested by a select group of VCs or angel investors. Once startups are approved, they can borrow up to 10% of their funded amount—up to $150,00—for an added boost to their growth trajectory.

Round Three of i6 Challenge to Spur High-Growth Entrepreneurship

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:53:00 -0500

The White House is getting attention recently for its efforts at X Prize style competitions—which makes sense since its ‘assistant director for grand challenges’ is a former X-Prizer. One of the challenges at the heart of that approach is its i6 Challenge—a $6 million competition that “seeks to develop Proof of Concept Centers and create a network of experts to support innovators and researchers; spur sustainable startups, small businesses, and new ventures; expand access to capital to fuel growth; connect mentors and education to entrepreneurs; and spark job creation.”

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:03:00 -0500

The House of Representatives returns from a week-long recess with a full slate of hearings and activities of interest to entrepreneurs and those who support them. Highlights include Startup Day which puts 18 startups on Capitol Hill meeting with members of Congress and a hearing on efforts to boost technology transfer through a look at “creative approaches to the Bayh-Dole Act.” Other hearings cover topics such as the nation’s science policies, commercializing space, the looming fiscal crisis and small business lending.

Startup APEC Host Raises the Bar in Asia

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:26:00 -0500

The APEC Startup conference that just wrapped up in Seoul signaled stepped-up interest within the 21 APEC member nations in policies that promote new firm formation as ameans of “booting up” economies. Interestingly, the drive for this effort is being led not by the United States, but by South Korea which has taken big strides over the past two years to rebuild its own startup ecosystem.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:42:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Small Businesses Keeping Positive

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:55:00 -0500

Confidence is on the rise among small business owners. A new survey from Citibank shows a sizable jump in the number of those who said their own business is better than it was a year ago—from 24 percent in August 2010 to 43 percent in June 2011. The sentiment seems consistent with others targeted toward entrepreneurs—including the Startup Confidence Index from the Kauffman Foundation.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:50:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:23:00 -0500

The House of Representatives is in a week-long recess and will return to action next Monday. In the meantime, a handful of Senate committees have hearings scheduled that may be of interest to entrepreneurs and those who support them—including a look at competitiveness and collaboration between the U.S. and China on clean energy.

An Entrepreneurial Approach to Reforming Higher Education

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:05:00 -0500

If the U.S. is going to put higher education back on the path to innovation and entrepreneurship, it's going to have to address a number of looming challenges--not just the skyrocketing cost of a college degree. College 2.0: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Reforming Higher Education outlines those challenges and showcases ambitious ideas for reinventing higher education, focused on making better use of technology, developing a culture of measurement and performance incentives, and creating smarter regulation.

Startup Act 20 Introduced in House

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:57:00 -0500

A few weeks ago, we told you about the Senate version of Startup Act 2.0—sponsored by a bipartisan group of four U.S. Senators. Not to be outdone, the House introduced identical legislation last week thanks to Congressman Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) and Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) along with a group of cosponsors—Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Robert Dold (R-Ill.).

Supporting Sub-Saharan Startups

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:43:00 -0500

The creative genius among the young is perhaps one of the least-tapped resources in many economies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. If given the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship as a career path and a business-friendly environment, young people can unleash their potential—creating gains for all in terms of quality of life, employment and wealth generation. This Friday, I will get a first-hand look at some of that potential as I moderate part of the African Innovation Summit—sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in coordination with Meridian International Center—that will welcome more than 60 young African entrepreneurs to Washington, DC. And later this year, thanks to a new partnership, we will see some of the continent’s most promising entrepreneurs compete during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

A New Class of Entrepreneurial Community Colleges

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 19:42:00 -0500

At a Community College Workforce Alliance meeting today here in Richmond, Virginia, there were clear signs of heightened interest in the role that community colleges can play in advancing entrepreneurship as a means of getting Americans back to work. Following support from President Barack Obama and Startup America, plus a recent announcement of a $1 million grant from the Kauffman Foundation to scale one model to more schools around the country, a new generation of educators appear intent on maximizing the potential of their communities to produce more new innovative firms.

Kauffman Accepting 2013 Dissertation Fellowship Program Proposals

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:39:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will award up to 15 Dissertation Fellowship grants of $20,000 each to Ph.D., D.B.A. or other doctoral students for the support of dissertations in the area of entrepreneurship. The program is open to students at U.S.-accredited institutions who are in the process of formulating their dissertation proposals as well as doctoral candidates with recently approved dissertation proposals. It is expected that applicants will complete their dissertation during the 2013-2014 academic year.

Agencies Announce 2012 Accelerator Challenge

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:36:00 -0500

Faced with another disappointing jobs report—the unemployment rate rose to 8.2 percent in May—the Obama Administration is looking to a new multi-agency competition to develop regional clusters and create jobs while strengthening advanced manufacturing.

A New 'Front Door' for Entrepreneurship?

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:32:00 -0500

Through its new ‘Innovation Fund America’ project, the Kauffman Foundation is betting that community colleges throughout the country can mentor and fund new high-growth startups—driving regional economic growth.

Atlanta, Miami Entrepreneurs Optimistic—What About Others?

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:30:00 -0500

Entrepreneurs in Atlanta and Miami are an optimistic bunch—even in the face of uncertain economic times. A new survey released today by Dell and Intel reveals a bright local outlook for startups and small businesses in the two southern cities—showing a favorable view of the local economy and local organizations supporting businesses as well as healthy expectations for growth.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 10:15:00 -0500

Headlining the hearings for the week ahead is Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke presenting ‘The Economic Outlook’ to the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), chaired by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). Also, SBA Administrator Karen Mills addresses the SBA’s Management of Its Capital Access Programs before the House Committee on Small Business.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:10:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Senators Unveil Startup Act 2.0

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:29:00 -0500

Four U.S. Senators yesterday introduced Startup Act 2.0. This Bipartisan legislation, which combines two pieces of legislation that were introduced last year builds upon the original Startup Act and the AGREE Act, highlights four major components to jumpstarting the nation’s economy

Legislation Aimed at Retaining High-Tech Immigrants

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:45:00 -0500

A new piece of legislation introduced by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) aims to stem the tide of high-tech immigrants returning to their home countries immediately after they finish their studies. The Sustaining Our Most Advanced Researchers and Technology (SMART) Jobs Act of 2012 allows foreign-born, American-educated holders of masters and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields to remain in the United States to work and create jobs.

Entrepreneurs Gauge States’ Friendliness: Idaho #1

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:22:00 -0500

If you are reading this, chances are you have seen any number of surveys and indices that rank the U.S. states according to their climate towards small business and entrepreneurs. Unlike other rankings, a new survey from Thumbtack.com has gone straight to the source. Partnering with the Kauffman Foundation, Thumbtack.com conducted a two-month survey of over 6,000 small business owners nationwide on the friendliness of states towards small business and about small business finances in order to measure states and cities along 21 metrics.

Startups Key to Growth in Postconflict Areas

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:53:00 -0500

Entrepreneurs have an important role to play in reconstruction efforts in conflict and post-conflict zones to create sustainable economic growth and stability. But first they need a level playing field—or at least something close to level—and in far too many cases the international aid community is focused on microenterprise at the exclusion of potential high-growth, high-impact entrepreneurs.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:26:00 -0500

While members of the House are back in their home districts for a two-week recess, the Senate has several committee hearings and events that may be of interest to entrepreneurs and followers of the startup ecosystem. The economic dialogue between U.S. and China gets a look from the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs while others focus on less government IT spending, the government’s role in energy innovation and innovations in health care delivery.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:39:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

The G8 and Startup APEC

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:42:00 -0500

Despite more research and data from the World Bank and OECD, while plenty of attention has been given to “SMEs” in the past, multinational government gatherings have largely ignored the importance of stimulating new high-impact startups as a prime global economic growth strategy. This needs to change.

Building Startups in the Developing World

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:19:00 -0500

An increasing number of developing economies are turning to new firm formation in their efforts to reduce poverty and generate sustainable wealth. A new partnership between Startup Weekend and global humanitarian agency Mercy Corps will add to those efforts, expanding the access and impact of a proven model for business generation.

Hey, Are You Going to Pay for That?

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:33:00 -0500

A growing number of customers have apparently found a way around tighter economic times—pay late or just sometimes not at all. The latest Kauffman Firm Survey shows an alarming increase of young firms who claim their primary business challenge is customers paying late or simply not making payments—jumping from 2 percent in 2008 to 14 percent in 2010. That may not be as big of a problem for larger established firms, but for startups it can mean the difference between failure and survival.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:23:00 -0500

A fairly slow week on Capitol Hill is punctuated by a Joint Economic Committee hearing on "How the Taxation of Labor and Transfer Payments Affect Growth and Employment." Witnesses for the hearing are: Simon Johnson, entrepreneurship professor from MIT; Richard Rogerson, economics professor from Princeton; and Andrew Biggs, resident scholar at AEI (and former principle deputy commissioner of the Social Security Administration).

Can Costa Rica Catch Up with Chile?

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:30:00 -0500

Last November, Costa Rica joined the global movement to unleash startups by celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). The response surprised its local champions. Costa Rica´s host, Yo Emprendedor, managed to get strong support from 28 key partners from across the private, public, NGO and education sectors—including the Ministry of the Economy, the largest media group in the country and angel investors.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:48:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Is VC Model Really Broken? And Who Is To Blame?

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:26:00 -0500

As the venture capital industry continues to consolidate, a new report from the Kauffman Foundation examines the cause for its poor long-term returns. But unlike some recent shots, the report's authors don't point the finger of blame directly at VCs. Instead, they issue a challenge to state pension funds, endowments, foundations and other institutional investors in those funds to require deeper due diligence and more rigorous data analysis before investing.

Where Have All the New Firms Gone?

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:18:00 -0500

At a time when policymakers throughout the U.S.--and all over the world for that matter--are pointing to the job creating power of entrepreneurs and small business owners, a new study from the Kauffman Foundation points out a worrisome trend. The nation's business startup rate fell below 8 percent for the first time in 2010, marking the lowest point on record for new firm births.

An Entrepreneurial Approach to Your Health Care

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:01:00 -0500

One of the prime reasons I founded the Public Forum Institute was a strong belief in the role ordinary citizens can play in addressing chronic stalemates on vital national policy issues. After moderating hundreds of congressionally-chaired health policy forums over the years, I conclude it will be other developments outside of top-down reform that drive improvements in health care. It seems inevitable that with so many people’s income dependent on our health care industry, even the most well-meaning politicians face a never-ending path of discourse in their efforts to improve health care without disrupting such a large chunk of the American economy. The revolution in consumer data may be just one of those new game changers.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 07 May 2012 14:22:00 -0500

Members of Congress return from a short recess to a handful of committee hearings this week, including a look at how skyrocketing costs on gasoline are impacting small firms by the House Committee on Small Business.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 07 May 2012 14:17:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Angel Financing & High-Growth Firms

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:10:00 -0500

An OECD report printed earlier this year examines why angel investment continues to be relatively overlooked despite the fact it is the primary source of outside equity financing and support for startups in a number of countries.

Underutilized Postdoc Talent Can Help Grow U.S. Economy

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:30:00 -0500

The sluggish economy has been hard on job seekers of all backgrounds, not just those at the lower end of the education spectrum. According to a new report from the Kauffman Foundation, universities in the U.S. generate more Ph.D’s than there are faculty positions, resulting in a “glut of talented, highly educated, underemployed individuals” who may not apply their skills due to a shortage of academic opportunities.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:37:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress formally adjourned for a one-week recess and will return on Monday, May 7.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:34:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Globally Minded Lithuanian Startups Get Top Government Help

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:25:00 -0500

While the Baltic countries are small compared to their EU partners, they are said to have an outsized role in generating new start-ups, particularly through their big ideas in the tech sector. Today, we look at Lithuania, which has been campaigning aggressively through Global Entrepreneurship Week in the Baltics and has rapidly been gaining a place on the entrepreneurial map.

Poland’s Regional Play

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:06:00 -0500

The Polish startup scene is looking increasingly vibrant. For some time now, technology blogs have been covering Polish startup expos, competitions and meetings such as Startup Weekend, PitchRally, E-nnovation and Startup Fest that are happening with some regularity across major cities. And Poland was one of the first winners of a Global Entrepreneurship Week Award. Is Poland poised to take the lead in Eastern Europe?

Seeding Civic Startups: Apply Now

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:09:00 -0500

In 2009, Jennifer Pahlka had an idea. What if the best and brightest technology minds in America could “give back” by putting their talents to work in revolutionizing local government.

South Dakota Tops for Business Taxes DC at the Bottom

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:52:00 -0500

Once again, South Dakota has the best state tax system for entrepreneurship and small business. According to Business Tax Index 2012 from the the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, the Mount Rushmore state edged out Texas and Nevada after compiling data on 18 different tax measures.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:14:00 -0500

Another quiet week is in store in the Senate while the House tackles international patent issues, rising energy costs for small business and the impact of the Report on Carcinogens from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Off the Hill, Senators Moran and Warner talk about the Start-up Act at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars while the Cato Institute ponders ‘Is Immigration Good for America?’

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:48:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Think Before You Leap

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:21:00 -0500

Noam Wasserman of the Harvard Business School cautions entrepreneurs to take a step back and think before they take the proverbial leap. In a new Kauffman Sketchbook clip, Wasserman says one of the most important decisions entrepreneurs will face is "Should they go it alone, or bring in cofounders, hires, and investors to help build the business?"

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:05:00 -0500

Congress returns from recess with a number of hearings of interest. The House Committee on Small Business takes a look ahead on “The Tax Outlook for Small Businesses” while other committee hearings target the dwindling capacity for bandwidth, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy technology, equity financing and more. Meanwhile on the Senate side, “Perspectives from the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Creating Jobs and Growing Businesses through Entrepreneurship” leads the way in the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:04:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Start-Up Chile’s Global Footprint

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:41:00 -0500

As part of our ongoing discussion about the globalization of the startup movement, we look today at one nation’s strategy that appears to be very effective. Present at the recently concluded Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Liverpool were the leaders of Start-Up Chile, an almost two-year old initiative that has rapidly gained traction around the world. However, while it carries a similar name to other national initiatives around the globe, it has a very different approach.

‘Weekend’ Warriors To Go .CO

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:03:00 -0500

Thanks to a new partnership, all Startup Weekend participants can help kickstart their businesses with a .CO domain registration at no cost for the first year. The .CO domain name scholarship program will kick off at over 40 Startup Weekend events to be held during the month of April in China, India, Norway, France, Algeria, Albania, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Czech Republic, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, Belarus, Iceland, Denmark, Canada, Australia, Poland, Turkey, Uganda, Mongolia, the Philippines, and the United States.

Angels Feeling Confident, Too

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:59:00 -0500

While entrepreneurs continue to be optimistic about their prospects for the next 12 months, angel investors are now jumping in with both feet. Total investments? Up 12.1 percent. Number of entrepreneurial ventures funded? Up 7.3 percent. Number of active investors? Up 20 percent.

Confidence--and Some Mixed Signals--from Entrepreneurs

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:29:00 -0500

When we last checked in on the confidence level of entrepreneurs, most saw higher profits in their immediate future despite the fact that there was a considerable amount of uncertainty with the overall economic outlook for the next 12 months.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:22:00 -0500

It’s another quiet week on Capitol Hill as both houses of Congress are back in their home states and districts from April 2 – 15. Check back next week for an updated list of relevant committee hearings.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:10:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Romania's Reach for the Future

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:55:00 -0500

The New York Times reported last October about Romania´s sparkling start-up scene and its pool of technology talent. Microsoft, Intel and Oracle have long seen this and invested here, working close to thousands of tech startups that breathe innovation into their companies.

The JOBS Act: How Business Should Get Done in Washington, DC

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:31:00 -0500

The JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act is one small step away from becoming law after its fast passage in Congress and President Obama has given reassurance that he will sign the bill when it gets to his desk this week (probably Thursday). The passage of the JOBS Act last Tuesday during a politically charged time is proof that entrepreneurship promotion is a bipartisan issue. As the clock moves relentlessly toward November, both sides of the aisle found common focus and set out to solve the entrepreneurial access to capital problem. The American public should be proud of how functional Washington was these past few weeks.

University R&D Spending Increases

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:55:00 -0500

New data from the National Science Foundation shows that the amount spent by U.S. universities on research and development reached $61.2 billion in 2010--an increase of 6.9% from the previous year.

Entrepreneurs & ‘The Coming Prosperity’

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:46:00 -0500

A new book out takes a look at the long-term trends that are ushering in a new era of global prosperity—and you can probably guess the common thread. ‘The Coming Prosperity: How Entrepreneurs are Transforming the Global Economy’ offers analysis of economic and historical trends brought to life through the stories of entrepreneurs making a difference.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:41:00 -0500

Two quiet weeks lie ahead on Capitol Hill as both houses of Congress are back in their home states and districts from April 2 – 15.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:30:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

JOBS Act Set to Sail Through

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:14:00 -0500

While the Senate approved the JOBS Act late last week, it attached an amendment that requires House approval before the legislation makes it to President Obama to be signed into law. However, the amendment—which increases investor protections in crowdfunding—is not enough to derail the hugely popular legislation which is expected to sail through the House easily this week.

Entrepreneurship Way Forward for Pakistan

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:38:00 -0500

According to a new paper from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, development spearheaded by entrepreneurs and startups could create a "virtuous circle" of growth and reform to overcome violence and weak governance in Pakistan and other fragile states where traditional development programs have failed.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:31:00 -0500

With all eyes on the anticipated House approval of the JOBS Act (the Senate passed a modified version last week 73-26), several hearings are still on our radar screen for the week ahead. Cyber-security gets scrutinized by several subcommittee hearings on the House side while the Senate deals with mobile payments and renewable energy tax incentives among other issues.

Brazil and the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in 2013

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:54:00 -0500

With stadiums rising across the country for the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament and in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics, it is clear Brazil itself is rising on the world stage. The country’s economic growth has led it to overtake the UK as the world's sixth-largest economy while the announcement last week that it won the bid to host the next Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) will spotlight the role that entrepreneurs have played in the country’s newfound economic prowess and international standing.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:23:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Liverpool’s Legacy

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:18:00 -0500

I have just returned today from the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Liverpool where a weeklong festival of entrepreneurship floated powerful ideas about everything from seeding startup communities to smarter national top-down policies. This week I take a quick look at last week’s GEC and why it matters as a symbol of the democratization of entrepreneurship.

Canada, Singapore Top Global Innovation Policy Index

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:00 -0500

In the midst of intense global competition for innovation supremacy among countries, Canada and Singapore are a half-step ahead of the pack, according to the latest Global Innovation Policy Index.

New Business Startups Declined in 2011: Arizona Tops List of U.S. States

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:29:00 -0500

The latest Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity shows that the rate of new business creation dipped during 2011 and startup founders remained more likely to go it alone than to employ others—quite possibly due to the continued recession and the typically higher rate of necessity entrepreneurs during periods of economic distress.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:22:00 -0500

The House returns from a short District work period coincides with an increase in activity in the week ahead. The Small Business Committee looks to entrepreneurs to lead economic recovery while Financial Services examines mobile payments and the future of money. On the Senate side, crowdfunding and SBICs highlight the hearings.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:16:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:44:00 -0500

It is a quiet week on Capitol Hill. The House is on recess for the week and will return to session next Monday. Meanwhile, there doesn’t seem to be much activity in the Senate committees we track.

Innovation from 'User Entrepreneurs'

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:40:00 -0500

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:42:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Global Entrepreneurship Congress: An Evolution

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:30:00 -0500

The following is an excerpt from the latest Impact Report for Global Entrepreneurship Week that outlines the evolution of the annual gathering of startup champions and entrepreneurs from around the world. You can download a copy of the Impact Report from the homepage of the Global Entrepreneurship Week website.

Small Biz Numbers Up in February

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:55:00 -0600

When we last reported in on the Small Business Employment Index, released monthly by Intuit, it was sharing good news and bad on the January numbers. One month later and the picture is a little brighter as both jobs and wages are heading in the right direction.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:52:00 -0600

Review of the FY 2013 budgets for the Small Business Administration (SBA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology are among the hearings scheduled on the House side. NIST is also on the agenda for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation under the context of strengthening U.S. competitiveness through investments in R&D.

Waterloo’s Competitive Advantage for Incubating Startup Communities in Canada

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:22:00 -0600

When the Global Entrepreneurship Congress convenes in Liverpool next week, one of the largest delegations will come from Canada. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to tour one of Canada’s best startup cities—Waterloo—which offered some useful insights for the global entrepreneurship community.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:30:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Legislation Introduced Impacting Startups and Small Businesses

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:13:00 -0600

Within the last month, ten pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress that have a direct impact on entrepreneurs and small business owners. Below is a quick look at those bills, along with the sponsoring member.

Fernandez Stepping Down at EDA

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:45:00 -0600

John Fernandez, U.S. Commerce Department Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, will leave his post at the end of the week and return to the private sector.

Entrepreneurs Optimistic About 2012

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:24:00 -0600

While economics bloggers are apparently a consistently gloomy bunch, it seems to make sense that entrepreneurs are by nature a bit more optimistic—tackling risk head on in pursuit of their dreams and ideas. That was the gist of the first Startup Confidence Index released recently by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and LegalZoom.

Sweden’s Young Innovators Need Entrepreneurs Too

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:40:00 -0600

Sweden is not waiting for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress next month to devise its strategy for building a strong startup ecosystem. While “number of patents” is only one metric to measure innovation, Sweden thinks it is one of the most important. The 2011 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII)—developed by the INSEAD eLab which takes into account dimensions such as creativity and efficiency—ranks Sweden second of 125 economies. For the Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012, Sweden came in third position. And, in Thomson Reuters’ “Global Innovators” list, Sweden is the headquarters location of 6 percent of the list’s companies.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:48:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:42:00 -0600

Budgets for FY 2013 are starting to get a look on Capitol Hill this week. Two hearings held by the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology are of particular interest. On Tuesday, the budget for the National Science Foundation is being presented. Later in the week, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu walks through the Department of Energy R&D budget.

POPVOX Shines Spotlight on Startups

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:40:00 -0600

A new startup aimed at engaging the American public in the legislative process is shining a light on a handful of bills that could have a direct impact on entrepreneurship throughout the US.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:09:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Helping Startups Cross the 'Valley of Death'

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:56:00 -0600

A proposed permanent exemption to capital gains taxes on investments in startups could help new high-growth firms thrive and create jobs. According to a new report from the Kauffman Foundation, an exemption on investments in startups held for at least five years could spur $750 million in additional seed investment and help them survive the ‘Valley of Death’—moving from concept to prototype.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policiy

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:38:00 -0600

President Obama’s overall proposed budget for FY 2013 is the highlight for a number of hearings in the week ahead, including the Budget Committees on both sides of the Capitol. The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology drills down a bit and takes a look at the dollars for federal research & development. Meanwhile, the House Committee on Energy & Commerce examines employment trends in ‘Where the Jobs Are.’

Watch the 2012 State of Entrepreneurship Address

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:12:00 -0600

At the 2012 State of Entrepreneurship Address, held February 9, 2012, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation interim president and CEO Benno C. Schmidt, along with National Governors Association (NGA) leaders Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman and Delaware Governor Jack Markell, called for state and local government policy changes to foster entrepreneurship and accelerate economic growth.

State Leadership In Boosting Startups

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:08:00 -0600

Last week, I shared how we should be encouraged by recent developments to ramp up efforts in support of America’s new and young job creators—including legislation put forth by President Obama at the end of January.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:40:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

CBO Projects Sluggish Recovery Through 2013

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:37:00 -0600

Expect more-of-the-same when it comes to the performance of the US economy for the next two years—with slow economic growth and unemployment rates remaining over eight percent.

Economics Bloggers Outlook Bleak but Improving

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:02:00 -0600

Despite a continued cloudy view of the U.S. economy, some top economics bloggers are beginning to see a ray of hope on the horizon. According to the latest Kauffman Economic Outlook: A Quarterly Survey of Top Economics Bloggers, 14 percent of respondents now believe the economy is “strong and growing” or “strong with uncertain growth,” an improvement over last quarter.

State of Entrepreneurship Address: A Roadmap for State Growth

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:46:00 -0600

Heading into what promises to be a heated general election year, the Kauffman Foundation has turned the focus of its third annual State of Entrepreneurship Address back to the state and local level. Later this week at the National Press Club, Benno Schmidt, the Foundation’s interim president, will present “A Roadmap for State Growth,” touching on a number of proposed recommendations regarding state and local laws and regulations—that won’t break policymakers’ budgets.

Improving the Environment for Entrepreneurship

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:39:00 -0600

A couple months ago, Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) were joined by Steve Case, AOL co-founder and CEO of Revolution LLC, as they introduced the Startup Act—based largely off research and recommendations released by the Kauffman Foundation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:22:00 -0600

Headlining this week is the Kauffman Foundation's third annual State of Entrepreneurship Address, “A Roadmap for State Growth.” The address will be held at the National Press Club and presented by Benno Schmidt, interim president of the Kauffman Foundation, who will discuss effective, low-cost ways of promoting entrepreneurship and innovation at the state level. On Capitol Hill, a number of hearings are scheduled that may be of interest to readers, including a Joint Economic Committee hearing on reauthorizing the payroll tax cut.

America Looks Over Her Shoulder and Washington Starts to Act

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:42:00 -0600

Despite it being an election year and a period in American history of great political divide, the prospect that Washington, DC might actually get something done to make the path easier for nascent entrepreneurs and young firms is looking more promising. This past week saw lots of activity at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. First, on January 31st –the one-year anniversary of both the White House Startup America Initiative and the private-sector Startup America Partnership—President Barack Obama sent a “Startup America Legislative Agenda” to Congress. The following day, I took part in an official Senate roundtable on Capitol Hill focused on developing more high-growth entrepreneurship legislation.

Kauffman to Air PSA During Super Bowl

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:11:00 -0600

For years, anticipation surrounding what commercials would play during the Super Bowl has almost matched that of the game itself. Some spots—like 1984’s Apple: 1984 or 2003’s Terry Tate: Office Linebacker—have so much staying power that you can probably close your eyes and picture them still today (before clicking on the links to watch them on YouTube, of course).

Small Biz Jobs Up, Wages & Hours Down

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:09:00 -0600

First, the good news. According to the latest Small Business Employment Index released by Intuit, small businesses created 50,000 new jobs in January. The total represents an increase of 0.2 percent over the last month--equating to an annual growth rate of 2.9 percent.

Branson to Headline Global Entrepreneurship Congress

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:05:00 -0600

Sir Richard Branson is backing the world’s entrepreneurs as the primary engine of economic growth and global stability by joining the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Liverpool.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:03:00 -0600

Hearings and other meetings heat up during the week ahead on both sides of the U.S. Capitol. A roundtable discussion on “Developing & Strengthening High-growth Entrepreneurship,” including PDE’s Jonathan Ortmans, leads the way in the Senate while the House Budget Committee hears from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke on “The State of the US Economy.” Meanwhile, off the Hill, Steve Case of the Startup America Partnership joins Sen. Jerry Moran and Sen. Mark Warner to talk about the Startup Act and ‘Improving the Environment for Entrepreneurship.’

A Global Race to Create the Best Startup Ecosystem

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:13:00 -0600

The recent announcement of Richard Branson, the world-famous entrepreneur best known for his Virgin brand empire and his passion for adventure sports, as the headline speaker at the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Congress has generated a significant amount of attention and interest.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:47:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Small Biz Owners Optimistic?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:59:00 -0600

As the White House fine tunes its messaging for the upcoming State of the Union Address, small business owners are starting to feel a bit more confident about the economic outlook, according to the latest survey by the National Federation of Independent Businesses. A commonly used phrase in the NFIB work last year was ‘stubbornly cautious’. However, the new numbers show continued growth in optimism--the December figures were positive for the fourth consecutive month.

Winners of EDAs i6 Challenge Visit Capitol Hill

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:53:00 -0600

The last we heard from the i6 Challenge, the Economic Development Administration was looking for comments on the "X Prize-style" competition designed to help additional cities develop economic blueprints for the future. Last week, four of the six winners of the competition were featured at a hearing on Capitol Hill to provide members of Congress with a look at how federal funds are impacting regional economic growth.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:31:00 -0600

Things are starting to pick up on Capitol Hill as the House of Representatives is set to reconvene tomorrow (Nov. 17). Relevant hearings are already scheduled for several committees, including Financial Services, Armed Services and Oversight & Government Reform. The Senate will reconvene next Monday, January 23.

New Beginnings in Belarus

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:22:00 -0600

As a lead up to the March 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Congress, I will spotlight here a handful of the 120 nations gathering in Liverpool to develop the best entrepreneurial ecosystems. Today we look at Belarus.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:18:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Britain to Host Global Entrepreneurship Congress March 2012

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:52:00 -0600

The United Kingdom remains a fierce competitor in the global race to develop the best startup ecosystem in the world. As noted in previous posts, Prime Minister David Cameron is keen for an economic recovery led by new firm formation introducing both policies and initiatives like Startup Britain to accelerate efforts nationwide.

Economic Freedom Slips in US, Around World

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:49:00 -0600

Each year, the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal assess and rank the "economic freedom" of the world’s economies. And each year, Hong Kong and Singapore occupy the top two spots--well, for the last 18 years anyway. The newest edition is out and those two continue their stranglehold at the top of the Index, followed by Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.

SBA's Mills Elevated to Cabinet-level in Proposed Reorganization

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:37:00 -0600

SBA Administrator Karen Mills has been tapped by President Obama to join his Cabinet as part of a larger plan to consolidate the Small Business Administration and several other federal agencies with overlapping responsibilities. The move for Mills is effective immediately, but the reorganization plan requires the backing of Congress.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:11:00 -0600

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:41:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

A Year for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:17:00 -0600

Welcome to 2012 – a year which, without any official proclamation, will likely be an excellent year for entrepreneurs. In so many respects, advocates in 2011 for startups and entrepreneurs could not have done better in setting up 2012. Better data, more relevant policy and legislation, streamlined programming and more widespread public support should give all reason to be optimistic that more people will take a risk, unleash an idea and make a job. And we should expect even more new developments that will shape even better entrepreneurship ecosystems across the world.

VC Industry Continues Consolidation in 2011

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:29:00 -0600

According to the latest figures from the National Venture Capital Association, dollars invested are on the rise while the number of funds continues to fall. In the US, thirty-eight (38) venture capital funds raised $5.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011—representing an increase of 162% in commitments. While the total number of funds for 2011 held constant in comparison to 2010 totals, the fourth quarter total of 38 marks a low point since the third quarter of 2009.

How Do We Strengthen US Competitiveness

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:53:00 -0600

In a world where seemingly every nation is scrambling to bolster innovation and entrepreneurship, how can the U.S. strengthen its competitiveness? According to a new report from the Department of Commerce, the formula is simple and based on looking at the country’s track record for promoting innovation—increased government funding for research, education and infrastructure. It argues that “failures to properly invest in, and have comprehensive strategies for” those three pillars are responsible for the shrinking gap between the US and other nations.

Emerging Scholars Doing Ground Breaking Research in Entrepreneurship

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:48:00 -0600

Two professors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business are sharing the top prize for the Kauffman Foundation’s 2012 Prize Medal for Distinguished Research in Entrepreneurship. Erik Hurst is the V. Duane Rath Professor of Economics and the John E. Jeuck Faculty Fellow at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. An expert in entrepreneurship, macroeconomic policy and housing markets, Hurst researches barriers to entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, and household consumption and financial behavior. Tobias Moskowitz is the Fama Family Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. An expert in entrepreneurial finance, financial markets and investments, Moskowitz researches the returns to private business ownership, the political economy of financial regulation, corporate finance and financial networks.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:15:00 -0600

No hearings scheduled for the week ahead. The House of Representatives is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, January 17 with the Senate scheduled for Monday, January 23.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:53:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:33:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Deal Clears Way for ‘Long Term’ SBIR/STTR Reauthorization

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:20:00 -0600

Following years of temporary extensions, it looks as though the SBIR and STTR programs are going to have a bit of stability. The U.S. House and Senate recently came to an agreement that would reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs for six years.

Bills to Spur Startups

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:42:00 -0600

Last week, we highlighted a new piece of legislation introduced by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Mark Warner (D-VA) that pulls a number of ideas from a collection of policy reforms suggested by the Kauffman Foundation. It wasn’t the only new bill aimed at reviving the sluggish economy through new and young firms.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:55:00 -0600

All eyes on Capitol Hill are focused on the struggle over the future of payroll tax cuts two weeks before they are set to expire. No committee hearings are scheduled for the week ahead.

2011's Welcome Spotlight on High-growth Women's Entrepreneurship

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:17:00 -0600

As we close out 2011, I did not want to forget to applaud the welcome attention this year brought to maximizing the entrepreneurial potential of women. A recent report, Overcoming the Gender Gap: Women Entrepreneurs as Economic Drivers, showed that despite the fact that about 46 percent of the workforce and more than 50 percent of college students are female, they represent only about 35 percent of startup business owners and tend to experience less growth and prosperity compared to firms started by men.

Doing Business Getting Easier Around the World

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:20:00 -0600

Each year, the IFC and World Bank Group release their ‘Doing Business’ report that analyzes regulations that apply to an economy’s businesses throughout their lifespan—from startup to bankruptcy. The 2012 study is out and shows little movement among the leading economies. Singapore stays on top, followed again by Hong Kong (SAR, China), New Zealand, the United States and Denmark.

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Startup Act

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:15:00 -0600

Citing data from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced bipartisan legislation last week aimed at jumpstarting the economy through the creation and growth of new businesses.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:17:00 -0600

As Congress nears the end-of-year holiday recess (which may or may not technically happen), all eyes are on the payroll tax deal negotiations and the expiration of the latest temporary spending bill. Meanwhile, several hearings are happening on Capitol Hill and of interest to PDE followers, including a look at the possible expansion of top-level domains through ICANN.

Washington's Rush to Support Startups

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:32:00 -0600

It was an active week for encouraging more startups in the nation’s capital. Take Thursday, December 8th. While I participated in a morning panel discussion on Capitol Hill with U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and others, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced the bipartisan Startup Act, the White House announced that the Obama administration had committed $2 billion in public and private resources to support job-creating startups, and Startup America Partnership board members—at the White House for their first official board meeting—outlined commitments from more than 50 private-sector partners that amount to over $1 billion over the next three years.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:12:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Erdogan's Play

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:03:00 -0600

During the “Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship” hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington, DC, in April 2010, it became clear that the seeds of entrepreneurship as an economic development policy and diplomatic tool had been planted. Today, I send in a quick report from the Second Global Summit on Entrepreneurship in Istanbul which has brought together approximately 1200 successful entrepreneurs and leaders from Turkey and across the world for idea sharing under the general theme of “Entrepreneurship, Values and Development: A Global Agenda”. Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted the event and US Vice President Joe Biden spoke yesterday.

NIH Looks to Streamline Commercialization

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:17:00 -0600

The National Institutes of Health is launching a new web portal aimed at streamlining the federal government’s technology transfer process. If successful, the site could reduce response time for unpatented materials from six months to a few days.

Community Development Through Small Business Financing

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:54:00 -0600

Every other year, community development professionals gather to review best practices and network at the National Interagency Community Reinvestment Conference. Unlike previous efforts though, the 2012 conference focuses squarely on new and small businesses and the role they can play in community and economic development.

VC Money: If You Don't Need It, Don't Take It

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:47:00 -0600

Recently, the Kauffman Foundation has been releasing a series of ‘sketchbook’ videos to “demystify the phenomenon of entrepreneurship and bring to light messages about the important role entrepreneurs play in innovation, job creation, and economic growth.” The latest in the series features Paul Kedrosky, a senior fellow at the Foundation as well as an investor and entrepreneur himself.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:58:00 -0600

Several hearings are on tap for this week, including a pair in the House Judiciary Committee dealing with immigration and intellectual property concerns.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:48:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Sargeant Confirmed as Chief Counsel for SBA Advocacy

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:35:00 -0600

After serving as the Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration for more than a year, Winslow Sargeant was finally confirmed by the Senate on Friday, November 18. Tom Sullivan, who served as Chief Counsel for Advocacy from 2002- 2008, applauds the confirmation in a recent blog post (reposted with permission):

Restoring US Competitiveness

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:55:00 -0600

Earlier this year, the Center for Public Policy Innovation (CPPI) published a report on restoring U.S. competitiveness which outlined several strategies to boost innovation and entrepreneurship. The strategies, including a simplified version of Sarbanes-Oxley for small firms, a permanent R&D tax credit, and a ‘free agency’ model for technology transfer, are at the heart of a series of forums held by CPPI to explore policies that would encourage new firm formation and growth.

Kauffman Foundation to Award Junior Faculty Fellowship Grants

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:40:00 -0600

The Kauffman Foundation today released a formal call for nominations and will again award up to seven Junior Faculty Fellowship grants to faculty members in the United States whose research has the potential to make significant contributions to the body of literature in entrepreneurship.

Canada on the Rise

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:47:00 -0600

According to a recent index released by Forbes, many policy changes have made Canada the best country for business. The index evaluates countries on property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape, investor protection and stock market performance. Canada jumped three spots from the 2010 survey, getting high marks for Personal Freedom (#1), Red Tape (#3), Investor Protection (#5) and Trade Freedom (#7). It also had a noticeable improvement in its tax ranking—thanks largely to a “Harmonized Sales Tax” and reduced corporate and employee tax rates. Is this resulting in a better climate for Startups?

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:34:00 -0600

With the House & Senate both in Washington this week, several hearings are scheduled that caught our attention, including a review by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs on outstanding proposals to spur job growth through capital formation.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:33:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Powered by the Millennial Generation

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:13:00 -0600

The world economy has disappointed this year with its jobless recovery and continuing financial instability. Clearly, the country needs more entrepreneurs. A recent poll in the U.S. shows that those ages 18-34--the so-called “Millennial Generation”--are that entrepreneurial bunch. Fifty-four percent of “millennials” either want to start a business or already have started one. And judging by last week’s vibrant Global Entrepreneurship Week, this seems to be a global phenomenon and one driven by people who want to do good and do well.

Diaspreneurship

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:24:00 -0600

Diasporans are natural bridges between cultures and systems, but their diplomatic and developmental potential remains largely untapped. During Global Entrepreneurship Week in Washington DC, the U.S. Department of State, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Kauffman Foundation and Univision Networks hosted Unleashing IdEA to develop ideas for harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of diaspora communities.

'Learn to Earn Act' Introduced

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:11:00 -0600

While hundreds of US colleges, universities and high schools were celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA, a new bill was introduced to Congress that encourages participation in entrepreneurship education programs. Sponsored by Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa, the 'Learn to Earn Act of 2011' seeks to create incentives for states and local school districts to implement high-quality entrepreneurship programs in communities all across the country.

NSBA: It's Not Easy Being Green

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:54:00 -0600

A new report from the National Small Business Association (NSBA) profiles a handful of small firms developing new clean energy technologies--and outlines the challenges they face. Beyond the technological obstacles navigated by every innovative firm in the industry, as well continued uncertainty over the national and global economies, the authors argue that the profiled firms were challenged by the lack of a national energy policy.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:58:00 -0600

There are no hearings scheduled this week as Members of Congress are in recess for the Thanksgiving holiday.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:38:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

A Smarter World by Startups

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:45:00 -0600

As the world celebrates another Global Entrepreneurship Week, the Huffington Post features an essay today by Jonathan Ortmans that provides a glimpse at what that will look like.

Incubating Success

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:35:00 -0600

Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) funded a research study to examine the relationship between incubator best practices and client outcomes.

Millenials Waiting to Launch Startups

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:26:00 -0600

In a beleaguered economy, the country needs entrepreneurs – the nation's job creators. Fortunately, a recent poll shows that the so-called millennial generation – those ages 18-34 – are an entrepreneurial bunch. Unfortunately, a few key barriers are holding them back, especially the economy.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:20:00 -0600

With Election Day 2011 behind us, members of Congress start to settle back into their routines in Washington. With the rest of DC focused on Global Entrepreneurship Week, a handful of committee hearings are scheduled that somewhat address the policy environment to promote entrepreneurial growth.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:03:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Global Entrepreneurship Week Movement Blasts Off in 123 Countries

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:32:00 -0600

Today is another historic day for startups and our economies. It is the opening day of the fourth Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest celebration of the innovators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth, and expand human welfare. In three short years, Global Entrepreneurship Week has expanded to more than 120 countries and this week organizers are expecting nearly 11 million people to show up at over 40,000 planned events and activities.

Global Entrepreneurship Week Movement Blasts Off in 123 Countries

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:27:00 -0600

Bills Pass House, Offer More Funding Options

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:01:00 -0600

Last week, we told you in our weekly 'This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy' post that the House was examining a couple of bills “intended to make it easier for startups and other companies to raise capital.”

New Firms & Disruptive Technology

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:20:00 -0600

As countries get richer, they become more heavily dependent on home-grown innovation -- as opposed to simply expanding existing activities or borrowing good ideas from abroad -- to maintain their growth. And since new firms play an absolutely vital role in the innovation process, removing barriers to entrepreneurship becomes increasingly important to maintaining economic dynamism and prosperity.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:59:00 -0600

While Washington, DC, has plenty going on during Global Entrepreneurship Week from November 14 – 20, Capitol Hill is fairly quiet during the week leading up to it. The House is in recess for the week—observing Election Day from their home districts—while Senate committees have a very light load of hearings.

Be sure to check back next week during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:44:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Washington DC's Huge Celebration of Startups for Global Entrepreneurship Week

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:56:00 -0600

Regardless of whether American policymakers can ever fix domestic policy to boost entrepreneurship—as in making a Startup Visa happen or removing other barriers that slow the birth of new high growth firms—the nation’s capital will be alive with startup fever next week (November 14 – 18) as Global Entrepreneurship Week takes center stage around the world.

The 'Global' in Global Entrepreneurship Week

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:23:00 -0500

In two weeks, Global Entrepreneurship Week kicks off with more than 40,000 events spread out over a seven day period in 123 countries. At competitions like Startup Open for the most promising new startups in 60 countries, to tournaments for cleantech ideas, at stadiums where entrepreneurship will meet music and sports, from heads of state to high school competitions, Global Entrepreneurship Week has become a movement for the next generation of startups and entrepreneurs inspired by the possibility of human endeavor for the benefit of all.

Early Days of VC screened at DC area Film Festival

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:22:00 -0500

Washington DC-area residents get a chance to see a new film that looks to the beginnings of the venture capital industry this coming weekend. ‘Something Ventured: Risk, Reward and the Original Venture Capitalists’ is being shown next Saturday as part of the Alexandria Film Festival in Northern Virginia. The story is told through the voices of legendary investors and visionary entrepreneurs who sped the growth of firms like Intel, Apple, Cisco, Atari, Genentech, Tandem and others.

White House Wants to Accelerate Federal Research to Market

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:14:00 -0500

Late last week, Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank and SBA Administrator Karen Mills announced two Presidential Memoranda intended to help businesses expand and create jobs. In addition to a new web portal, BusinessUSA.gov, the administration wants to encourage the creation of entrepreneurial startups by accelerating the movement of research conducted in federal labs into the commercial marketplace.

Economics Bloggers Outlook 'Depressing Surprise'

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:40:00 -0500

Using words like “uncertain,” “fragile” and “weak,” 96 percent of top economics bloggers now share a gloomy outlook on the U.S. economy. Only half expect employment growth in the next three years while only 2 percent consider the US economy to be ‘strong and growing’ and two-thirds feel the government is already too involved in the economy.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:09:00 -0500

A couple of bills intended to make it easier for startups and other companies to raise capital get the spotlight in the House this week. The Rule Committee has scheduled a hearing -- and live webcast – covering the 'Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act' (HR 2930) and 'Access to Capital for Job Creators Act' (HR 2940). Both tweak rules for the Securities and Exchange Commission. HR 2930 would allow new firms to use crowdfunding to accept and pool donations of up to $1 million without having to register with the SEC. HR 2940 would remove the SEC ban that now prevents small companies from advertising to solicit investors.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:51:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Starting a Firm? Build a Website

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:06:00 -0500

A newly released study shows that new businesses have a higher propensity to use websites, email and to sell their products and services online—which makes absolute sense to anyone who has been to a Startup Weekend recently or even just thought about how get a business off the ground without a mountain of cash up front. The data from the study, “Casting a Wide Net: Online Activities of Small and News Businesses in the United States,” also show the logical correlation between that activity and the resulting positive impact on capitalization and longevity.

'GEW 50' Named in Startup Open

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:03:00 -0500

In the search to find tomorrow’s job creators, Startup Open, a competition that searches for startups with the greatest growth potential, unveiled the “GEW 50”—50 of the world’s most innovative new companies. These elite startups will now vie for a host of prizes to be announced on Nov. 14, timed with the kick-off to Global Entrepreneurship Week.

10 Actions for Governments to Promote Entrepreneurship

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:59:00 -0500

What is going on in Canada?

A couple of weeks ago, we pointed out a recent Forbes study that ranked Canada as the ‘best country for business.’ Apparently Forbes weren’t the only ones impressed with the US neighbors to the north as another study emerged last week with Canada on top.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:48:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:09:00 -0500

The House of Representatives returns to session while it is the Senate's turn for a one-week recess. The Ways & Means Committee takes a look at the barriers that US firms face tapping into the Chinese market, including: harmful "indigenous innovation" policies and failure to adequately protect intellectual property. Meanwhile, government procurement programs and the SBA's financing initiatives get a look from the Small Business Committee.

Malaysia's Progress with Startups

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:06:00 -0500

Malaysia transformed itself from a producer of raw materials in the 1970s into an upper-middle income country with a multi-sector economy by the late 1990s. The 1997 crisis significantly challenged this technology-exporting country, but it has since successfully sparked two main sources of economic resilience—foreign investment and new firm creation. To my surprise, Malaysian entrepreneurs I spoke with recently gave a great deal of credit to, of all actors on the stage, their government. Did government really do something right?

Startup Act Discussed on Senate Floor

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:11:00 -0500

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran took to the floor of the U.S. Senate last week, vowing to introduce new legislation that would create an environment for new firms to start, grow and create jobs.

USCIS Announces 'Entrepreneurs in Residence'

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:50:00 -0500

Acknowledging that something must be done to address the issue of immigration when it relates to high-skilled workers and job creators, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced it was turning to Silicon Valley and other experts.

Angel Investing Stabilizes, Returns to Seed & Startup Stages

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:42:00 -0500

Following turbulent times in 2008 and 2009, the angel investor market has shown signs of stabilization, according to a new study by the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. While the total number of active investors during the first two quarters of 2011—124,900—remains virtually unchanged from the same period last year, other numbers are showing a slight increase.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:36:00 -0500

The House of Representatives is in recess this week while most members have returned to their home districts as they continue to communicate with their constituents about jobs and the economy.

Is There a Magic Sauce for High-Growth Entrepreneurship?

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:12:00 -0500

If the best indicator of a country's growth is the number of new firms started every year, as Kauffman Foundation research indicates, how do we get more companies to start and grow? What's the magic sauce?

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:49:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Saudi Spirit Serious About Startups

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:29:00 -0500

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) recently released data indicating that domestic credit to the private sector in Saudi Arabia recorded one of their highest growth rates since the global fiscal crisis. That the Gulf Kingdom’s twelve (12) commercial banks are easing credit curbs is good news for entrepreneurship promoters in the country and leaders in the Kingdom seem ready to provide the fuel to ignite a new wave of startups.

Serbia's Faith in its Young Entrepreneurs

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:26:00 -0500

Like so many nations that have recently gone through major restructuring over the past 10 years, Serbia is looking to its young entrepreneurial minds to shape a new nation as it marches toward economic recovery. However, while Serbia has embarked upon several structural reforms—especially in the banking sector and in employment regulations—it has yet to successfully tackle corruption, bureaucracy and a weak judicial system. These are holding back its economic potential.

Stapling Green Cards to Diplomas

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:52:00 -0500

The National Foundation for American Policy released a policy brief last week that says international students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) should get a green card “stapled” to their diplomas. With a growing number of Ph.D.s and Masters degrees earned by foreign nationals in these fields, plus a tremendous backlog on available green cards, US competitiveness is suffering.

Canada 'Best Country for Business'

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:43:00 -0500

What is the best country for business? That would be Canada, according to Forbes’ annual look at the global economy and how individual countries are performing. The index evaluates countries on property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape, investor protection and stock market performance.

Deadline Nearing for 'Global Scholars' Applications

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:40:00 -0500

A few weeks ago, we mentioned that the Kauffman Foundation was expanding its Global Scholars Program to include up to ten (10) recent graduates from US colleges and universities. The deadline to apply for one of those slots is now only one week away—applications must be submitted by Monday, October 17.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:29:00 -0500

Hearings scheduled for the week ahead include a look at K through 12 STEM education, as well as several hearings broadly pertaining to clean technology and jobs.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:56:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Entrepreneurs & a 'True Global Mindset'

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:58:00 -0500

Last week, we highlighted the fact that the Kauffman Foundation recently expanded its Global Scholars Program to include up to 10 recent graduates from U.S. colleges and universities.

Women Hold Key to Economic Growth

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:24:00 -0500

Women who are capable of starting growth companies that serve global markets may be the nation’s secret weapon for achieving sustained economic growth.

Innovation Lifecycle Explains IP Importance

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:17:00 -0500

Why is intellectual property important to job creation and the expansion of economic growth? Do you know the five stages required to take an idea from initial conception to a final product in the marketplace?

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:05:00 -0500

While the original House and Senate calendars called for recess last week, members of the Senate remained in Washington to work on a funding bill that would avert a government shutdown. It passed a six-week bill by a 79-12 vote and also passed a one-week continuing resolution to give the House until October 4 to act. Members of the House address HR 2608 today (October 3) at 5:00 pm.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (October 03 - 09)

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:01:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Learning from Startup Ecosystems

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:02:00 -0500

It is true that governments cannot be ignored by entrepreneurs—they set the rules and incentives. But it should not be surprising that vibrant entrepreneurs typically show, at best, nonchalance toward government. Most government agencies across the globe remain inefficient and cumbersome—especially when you compare even a well-funded government program to a collection of bootstrapping startups.

Looking Past the Talk on International Aid

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:41:00 -0500

Late September is always a busy time in New York and Washington for world leaders. New York is crowded with heads of state and visionaries at the UN Assembly or the Clinton Global Initiative, and in Washington, DC, the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings that took place this past weekend always spur an assortment of organizations with global economic development missions to gather their flocks. We all wonder what all these expensive ‘meetings of the minds’ are accomplishing. To share my own bias, it prompts me once a year to check in and see how much development bureaucrats are really seeing and listening to the entrepreneurs on the ground doing the work.

Kauffman Expands Global Scholars Program

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:42:00 -0500

A world-class opportunity awaits U.S. college graduates with innovative ideas for a new business. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expanding its successful Global Scholars Program to include up to 10 recent graduates from U.S. colleges and universities who will join Scholars from around the world.

Legislation Introduced to Improve SOX Requirements for Small Businesses

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:21:00 -0500

Rep. Ben Quayle from Arizona’s third district recently introduced H.R. 2941, the Startup Expansion and Investment Act, which will allow shareholders of public companies with market valuations below $1 billion to opt out of regulations within section 404 for the first 10 years after going public. The costs for complying with the requirements of this section of Sarbanes-Oxley can exceed $1 million for new companies and can cost them up to $20 million in loss of valuation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (September 26 - 30)

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:10:00 -0500

Updated: Monday, September 26 // 7:52 pm

While the original House and Senate calendars called for recess for this week, members of the Senate remained in Washington to work on a funding bill that would avert a government shutdown at the end of this week. It passed a six-week bill by a 79-12 vote and also passed a one-week continuing resolution to give the House until October 4 to act.

The House remains on recess (for the time being) and was not scheduled to reconvene until Monday. It had approved its version of a continuing resolution on Friday that cut an environmental loan program run by the Energy Department that Democrats called a job creator. The Senate had rejected that measure on Friday.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (September 26 - 30)

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:55:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation -- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week.

Say Goodbye to the Survey of Business Owners?

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:18:00 -0500

Last week, I noted that due to the House and Senate appropriations committees’ significant cuts in the Census Bureau budget, the quality of federal of federal economic statistics appears about to decline. At that point, we knew that the Census Bureau had responded to the House committee's 17% ($169 million) cut by saying it would cancel the 2012 Economic Census, which provides the foundation for the national input-ouput model, 12 Principal Federal Economic Indicators (including GDP), and a myriad of other public and private uses.

Revisiting Sarbanes-Oxley

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:40:00 -0500

We have heard several entrepreneurship-based proposals recently to get our economy back on track, but one piece seemed to be missing this whole time in the debate: re-evaluating Sarbanes-Oxley for young firms. We have long known that the compliance costs associated with SOX—particularly section 404—have been discouraging many companies from going public, thereby blocking their access to capital and growth. Researchers have suggested that Congress address this issue in some way, and a measure to allow shareholders of companies with market cap below $1 billion to opt-in under SOX was one of the ideas floated in the Startup Act released mid-July. The measure is now gaining track in Congress.

Essays by Secretary Locke, Steve Blank Highlight 2011 Kauffman Thoughtbook

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:21:00 -0500

A new essay by Steve Blank, who founded a series of successful high technology companies and now teaches entrepreneurship, outlines four different types of entrepreneurs—and identifies the tools and support they need to succeed.

Seven Inducted to New Entrepreneur Walk of Fame

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:17:00 -0500

The Entrepreneur Walk of Fame unveiled its inaugural class of seven esteemed honorees whose names will be immortalized with a sidewalk star in Kendall Square—located in Cambridge, Massachusetts—today. Similar to Hollywood's celebration of movie stars, the Entrepreneur Walk of Fame (EntWoF) awards entrepreneurs at the top of their fields who have transformed the business culture and jumpstarted the economy.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy September 19

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:21:00 -0500

Highlighting this week’s slate of hearings on Capitol Hill is a review by the House Finance Committee on “Legislative Proposals to Facilitate Small Business Capital Formation & Job Creation.” Getting a peak are: the Small Company Job Growth & Regulatory Relief Act of 2011; the Private Company Flexibility and Growth Act; the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act; and, the Access to Capital for Job Creators Act.

The Quality of Economic Statistics is About to Erode

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:31:00 -0500

House and Senate appropriations committees have approved substantial fiscal year 2012 budget decreases for the U.S. Census Bureau, the agency responsible for producing data to guide the government economic and fiscal policy and business investments across a $14 trillion economy. Sadly, the committees fail to recognize that their cuts, by leading to less effective public and private sector decisions, are likely to cost the nation dearly in terms of economic activity and jobs, while saving the public well less than a dollar a person.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (September 19 - 25)

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:22:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Helping the World's Future Entrepreneurs

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:36:00 -0500

Over time I have become increasingly confused as to the meaning of “youth entrepreneurship.” While the myth of entrepreneurs as “modern day Mozarts” in garages (to borrow Carl Schramm’s phrase) is slowly being dispelled, it seems our human instinct to avoid conversations about age is alive and well! The reason this matters now is because governments and non-governmental organizations around the globe appear to be ramping up investment in “youth enterprise.”

Go Big... Or Go Home?

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:21:00 -0500

President Obama threw down the gauntlet to Congress today, releasing his plan for the American Jobs Act, a $447 billion legislative proposal to jumpstart the economy that creates a number incentives for employers to start—and keep—hiring. The plan includes a payroll tax holiday for small business that hire new employees as well as for those who raise salaries. Other incentives include cutting payroll taxes on the first $5 million in payroll and extending “100% expensing” that allows firms to take an immediate deduction on investments in new plants and equipment.

Call for Abstracts: International Research & Policy Roundtable

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:38:00 -0500

The Kauffman Foundation is seeking experts on high-growth entrepreneurship policy issues to contribute to the creation of a global policy roadmap for advancing entrepreneurship. Scholars are invited to submit abstracts for papers to be considered for presentation at a roundtable discussion at the Kauffman-sponsored Global Entrepreneurship Congress, March 11-12, 2012, in Liverpool, UK.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy September 12

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:57:00 -0500

Congress is back in session and a number of relevant hearings are set for the coming week including several on tax reform and a House Judiciary Committee look at “The Investor Visa Program” and its ability to create jobs in the U.S.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (September 12 - 18)

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:43:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

DC Most Represented City on Inc. 500 | 5000 List

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:47:00 -0500

Each year, Inc. releases their list of the 500 (and now 5000) fastest growing firms in the United States. Sitting atop the 2011 list is ideeli, a members-only retail shopping site with more than 4 million member that grew by 40,882% in 3 years.

High-Impact Firms Creating Jobs in South Carolina

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:16:00 -0500

A new study by the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business shows that 3% of the businesses in the state are responsible for roughly two-thirds of its net new jobs. In addition to those local high-impact firms, the authors found that firms with fewer than 20 employees account for 51 percent of net job generation.

A Need for a More Informed Public

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:39:00 -0500

Most policymakers are starting to both heed entrepreneurs for their job and wealth creation efforts during these tough times as well as pick up on one of our nation’s biggest source of high-growth start-ups: immigrant entrepreneurs. But if public reaction to a recent NPR segment and recent Washington Post commentary on the topic are anything to go by, I fear we have a long way to go to convince the average American citizen.

Economic Growth Ideas That 'Cost the Government Virtually Nothing'

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:05:00 -0500

Earlier this summer, the Kauffman Foundation announced its ideas for a broad set of policy recommendations that would help accelerate the creation of new startups and stimulate the US economy. The Startup Act, as it was called, just received a bit of extra attention with today’s copy of the Wall Street Journal.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy August 29

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:46:00 -0500

The U.S. Congress is currently observing the typical August / Summer recess. They are scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday, September 6, following the Labor Day holiday.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (August 29 - September 4)

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:27:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

'Ice House' Program Battle Hardship with Entrepreneurship

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:22:00 -0500

During Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010, the Kauffman Foundation launched “Who Owns the Ice House?” a two-part learning project designed to inspire and engage the next generation in the unlimited opportunities that an entrepreneurial mindset can provide. The program consists of a book that shares timeless lessons from the life experiences of Clifton Taulbert (successful entrepreneur and acclaimed author) while growing up in the segregated South; as well as an online course that features first-hand experiences of individuals who have overcome tremendous challenges by embracing an entrepreneurial mindset.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (August 22 - 28)

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:15:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

"Closing the Transition Gap" Necessary for Post-Conflict Economic Growth

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:52:00 -0500

Intervening forces -- whether officially "occupiers" or not -- have a duty to create or support existing rule of law institutions in post-conflict states, according to the new paper "Closing the Transition Gap," the fourth paper in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's Expeditionary Economics Research Series to reconsider the United States' approach to military- and civilian-led development in areas stricken by conflict and natural disaster.

Leapfrogging to High-Growth in Mexico

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:26:00 -0500

Even during this bruising recession, risk-taking entrepreneurs in the developing world seem to be seeing opportunities to leapfrog others and create advantage. And, as the Kauffman Foundation’s Carl Schramm recently argued in an article in Forbes magazine, I am not just talking about mobile technology in Africa.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy August 22

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:09:00 -0500

The U.S. Congress is currently observing the typical August / Summer recess. They are scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday, September 6, following the Labor Day holiday.

Starting Up Startup America

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:57:00 -0500

On January 31st, 2011, the White House announced Startup America, a public/private initiative to rally efforts to accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship in the U.S. by expanding access to capital, creating a national network for entrepreneurship education, enhancing the commercialization of federally-funded innovations and getting rid of tax and paperwork barriers for startups. Given the importance of new firms to America’s economy and the national urgency to create jobs, I take a look this week at what Washington accomplished—leading up to the summer break—in response to the President’s call for action.

Time for a New 'Pessimism Index'?

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:06:00 -0500

At the beginning of 2011, PDE checked in on the monthly Small Business Optimism Index to find that small business owners were “stubbornly cautious.” Fast-forward to the midpoint of the year--in the dog days of summer—and the feelings haven’t seemed to change at all.

NY Top State for Entrepreneurship

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:42:00 -0500

New York came out on top of a new State Entrepreneurship Index developed by economists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The study combines five key components -- a state's percentage growth and per capita growth in business establishments, its business formation rate, the number of patents per thousand residents and gross receipts of sole proprietorships and partnerships per capita -- to build its state-by-state rankings.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (August15 - 21)

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:08:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy August 15

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Congress is currently observing the typical August / Summer recess. They are scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday, September 6, following the Labor Day holiday.

White House White Board Looks at Startup America

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:44:00 -0500

Once or twice in the past we have pointed to the “White House White Board,” a quirky feature on whitehouse.gov used to illustrate (and simplify) whatever it is the administration wants to talk about. Recently, it marked the first 180 days of Startup America with a self-conducted progress report on administration commitments to improve the environment for high-growth entrepreneurship.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:46:00 -0500

Following the 11th hour deal last week that brought an end (at least for now) to the debt ceiling crisis, the House and Senate are observing the typical August / Summer recess. They are scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday, September 6, following the Labor Day holiday.

A New Beginning for Peru

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:41:00 -0500

Now that Peru has inaugurated a new government, the verdict is out on how the Ollanta Humala administration treats entrepreneurs. When the new president presented the names of eight of his cabinet ministers for his presidential mandate which started July 28, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Peruvian entrepreneur Salomon Lerner would be among them. At the time, President Humala asked the Peruvian population to trust that the new Cabinet members were committed to the change the country now needs.

Was Debt Ceiling Debate Tip of the Iceberg?

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:00:00 -0500

Is the recent debt ceiling debate the proverbial tip of the iceberg? It is, at least according to Senator Sherrod Brown. Last week, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection (within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs) said as much at a hearing on “Debt Financing in the Domestic Financial Sector.”

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (August 8 - 14)

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:01:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (August 1 - 7)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:55:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Economic Bloggers Forecast Weak Growth and High Deficits

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:46:00 -0500

Optimism is out; pessimism is in among the country's top economics bloggers as they look to 2012 and beyond— particularly regarding jobs. A new Kauffman Foundation survey released last week shows that only 50 percent of respondents to its ongoing series of anticipate employment growth, a decrease of 20 percent from second quarter.

CFPB Open for Business

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:32:00 -0500

Last week, the likely impact of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on new and small businesses came under scrutiny by members of the subcommittee of Investigations, Oversight and Regulations of the House Committee on Small Business.

Syrian Quest for Freedom

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:55:00 -0500

As I read this morning’s news about Syrian security forces renewing attacks on the city of Hama, I become even more committed to finding stories of Syrians looking beyond the divides of politics, class and religion, who can help shape the fate of the country and its four-months-long revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:13:00 -0500

A handful of hearings are scheduled for the week ahead, including: the House Committee on Small Business looking at how industry-led portable skills certification programs are meeting the workforce needs of new and small firms; and, the House Committee on Financial Services reviewing legislative proposals to reform the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Is Indonesia the Next Brazil?

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:53:00 -0500

It has been a big week for entrepreneurship in Indonesia. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Bali on July 21 to take part in an ASEAN Regional Entrepreneurship Summit (RES) held by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia and the Global Entrepreneurship Program Indonesia (GEPI). The theme of the 3-day RES was: “Emerging Entrepreneurs: The Next Big Chapter.”

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy (July 25 - July 31)

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:43:00 -0500

There are a number of hearings of interest on Capitol Hill this week

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 25 - 31)

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:16:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Startup Act Proposal Looks to Jump-Start Economy

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:07:00 -0500

On the heels of the recent dismal unemployment report and data showing that new firms are growing slower and staying smaller, the Kauffman Foundation presented a collection of broad policy recommendations last week at the National Press Club in Washington.

Entrepreneurship & Nation-Building

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:01:00 -0500

According to a new paper on ‘expeditionary economics’ by the Kauffman Foundation, the United States should establish a new school of military government focused on creating a scalable cadre of nation-building experts.

EDA Seeking Comment on Economic Visioning Challenge

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:55:00 -0500

The Economic Development Administration is taking a crack at seeding the creation of innovation ecosystems through a new "X Prize-style" competition that challenges multi-disciplinary teams of experts to develop economic and land use proposals for their city.

FDA Investigative Hearing

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:34:00 -0500

Highlights: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Energy and Commerce: Regulatory Reform Series #5 – Hearing entitled, “FDA Medical Device Regulation: Impact on American Patients, Innovation and Jobs”

Entrepreneurship on Campus

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:29:00 -0500

I hope that like me, you have had the chance to witness the burgeoning phenomenon of entrepreneurship curriculum in American higher education. More and more, students have the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship on campus. In the process of creating entrepreneurship programs, universities have become more entrepreneurial themselves. This is great news. Colleges and universities are natural incubators of creativity and new ways of looking at things. And this new reality might mean that colleges and universities are better preparing students for success in the American economy where more professionals need to make their own jobs.

A Start Up Act At Last

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:18:00 -0500

It is time to implement new methods to shake our economy out of this lingering spell of slow growth (a disappointing 2% rate) and high unemployment (hovering around 9%). And while the large federal budget deficit does not leave much room for implementing more traditional economic remedies, the Kauffman Foundation—at a press conference this morning here at the National Press Club in Washington, DC—suggested it is time for legislation. Startup legislation.

Reviewing the Tax Code

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:06:00 -0500

There is not an iota of doubt that the current tax code has serious problems, in the sense that it seems to favor more the issuance of debt, rather than the issuance of equity for businesses to raise capital. But what are some of these problems? A few of them came to light at a Joint Congressional Testimony of the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Finance Committee.

National Nanotechnology Investment: Manufacturing, Commercialization & Job Creation

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:58:00 -0500

Last Thursday, members of the Subcommittee on Science and Space met to discuss the reauthorization of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) with a witness panel of five experts in the revolutionary field of nanotechnology. Created in 2000, the NNI has facilitated communication and collaboration between 25 federal agencies involved in groundbreaking nanotechnology research.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy (July 18 - July 24)

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:38:00 -0500

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 18 - 24)

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:38:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

New Firms Starting Smaller, Growing Slower

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:26:00 -0500

Companies established in 2009 could employ one million fewer people than the historic norm. That is the alarming bottom line from a recent Kauffman study that shows the U.S. jobs problem pre-dates the Great Recession of 2007-2009. The research suggests that the country faces a far more fundamental employment challenge—a long-term trend that the researchers call a slow jobs "leak."

Former Clinton Advisor Points to Startups

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:13:00 -0500

In the June issue of Newsweek, former US President Bill Clinton put forward a dozen or so ideas on how to attack the jobs crisis (cleverly titled, of course, 'It's Still the Economy Stupid'). One of those ideas was ‘More Cash for Startups’ where he talked about a plan by the Obama Administration to allow converting tax credits to cash equivalents tied to the number of employees hired for green jobs and startups.

Switzerland Tops Global Innovation Index

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:56:00 -0500

According to the latest Global Innovation Index, Switzerland tops a list of 125 economies around the world as the most innovative—up three spots from last year’s rankings.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy (July 11 - July 17)

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:22:00 -0500

Commercialization and job creation in nanotechnology get a look from the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce & Transportation this week, while a joint hearing on "Tax Reform & the Tax Treatment of Debt and Equity" brings together the House Committee on Ways & Means and the Senate Finance Committee.

Egypt's Young Entrepreneurs

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:46:00 -0500

Last June, the United Nations Development Program released its Human Development Report for Egypt, which noted that 90 percent of the country’s unemployed, estimated to be 8 million, were younger than 30. Not surprisingly, time and again at post-revolution gatherings of political leaders and civil sector organizations set on creating a clear roadmap for the country’s political and economic development, youth entrepreneurship emerges as a key recommendation.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 11 - 17)

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:57:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

A Progressive Agenda for Fostering Entrepreneurship

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:33:00 -0500

Last Monday, I pointed out the latest issue of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas that featured ways government can promote firm formation and growth.

This week, the authors take center stage at the National Press Club for a panel discussion on "From the Ground Up: A Progressive Agenda for Fostering Entrepreneurship." The symposium covers a broad range of priorities. From promoting minority business ownership and enacting smart immigration reform to teaching entrepreneurship in our schools and encouraging innovation clusters, progressives can unite behind an agenda that promotes entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs Forecast Economic Improvement in Next 6 Months

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:12:00 -0500

If you ask an entrepreneur, the global economy is starting to perk up a bit. In the most recent ‘Global Entrepreneur Indicator’ survey, 62% experienced an increase in their net profits -- a 25% increase over the previous year -- while 57% added jobs since last surveyed.

State of Small Business Access to Capital

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:17:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand for a House Committee on Small Business hearing on Capitol Hill on June 22. Our report of the hearing follows:
There is no debating the fact that the financial crisis has adversely impacted small businesses. Indeed, this fact was the common theme that ran through the opening statements of a recent hearing held by the House Committee on Small Business.

Following opening remarks by Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO) and Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY), Chairman and Ranking Member respectively, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner delivered a summary of his written testimony on the “State of Small Business Access to Capital.”

Patent Reform Passes: Who Won?

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:04:00 -0500

Last week, a patent reform bill, the America Invents Act (H.R. 1249), passed the House of Representatives. On March 8, the Senate passed a similar patent bill (S. 23) by a broad margin. There is no doubt our patent system is broken with backlogs and litigation, but the bill’s net effect on innovative entrepreneurship is still unclear.

This Week in Entrepreneurial Policy (June 27 - July 3)

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:34:00 -0500

Members of the House are back in their home districts for a Constituent Work Week and will return after the Independence Day holiday. On the Senate side, a light week is highlighted by a Finance Committee hearing on simplifying the tax code.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (June 27 - July 3)

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 08:37:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Boosting Britain's Entrepreneurial Talent

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:03:00 -0500

According to The Times CEO Summit here in London, Britain is mid-table in the world growth league, but committed to a new rigorous economic agenda. Now that the painful job of drastic budget cuts is underway and an often angry public has aired its grievances, Prime Minister David Cameron appears to be intently focused on new firm formation, the know-how economy, the next digital revolution and private input into “innovating down” health costs. He is determined to protect his AAA Standard & Poors evaluation and keep his economy from heading in the direction of others like Greece.

USA Hopes to 'Attract & Retain'

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:57:00 -0500

With largely unimpressive employment figures and sagging consumer confidence, the Obama administration is seemingly pulling out all the stops in its economic arsenal. It has focused on small businesses--touting its 17 tax cuts for small business owners—as well as new businesses through its support of programs like Startup America and the Global Entrepreneurship Program. And now it is looking to get into a bit of good old traditional economic development, trying to attract and retain businesses—convincing them to select US locations to either start or expand operations.

Tales from an Entrepreneurial Culture

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:11:00 -0500

I admit it. I was one of those guys who ready Douglas Coupland’s ‘Generation X: Tales of an Accelerated Culture’ and watched all the generational angst movies of the early ‘90s like Richard Linklater’s ‘Slacker’ (or Reality Bites’ for the more commercially mainstream audiences). We were different and better than Baby Boomers and wanted to make sure everyone knew why.

Entrepreneurship 'From the Ground Up'

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:48:00 -0500

Recognizing the urgency to kick-start the economy through entrepreneurship, the Kauffman Foundation sponsored the latest issue of Democracy--a Journal of Ideas to examine how the government can promote firm formation and growth.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (June 20 - 26)

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:54:00 -0500

Secretary Geithner is scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Small Business to talk about access to capital and credit while the Budget Committee examines the long-term budget outlook with CBO director Douglas Elmendorf. On the Senate side, the Judiciary Committee tackles intellectual property law enforcement efforts.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (June 20 - 26)

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:22:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (June 13 - 19)

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:00:00 -0500

The House is back in session with a full slate of hearings throughout the week. Meanwhile, a quiet week on the Senate side does feature an examination of SBA programs by the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:35:00 -0500

With more women than men in the U.S. earning PhDs in the biological sciences and estimates that around 15 percent of the U.S. GNP over the next two decades will be comprised of life science activities, it is no surprise that women's entrepreneurship has attracted so much attention recently in both the developed and developing countries. And in many other countries, women's entrepreneurship is even more important as a separate track for cultural reasons.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (June 13 - 19)

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:15:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

Education Startups Unveiled at Kauffman Labs

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:00:00 -0500

Twenty-three entrepreneurs spent four months immersed in an intensive, hands-on program designed to catalyze the creation of high-growth companies to generate thousands of jobs with dramatic economic benefits in the education sector. Selected from more than 1,000 applicants, these entrepreneurs and their sixteen business concepts represent some of the very best education startups today.

Rutgers Hosts Urban Entrepreneurship Summit

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:04:00 -0500

Rutgers University hosted the Urban Entrepreneurship Summit on its Newark, New Jersey campus today to focus on initiatives to boost job growth in America's cities.

Double-Dip, Anyone?

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:55:00 -0500

The new employment statistics are out from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and it doesn't look any better than the previous months. Looking at the bottom line, unemployment remained "essentially unchanged" for the month of May at 9.1 percent (13.9 million people). During that period, the economy added 54,000 jobsódown considerably from the average of 220,000 jobs per month over the past several months.

Hold On There, Youngsters

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:44:00 -0500

A recent TechCrunch blog post by Adeo Ressi, the 39-year old founder of The Founder Institute, takes a poke at an earlier argument that entrepreneurs peak around the age of 25.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy June 2

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:33:00 -0500

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy: Members of the House are back in their home districts for a Constituent Work Week.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (June 6 - 12)

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:46:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

What a Difference a Statistic Can Make

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:50:00 -0500

Economic historians looking back at this period will be hard pressed to avoid commenting on the influence of at least one data point: from 1980–2005, firms less than five years old accounted for all net job growth in the United States. The notion that what policymakers should focus on is “young” firms not just “small” firms has awakened Democrats and Republicans alike and provided a new strategy for all Americans seeking to create jobs and restore what many Americans perceive as lost US economic competitiveness.

Bright Idea from MIT Team Impresses Energy Secretary

Mon, 23 May 2011 20:54:00 -0500

Not every college student gets to pitch their business idea to the U.S. Energy Secretary. Then again, not every college student is developing optics for next-generation LED lighting.

VC Continues Slow Improvement

Mon, 23 May 2011 19:46:00 -0500

For the first time since recession hit in 2008, venture capital performance broadly improved over last quarter according to a study by Cambridge Associates for the National Venture Capital Association.

About Taxes and Entrepreneurship

Mon, 23 May 2011 17:14:00 -0500

America’s fiscal health remains currently at the heart of most economic policy chatter. We are living in tight fiscal times. Congress has been focusing on reaching agreements on reducing spending and budget battles are expected to wage on throughout much of this year. Since balancing the budget is inseparable from tax policy, we take a quick look this week at how taxes shape incentives for entrepreneurs.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (May 17 - 23)

Mon, 23 May 2011 17:07:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: CMU Debuts Entrepreneurship Fund for Alumni (Pittsburgh Business Times)...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy May 23

Mon, 23 May 2011 16:57:00 -0500

The House is back in session with a full slate of hearings throughout the week. And while there is little going on in the Senate, the Joint Economic Committee will discuss “Driving Innovation and Job Growth through the Life Sciences Industry.”

Huckabee and Trump Aren’t Running. So What Does that Mean for the Presidential Race?

Fri, 20 May 2011 14:36:00 -0500

In the last few days, two big names have announced they aren’t going to run for President. So what bearing does that have on the race for the White House in 2012? Here are five ways these non-announcements will have an impact on the race.

Regional Innovation Acceleration Network to Push Tech-Based Startups

Mon, 16 May 2011 18:03:00 -0500

The Economic Development Administration recently launched its new Regional Innovation Acceleration Network (RIAN), a virtual community of organizations to support technology-based startups.

APEC Needs to Recommit to Startups by November

Mon, 16 May 2011 17:49:00 -0500

This week, I was invited to join the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministerial in Big Sky, Montana. This regional bloc meeting remains one of the most important venues for discussing global economic policy. It is also one that has paid attention to the role of entrepreneurs in achieving its goals of trade and cooperation for growth.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (May 10 - 16)

Mon, 16 May 2011 17:40:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Google, Kansas City and the Nation's Gigabit Economic Policy (GigaOM)...

Kauffman Accepting Proposals for 2012 Dissertation Fellowship Program

Mon, 16 May 2011 17:36:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced today that it will award up to 15 Dissertation Fellowship grants of $20,000 each to Ph.D., D.B.A. or other doctoral students for the support of dissertations in the area of entrepreneurship. The competitive program is open to students seeking doctoral degrees from accredited U.S. institutions of higher education.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy May 16

Mon, 16 May 2011 17:29:00 -0500

Members of the House are back in their districts for the week. Meanwhile, a handful of hearings is lined up in the Senate, including a progress report on the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

Kickstarting Startups in Qatar

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:45:00 -0500

One hundred years of banked future hydrocarbon revenues, massive investments in higher education and a common legal framework based on western law all offer this small nation—the size of Connecticut—tremendous potential to be a hub for startups in the GCC. I find it curious therefore that at Qatar’s famous “Doha Forum” I participated in today, entrepreneurship and startups were not on the agenda.

US Veterans Turn to Entrepreneurship

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:39:00 -0500

A new study by the SBA Office of Advocacy shows that veterans are at least 45 percent more likely to be self-employed than civilians who have never served in the military. While self-employment doesn't necessarily equal entrepreneurship, it is certainly one available measuring stick.

Economics Bloggers See Rain Clouds Ahead

Mon, 09 May 2011 17:08:00 -0500

Each quarter, the country’s top economics bloggers share their opinions on the U.S. economy – and the most recent results aren’t favorable. After a somewhat sunnier outlook earlier this year, the dark clouds are rolling in on the horizon. According to the second quarter Kauffman Economic Outlook, 85 percent of respondents view current economic conditions as “mixed” or “facing recession,” an increase of 8 percent from first quarter.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy May 09

Mon, 09 May 2011 17:02:00 -0500

Legislation to reauthorize and modernize the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs gets marked up in a committee hearing on the House side while mobile phones come under review in the Senate.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (May 03 - 09)

Mon, 09 May 2011 11:29:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Primer on Funding Trends for Early-Stage Startups (Forbes)...

Baton Rouge Entrepreneur Wins Ticket to 'Big Omaha'

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Baton Rouge entrepreneur Wendy Overton is packing her bags for Nebraska after winning a ticket to Big Omaha, the sold-out conference on innovation and entrepreneurship to be held May 11 - 13, 2011.

Low Costs & Optimism Lure Immigrant Entrepreneurs Back to India, China

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

As the immigration debate continues without much hope of resolution in the near future, high-skilled immigrant entrepreneurs from India and China are turning away from the US and heading home. Leaving the US by the tens of thousands each year, they are drawn back by better economic and professional opportunities, according to a new Kauffman Foundation study highlighted in a BusinessWeek article by researcher and author Vivek Wadhwa

Stirring Up the Startup World

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Startup Weekend has helped educate more than 30,000 entrepreneurs at some 475 events worldwide, facilitating the launch of more than 650 new startup ventures around the globe. With events in more than 124 cities and thirty-plus countries, Startup Weekend is a featured event during Global Entrepreneurship Week, a Kauffman Foundation initiative that annually introduces millions of young people around the world to entrepreneurship.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Apr. 26 - May 02)

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Why Economic Growth Is Getting Harder -- And What To Do About It (Huffington Post)...

Entrepreneurship on Campus

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy May 02

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

As major media outlets continue to show wall-to-wall coverage of the death of Osama bin Laden, Congress carries on with a relatively light collection of hearings that are of interest to followers of the entrepreneurial economy.

This is not the American Dream

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Americans are more dependent on the federal government than ever before. According to USA Today, 18.3 percent of the nation’s total personal income was a payment from the government for Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, unemployment benefits and other programs in 2010. Much of this increase has come since 2008, mainly due to the expansion of healthcare and federal programs generally. Americans got an average of $7,427 in benefits last year, up from $4,763 in 2000. USA Today even breaks the data out by state, with New York leading the list.

Economic Growth Hinges on 'Frontier Economics'

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Was the era of free markets brought down by the global financial crisis that rocked economic stability in 2008 and beyond? No.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Apr. 12 -18)

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Recalibrating the Innovation Metrics System (Innovation Management)...

Every Day is Earth Day for Small Business

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Last year in April, we re-published a blog post from Tom Sullivan about how small business treat every day as Earth Day. Sullivan, who runs the Small Business Coalition for Regulatory Relief and previously served as Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration, revisits the topic again this week in his SBCRR blog:

Lessons from Israel

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Israel is one of the most innovative nations on earth. Israelis (approximately 7.6 million in number) are well-educated, have a global outlook, ties around the world, and most importantly, a positive view of entrepreneurship. Most Israeli entrepreneurs understand ways of moving innovations into the marketplace and how to establish themselves as global companies from the get go. It is only natural that there is so much interest around the world in Israel’s entrepreneurship path.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Apr. 18

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Two quiet weeks lie ahead on Capitol Hill as members of Congress are mostly back in their states / districts for Spring Recess from April 18 – 29.

Young Firms Struggling in a Post-Recession Economy

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The latest Kauffman Firm Survey is out and paints a gloomy picture of 2009 as it related to new firms – tighter restrictions on capital, slow sales, and increasing problems with customer payments.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Apr. 05 - 11)

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Startup Incubators Multiplying Like "Mosquitoes" (Reuters)...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Apr. 11

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

A look at upcoming Congressional committee hearings on Capitol Hill, including a few on taxes and job growth.

Venezuela’s New Passion for Startups

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Despite political moves that have been making foreign businesses and investors in Venezuela nervous in the past few years, entrepreneurship has managed to survive. For many Venezuelans, entrepreneurship is a way of facing the prolonged political and economic troubles in many sectors of the economy, as the Washington Post article “With Chávez, Some Venezuelan Entrepreneurs See Opportunity” explained when the President won re-election.

The Most Important Global Company You Have Never Heard Of

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

They are larger than amazon and have more users than ebay. Yet, most Americans have never heard of them. But this company’s implications for the global economy and the increase of human welfare to the world’s poor hold vast potential.

Chinas Spotlight on the Global Entrepreneurship Renaissance

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

It is an important week for entrepreneurship around the world, especially here in China where we recently wrapped up the Kauffman Foundation-led Global Entrepreneurship Congress, bringing together impressive leaders in the field from over 100 nations. In addition to launching and recognizing more than 100 national campaigns to promote entrepreneurship through this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week (scheduled for November 14-20), we have witnessed this week entrepreneurship as a burgeoning phenomenon from Chile to China.

Correcting the 1099 Mistake

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The Senate is expected to vote on April 5 on a 1099 fix resulting from passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-148). Specifically, Section 9006 would require all small businesses that purchase more than $600 in goods or services from a supplier to issue a form 1099 for tax purposes to that supplier.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Mar. 29 - Apr. 4)

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: The Changing Picture of Entrepreneurship (Bloomberg Business Week)...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Apr. 4

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

SBA programs get an examination during a Senate hearing, while several hearings are on tap on the House side, including the second in a series for the House Committee on Small Business regarding reauthorization of SBIR and STTR.

Reducing Regulatory Burdens

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500

One of the hot topics in Washington – at least among business interest groups – is the issue of regulation, or as many of them would suggest regulatory overreach. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for instance, has made this one of their top concerns this year...

Cyber Security and Threats to Business

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Earlier this year, Senate Democrats introduced the “Cyber Security and American Cyber Competitiveness Act of 2011”. This bill, which was introduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) with a number of cosponsors, is needed, according to its authors, because of emerging threats to businesses and national security.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Mar. 22-28)

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Business Clusters 'Irrelevant' for Innovation, Study Finds (The Globe & Mail)...

Education as a Driver of Growth

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

With unemployment rates near nine percent, politicians of both parties continue to discuss ways to spur economic growth and job creation. Lost in much of this debate is the role of education. Indeed, some economists have suggested that structural (as well as cyclical) issues are preventing the unemployment rate from falling.

Making the R&D Tax Credit Permanent

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

When making long-term investments, either on physical capital or for research and development, businesses need certainty from Washington. When President Obama signed the “Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010” (H.R. 4853) on December 17, 2010, among its many provisions, he reauthorized the Research & Experimentation Tax Credit, which is more commonly known as the R&D tax credit.

SBA Budget Under Fire

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Last week, Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), the Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, made headlines when he proposed nearly $100 million in cuts to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s FY 2012 budget.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Mar. 15-21)

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Top 10 University Tech Transfer Events of 2010 (Blogging Innovation)...

America Invests Act of 2011

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

I recently wrote about the tremendous backlog of patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). Indeed, with a backlog of over 700,000 patent applications, investors have become frustrated with long processing times. Yet, as I was writing about the PTO budget, the U.S. Senate was considering a major reform of the patenting process.

China Takes Center Stage in the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

We are a week away from another historic global entrepreneurship event - this time in Shanghai, China, for the annual gathering of global leaders in the entrepreneurial movement led by the Kauffman Foundation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Mar. 21

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are out of town for a State / District Work Period. However, a few field hearings are scheduled on the House side dealing with energy & education and how they relate to job growth.

Forum on Job Creation

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

On March 16, the House Republican leadership hosted a forum on job creation with business leaders from across the country discussing the obstacles to growing their companies. Majority Leader Eric Cantor said, “We believe that you need to listen to those who are willing to take a risk and bet on America.” He added that we should ensure that we best position our country for entrepreneurship. Speaker of the House John Boehner said that many Americans continue to ask, “Where are the jobs?”

Startup Visa Act of 2011

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

America needs more startups, especially those which might someday grow into high-impact, high-growth firms. Despite adding over one million net new jobs in 2010, the U.S. has over 7 million fewer nonfarm payroll employees today than at the end of 2007 when the recession began. Research from the Kauffman Foundation and others support this notion, with startups accounting for most of the net new jobs in the economy and adding new vitality to the marketplace.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Mar. 08-15)

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Why Silicon Valley Immigrant Entrepreneurs Are Returning Home (TechCrunch)...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Mar. 15

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

A few hearings in the Senate focused on federal R&D and clean energy and jobs are in store for the remainder of the week, while the House looks at the SBA budget, SBIR and other issues.

New Leadership in Italy

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

While entrepreneurs can be found anywhere, I take particular interest in what the most populous countries are doing to comb their citizens for entrepreneurs. Italy is the sixth most populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the world. It also has the world's seventh-largest nominal GDP. Unfortunately, it also has the sixth highest government budget and a large public deficit, such that the economic confidence crisis in the Euro zone that sparked in Greece put a spotlight on Italy´s economy, which faces similar insolvency risk. With Italy´s public debt around 120 percent of GDP and growing, policy options are increasingly constrained. Fortunately, spurring entrepreneurship is not necessarily expensive (although it does take political commitment) and is a proven source of economic energy.

Goal of Doubling U.S. Exports

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the U.S. trade balance widened somewhat in January, with the country importing $46.3 billion more than it exported. While exports of goods and services continue to rise, import growth is outstripping it right now. Ideally, we would like to have our net exports expand...

SBIR/STTR Reauthorization

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

On March 9, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee reviewed the “SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011” (S.493). It would reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for the next eight years.

Goolsbee at NABE

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Austan Goolsbee, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, addressed the members of the NABE at their annual policy conference in Arlington, Virginia discussed the dramatic steps taken by policymakers to tackle the economic crisis.

The Gift of Arab Youth

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

We do not have to puzzle long over what ignited the Arab Youth to take over the streets calling for reforms in their governments. The protests have been against long tyrannies, unemployment and have been fueled by the power of social media. The act that triggered the pro-democracy movement in many Arab countries, the self-immolation of a Tunisian in protest over the confiscation of his fruit stand, shows that the events of late are also an uprising against anti-entrepreneurial barriers. Clearly, protesters have issued a call to Arab leaders to not stifle the innovative aspirations of their people--especially the younger generation--which leaders themselves have armed through education and who are now impatient to put their education to good use.

U.S. Startup Activity Remains Steady

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

During the Great Recession, more Americans have become entrepreneurs than at any time in the past 15 years. However, while the economy and its high unemployment rates may have pressed more individuals into business ownership, most of them are going it alone, rather than starting companies that employ others...

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Mar. 01 -07)

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: State Governments: The Latest Venture Capitalists (Governing)...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Mar. 7

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A heavier schedule for the House than the Senate in the week ahead, including hearings on immigration & jobs, the rising cost of employer-based health care, and the tax system’s impact on job creation.

Thoughts on Bernanke's Testimony

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:57:00 -0600

This week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered his semiannual monetary update to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the House Committee on Financial Services. The prospect of higher commodity prices has the potential of squeezing business owners’ profitability at a most inopportune time – when otherwise the economy itself is starting to get some traction.

Patents and Innovative Entrepreneurship

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Innovation is the lifeblood for many entrepreneurial ventures. As William Baumol has written, innovative inventors help to push our economies forward in “revolutionary” ways, helping us to stay competitive and bring new ideas to the marketplace.

Want to Grow Your Company? Export

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

I was shocked to learn that only 1 percent of American companies export their products. More shocking still, of those companies that export, 58 percent of those companies export to only one country.

The Federal Budget Debate: To Shut Down Or Not To Shut Down

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:08:00 -0600

When you talk to anyone in government this week, one word is on everyone’s mind: “shutdown.” The federal government is already setting up contingency plans on what it will do if the Congress cannot agree on a new continuing resolution by March 4.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Feb. 22-28)

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Arizona Competitiveness Package (Arizona Technology Council)...

EDA Grantees in Ohio Recognized

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Two northeast Ohio economic development organizations were singled out last week by President Obama and members of his Cabinet--including Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills--during a recent forum in Cleveland.

'Great Potential' for Afghanistan Entrepreneurship

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A new report on expeditionary economics from the Kauffman Foundation touts the 'unrecognized and untapped economic potential' in Afghanistan's private sector. "Bactrian Gold: Challenges and Hope for Private-Sector Development in Afghanistan," is the second paper in a series reconsidering the United States' approach to economic development in areas affected by conflict and natural disasters.

Ireland’s Second Miracle

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

In 2009, the Irish economy underwent one of the deepest recessions in the EU, with its economy shrinking by as much as 10%. Late in 2010, Ireland received an €85bn financial rescue package. Clearly, the winner of Ireland´s general elections held on Sunday (according to polls so far Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny) will have a lot on his shoulders. However, if the past is any indication, Ireland has the potential to resurge economically.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Feb. 28

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A number of hearings are scheduled for the week ahead in both houses of Congress, including testimony by Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Energy Chu and Secretary of Treasury Geithner.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Feb. 15 - 21)

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Why US Productivity Can Grow Without Killing Jobs (McKinsey Quarterly)...

Economics Bloggers See Mixed Bag

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

When a collection of leading economics bloggers were asked to openly assess the overall condition of the economy, the one word that appeared more than any other was ‘uncertain.’ Not surprisingly, two-thirds selected ‘mixed’ when asked in a follow up if the economy was strong, weak or somewhere in between.

Grassroots Shake Up of the Entrepreneurship Education Community

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

This past Friday I was surrounded by entrepreneurship education leaders from all sectors the Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit, a gathering held at the University of Central Florida where actors of our entrepreneurship ecosystem met alongside established entrepreneurship educators to discuss current trends and ideas to nourish the entrepreneurship mindset.

Simplifying Access to Seed Accelerators

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

With new funding from the Kauffman Foundation, to the tune of $200,000, TechStars is building a unified application processing and tracking system that will make it easier for entrepreneurs to gain access to seed accelerators. While these programs typically offer only small amounts of money, they make up for it with invaluable advice and counsel from a network of entrepreneurs, investors and other experts.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Feb. 21)

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Following two heavy weeks of hearings on both sides of Capitol Hill, Congress is back in their states / districts for the Presidents’ Day Work Period.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Feb. 08 - 14)

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: 10 Up-and-Coming Startup Hubs from Around the World (Grasshopper Group)...

China’s Chance

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

I report in today from Shanghai where preparations are underway for a major global summit on entrepreneurship at the end of March. The recent events in Egypt have put a spotlight on the role of a younger, well-educated generation of entrepreneurs peacefully channeling expressions of economic freedom. China has been miles ahead in reconciling a strong government with messy entrepreneurialism and offers some useful lessons for Arab nations as they grapple with enabling, rather than blocking, their citizens under the age of 25.

Obama Unveils FY 2012 Budget

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The White House sent President Obama's proposed budget for FY 2012 to Congress earlier today--weighing in at $3.7 trillion. With Republicans looking to poke holes in the plan, Jack Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, will appear at several congressional hearings throughout the week to defend it. In advance of those hearings, Lew appeared on the White House website with a quick overview of what the budget hopes to accomplish.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Feb. 14)

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The steady stream of congressional hearings continues, featuring a review of President Obama’s proposed FY 2012 budget by a number of committees, including the Budget Committees on both sides of the Capitol.

FastTrac Leading to Start-ups and Job Creation Across the Nation

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Kauffman FastTrac programs in New York and Michigan are leading to new business starts – and the jobs that come along with them. Following an intense entrepreneurial education program initiated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in March 2009, 1,000 NYC entrepreneurs have graduated the program. According to SUNY’s Levin Institute, those graduates have created 300 new jobs.

EU Leaders Facing ‘Innovation Emergency’

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

On the heels of an innovation scorecard that showed the EU is losing ground on the US and Japan – while Brazil and China close the gap – EU leaders used the Council of the European Union Summit to issue a call for stronger innovation and research. Facing an ‘innovation emergency,’ summit participants agreed on the need for: cooperation on large-scale research projects; less troublesome funding formalities; and, new sources of venture capital for innovative start-up enterprises.

In Pursuit of Growth: Where Next?

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

In his 2011 State of the Union Address a couple of weeks ago, President Obama talked about the importance of innovation to create the jobs and industries of the future. A few days later, the White House released a new innovation strategy as part of the President’s plan to “win” that future. This strategy said: “America’s future economic growth and international competitiveness depend on our capacity to innovate. We can create the jobs and industries of the future by doing what America does best – investing in the creativity and imagination of our people. To win the future, we must out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world.” A few days later the White House, in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation and Case Foundation, launched a Startup America initiative aimed at doing just this.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Feb. 08)

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A slew of hearings in the House are scheduled for this week, with action in the following committees: Budget; Education & the Workforce; Financial Services; Judiciary; Oversight & Government Reform; Small Business; and, Ways & Means.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Jan. 31 - Feb. 07)

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Startup America: A Campaign to Celebrate, Inspire and Accelerate Entrepreneurship (TechCrunch)...

Roundtable on Entrepreneurship Education

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), United Arab Emirates, and the Stanford Technology Ventures Program at Stanford University will be hosting university entrepreneurship educators to the first-ever Roundtable on Entrepreneurship Education Middle East/North Africa (REE MENA), 7-9 March 2011, at the HCT Abu Dhabi Men's College Campus.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Jan. 25 - 31)

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: 2010 State Technology and Science Index: Enduring Lessons for the Intangible Economy (Milken Institute)...

StartUP America!

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

February promises to be a busy month in Washington for entrepreneurship policy. Next Tuesday February 8th will see Kauffman’s annual State of Entrepreneurship Address delivered by Carl Schramm followed by Capitol Hill briefings and a host of interesting activity on job creation. Today, I post from an event at the White House where President Obama has just announced a “StartUP America Partnership,” a new initiative aimed at fostering successful innovative, high growth businesses in the U.S. It marks a commitment of the current administration to a national entrepreneurship-based strategy to stimulate economic growth and the creation of quality jobs.

State of Entrepreneurship Address & The Rules for Growth

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Note: Next week, PDE-news will be distributed on Tuesday, February 8, following the Kauffman Foundation’s ‘State of Entrepreneurship Address.’ (see the post below for details)

Following President Obama's increased focus on regulatory reform and his call for innovation and entrepreneurship in his recent State of the Union address, the Kauffman Foundation will present its second annual State of Entrepreneurship Address on February 8, 2011, to shed light on how changes to specific laws and regulations can accelerate economic growth without adding to the deficit.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Jan. 31)

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Members of Congress are back home for a State Work Period / Constituent Work Week.

What the President Should Say Tomorrow

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:54:00 -0600

Dear Mr. President, the nation's entrepreneurs are counting on you tomorrow night. Want to use your State of the Union speech to lay out a plan for real economic growth? Here's what you should say.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Jan. 18-24)

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: How 'Super Angel' Investors are Reinventing the Startup Economy (Fast Company)...

Colombia’s “Bulletproof” Entrepreneurs

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Colombia is the fifth-largest economy in Latin America in terms of GDP. The country boasts one of the best coffees in the world, rich natural resources, abundant gold and emerald production, and a relatively educated populace. And despite its international reputation for drug cartels and violence, the latest Doing Business 2011 ranking suggests things could be improving. Colombia is ranked number 39 among 183 countries in terms of the ease of doing business.

Kauffman Labs Tabs 25 Aspiring Founders in Education Market

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation announced the selection of its inaugural class of the Education Ventures Program, which will immerse 25 aspiring entrepreneurs in an intensive, hands-on program designed to catalyze the creation of high-growth companies in the education sector. The selected entrepreneurs will go through four months of comprehensive, individualized training and education in preparing to bring their ideas to market, including how to: validate their market; perform effective customer development; understand funding options; build a team; develop sales and presentation skills; and, plan for scale.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Jan. 24)

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A number of hearings are scheduled for the week ahead in both houses of Congress, including one for the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship that examines efforts to encourage entrepreneurship in disadvantaged, rural and traditionally under-served areas.

VC Funds Continue to Dry Up

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:12:00 -0600

According to a report earlier this week by the National Venture Capital Association, 2010 saw venture capital fundraising drop for the fourth consecutive year. During that time, the number of funds has shrunk from 235 to 157 while funds raised have dropped more than 61% (from $31.9 billion to $12.3 billion).

Small Business Owners Stubbornly Cautious

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

One index that PDE has tracked over the years is the Small Business Optimism Index put out by the National Federation of Independent Business. For the last few years, there hasn't been much reason for celebration -- and that trend continues with the latest Index showing a further dip of 0.6 points in December.

Tunisia’s Tipping Point

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Last Friday, as I was meeting in my office in Washington, DC with Nazeh Ben Ammar, President of the Tunisian American Chamber of Commerce, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, now the former president of Tunisia, was fleeing his country. As my guest awaited word on when the airport would re-open and Lufthansa would be permitted to return him home to his family in Tunis, we talked about his country, entrepreneurship and a new generation of youth in the Arab region.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Jan. 10 - 16)

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week:

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The recently convened 112th Congress slowly rolls into action while Washington continues to deal with the aftershocks of the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Jan. 04-10

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: New Gold: Mining for Entrepreneurs (The Economist)...

America COMPETES Signed by President

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Last week, President Obama signed the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010—continuing efforts to improve US economic competitiveness by supporting basic research and improving STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education to better prepare the future workforce.

Entrepreneurship in 2011

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Given the momentum gained in 2010 to get policymakers thinking about entrepreneurship, it is reasonable to expect that America’s commitment to entrepreneurship will grow, especially once we see that commitment translated into concrete policy action. Of course, the hope is that those policy actions will be the right ones—inspiring confidence, building up decision-making around risk-taking and investing, spurring new enterprises built on innovative products and services, and along with it, job creation. With that sense of optimism, comes the vision of a global economy finally starting to shake free from a global crisis.

Kauffman Awards Dissertation Fellowships

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Fifteen doctoral students across the country were recently awarded fellowships to support their dissertation research in the area of entrepreneurship. The Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program annually recognizes...

NYU Researcher Gets Kauffman Prize Medal for Distinguished Research

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Alexander Ljungqvist, Ph.D., won the 2011 Ewing Marion Kauffman Prize Medal for Distinguished Research in Entrepreneurship. The Ira Rennert Chair of Finance and Entrepreneurship at New York University, Ljungqvist is an expert in entrepreneurial finance, venture capital and private equity. His research includes financial intermediation, investment banking, initial public offerings, behavioral corporate finance and corporate governance.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Jan. 10)

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

The 112th Congress officially convened in Washington last week. As the Republicans rise to majority status in the House, they assume control of Congressional committee chairmanships relevant to innovation and entrepreneurship policy, including:

A Look Back at Entrepreneurship in 2010

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Since the economic crisis broke out, entrepreneurship has attracted increased attention as a key path to economic recovery. I was happy to see that entrepreneurs have been set apart from some of the negative perceptions of big business and the blame being placed on large financial institutions for the economic meltdown. The question is whether such recognition of entrepreneurs as an engine for growth and innovation translated into concrete pro-entrepreneurship policies.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Dec. 28 - Jan. 03

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Top 10 Signals of Positive Momentum for Entrepreneurs in 2010 (JumpStart)...

New Businesses, Not Small Businesses

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

According to a new paper by Ying Lowrey, an economist with the Small Business Administration, new businesses—not small businesses—are the most critical driver of new jobs. Using data from the Kauffman Firm Survey and other sources, Lowrey estimates that on average, each new startup is responsible for 5.6 jobs created and that:

Tax Credits Encourage Angel Investment

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

A recent story from the Angel Capital Education Foundation shows that more than twenty states currently have tax credits for early stage investment—ranging from 10 to more than 50 percent. As venture capital dollars continue to be elusive, groups of angel investors have stepped forward to begin pooling resources and working to make their states more attractive to startups and to other angels.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Jan. 03)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Congress is back in session on Wednesday, January 5, with a new Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Dec. 14-20

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: How Many Billionaires Does It Take to Push Economic Recovery? (Entrepreneurship.org)...

Impact of Tax Bill on Entrepreneurship? Talk to Chuck

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

After a lot of speculation that the House would fight the tax bill hammered out by the Senate and White House, it passed last week and was signed by President Obama. The $858 billion bill extends Bush-era tax cuts for all taxpayers, as well as 13 months of extended benefits to the unemployed and a 2% reduction of the Social Security payroll tax. It also continues the 15 percent top rate for capital gains and dividends through 2012 and enables businesses to write off 100 percent of capital purchases in 2011 and 50 percent in 2012.

Roundtables on Entrepreneurship Education Continue

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Looking ahead to 2011, the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) at Stanford University continues its series of Roundtables on Entrepreneurship Education (REE) for universities worldwide. The 2011 roundtables mark the tenth year for the program -- and its first appearance in the Middle East, hosted by the Higher Colleges for Technology in the United Arab Emirates.

Spurring Indigenous Entrepreneurial Growth in Pakistan

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

As the Defense Department’s public review last Thursday of its war strategy in Afghanistan points to a slow troop withdrawal in 2011, efforts to better understand how to spur growth after such conflicts are speeding into top gear. A new cadre of economists, military leaders and other specialists are writing a long-needed canon to guide how to re-build economies during their transition from war to peace using indigenous entrepreneurship. Expeditionary Economics (ExpECON), as the field is now known, is informing large questions of national security strategy, positioning economic growth as a more important component of the formula for strategic success. While I defer to these experts in assessing the entrepreneurial health of current war-torn economies, I thought it timely to take a look at some of the neighbors engaged in their conflicts.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Dec. 20)

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

There are no relevant Congressional hearings or meetings currently scheduled for the week ahead in Washington.

So How Did They Do?

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Last spring I profiled several entrepreneurs who were running for office. So now that the midterm elections are behind us and all the races have been decided, how did our entrepreneurs do?

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Dec. 07-13

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: The 10 States Where Income and Quality of Life are Soaring (Business Insider)...

A Tax Code for Job Creators and Growth

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Today and tomorrow the Senate will vote on President Obama’s announced deal to extend for two years all of the tax cuts, both those from the Bush years and those for low-income workers from last year’s stimulus package. Under this proposal, recently expired benefits for the long-term unemployed would also be extended for another 13 months. In addition, the agreement would cut payroll taxes for one-year. What does all this mean for entrepreneurs?

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Dec. 13)

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

There are no relevant Congressional hearings or meetings scheduled for the week ahead in Washington.

Graves to Chair House Small Business Committee

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO), who had served as the ranking minority member of the House Small Business Committee, will assume the chairmanship when Republicans formally take control of the House in January. Graves released the following statement after being selected by his colleagues:

How Many Billionaires Does It Take to Push Economic Recovery?

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

How many new billion dollar firms would it take to permanently increase the U.S. GDP by one percentage point? A new Kauffman Foundation study estimates the answer is most likely between 30 and 60. According to Inventive Billion Dollar Firms: A Faster Way to Grow?, the collective impact from high-growth firms that are able to realize $1 billion in revenue could significantly accelerate the U.S. economic recovery, and over time increase income and wealth of the average American household.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Nov. 28 - Dec. 06

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Hottest Spots for the Entrepreneurial, Innovation Economy (Entrepreneur.com)...

Bringing Safer, More Effective Drugs to Market

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Leaders in the medical innovation field have outlined how government, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions can define new models of working with the private sector to enhance drug development efforts and bring safer, more effective drugs to the market more efficiently. The New Role of Academia in Drug Discovery and Development: New Thinking, New Competencies, New Results reflects key recommendations ...

Entrepreneurship Talk and Action in the Maghreb

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

I have just returned from a brief last minute visit to Algiers where I spoke at a conference focused on the Maghreb countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. The objectives of the Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference, a follow-on to President Obama’s Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship held in April 2010 in Washington, DC was to discuss strategies to promote job creation through entrepreneurship.

Kauffman Labs to Illuminate Breakthrough Ideas from Female Scientists and Engineers

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation is looking for women scientists and engineers in the United States who have ideas that could change the world. To tap a growing pool of these highly educated women who have the potential to start scalable science- and engineering-related ventures, Kauffman Labs today launched its first Women in Science and Engineering Business Idea Competition, inviting them to share their visionary ideas for the chance to win ...

Swelling the Ranks of Entrepreneurs on Capitol Hill

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

A recent piece on the ‘You’re the Boss’ blog on NYTimes.com profiles the 33 small business owners and entrepreneurs who will serve in the 112th Congress. The number is an increase over the 111th Congress – which either had 11 (if you count Robb Mandelbaum’s NYT numbers) or 24 (if you listen to Raymund Flandez of the Wall Street Journal, who included investors in his count). The number would reach even higher if...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Dec. 06)

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

A couple of meetings and hearings are scheduled in the Senate for the week ahead in Washington, DC, including:

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Nov. 23-29

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation -- courtesy of Innovation America. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Build Your Own Silicon Valley? (Campus Entrepreneurship)...

Expeditionary Economics: A New Approach to Post-Conflict Development

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Earlier in November, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released the inaugural paper in its Expeditionary Economics Research Series, setting a research agenda to reconsider the United States' approach to military and civilian development in areas stricken by conflict and natural disasters.

On the Road to Clean Energy

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

To become a global competitor in the burgeoning clean energy industry, the United States must reform policies and practices all along the innovation pipeline, from research and development to deployment and adoption. That’s according to a report the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released recently at the Global Cleantech Open Ideas Competition, which was held as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Nov. 29)

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Congress has returned from the Thanksgiving week recess with several meetings and hearings scheduled.

Uruguay’s Entrepreneurship Fast-tracking

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

On my recent trip to South America during Global Entrepreneurship Week, I cast a mournful eye over Uruguay where, were it not for problems with flight schedules I had hoped to visit. Uruguay, the South American nation nestled between Brazil and Argentina, is trying to take the fast track toward becoming a startup economy.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Nov. 16-22)

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: The Future of Indian Technology (Tech Crunch)...

Global Entrepreneurship Week Sunsets with Renewed Hunger for Growth

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

I am happy to report that in its third year, Global Entrepreneurship Week grew by leaps and bounds. As more countries take advantage of this global movement, more minds are pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams. GEW has not just inspired students looking for a way to reach their goals, but the leaders of nations who were inspired in their efforts to boost growth by the sheer energy of the millions of participants in GEW activities during the past two weeks. In case you haven’t been following, here are a couple of anecdotes from this year’s Week, and the reaction it produced among some of the world’s leaders.

President Obama Proclaims National Entrepreneurs' Day

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

President Barack Obama and his Administration have sent a strong signal in support of the entrepreneurs who power the national economy. Last week, the president proclaimed Friday, November 19th as National Entrepreneurs' Day in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week, founded and sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy Nov. 22

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

No relevant hearings are scheduled while Congress observes the Thanksgiving recess.

Top States in 'New Economy' Identified in New Study

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey are the top five states at the forefront of the nation’s movement toward a global, innovation-based new economy, according to The 2010 State New Economy Index, released last week by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

Young Still Want to Be Entrepreneurs

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Despite a difficult economic climate, many young Americans are still interested in entrepreneurial pursuits. A Harris Interactive® online poll, conducted on behalf of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, released in conjunction with the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week, reveals that 40 percent of youth ages eight to 24 would like to start a business at some future point, or already have done so. Additionally, young people are overwhelmingly optimistic about the possibility of owning their own business. Seventy-five percent of the eight- to 12-year-olds, 62 percent of the 13- to 17-year-olds and 62 percent of the 18- to 24-year-olds agree that they can successfully start their own businesses if they work hard.

2010 State New Economy Index To Be Released

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

For the past couple of years, the Kauffman Foundation’s Bob Litan has teamed up with Rob Atkinson of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation in releasing the State New Economy Index during Global Entrepreneurship Week. The trend continues this year at the ITIF offices on Thursday.

Many jobs lost in the recession are never coming back and job creation is expected to be sluggish for years. This has created an imperative to develop new jobs, business models and industries. The states are on the front line of this effort and it is more important than ever for them to embrace innovation and the New Economy...

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Nov. 09-15

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Global Entrepreneurship Week Kicks off Around the World and Portugal’s New Age of Discovery

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Throughout this week, when another 80 countries launch Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), there will be a significant number of events organized by GEW partners at universities, schools, companies, professional associations, technological centers and municipalities. Like last week’s events in Muslim countries, the activities will be diversified, ranging from thematic conferences to networking with investors and entrepreneurs, presentation of business plans, recreational events, sport events, cultural events, etc. There will be something for everyone and I encourage all to take advantage of these opportunities.

President Obama Visits Indonesia On Eve of Schramm Launch of GEW 2010

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

“In business, the only certain thing is failure. Especially when you operate in a place like Indonesia,” Sandiaga Uno said earlier this year during his visit to the U.S. for President Obama’s Summit on Entrepreneurship. After being laid off during the financial crisis in Asia in the late 90s, Uno decided to try entrepreneurship to pay off credit card debt and put food on his family’s table. He is now the renowned co-founder of Saratoga Capital, the first private equity firm in Indonesia focusing on natural resources that grew from four workers to about 15,000 employees.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Nov. 15)

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Congress will be in session this week – returning to the 18th lame duck session since 1935 – then will go back into recess for Thanksgiving week. In the meantime, several hearings in the House and Senate (below) may be of interest.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily Nov. 02-08

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Angels’ Decreased Appetite for Seed and Start-up Investing

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Historically, angels have been the most significant source of seed and start-up capital for entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, angels seems to have a much more cautious approach to investing lately. Angels’ seed and start-up stage investing declined to its lowest level in several years, according to the Angel Market Analysis for the first and second quarters of 2010 released by the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. This trend could impact new ventures and job creation.

Global Entrepreneurship Lights Up Across the Globe

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Since it was launched in 2008 by the Kauffman Foundation and Enterprise UK, more than 18,000 partner organizations joined the global movement to shape the next generation of entrepreneurs. In its still short life, GEW has established a solid and ongoing presence in more than 100 countries -- and counting. During the same time period, over 10 million people around the world have participated in GEW activities and 2010 promises to boost that total to tap even more human capital and breathe life into new startups.

While the majority of nations this year will start Global Entrepreneurship Week on November 15th, some countries are conducting their celebrations a week or more in advance due to an important Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, falling on November 16th.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Nov. 8)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

After an election night that predictably returned the Republicans to the majority in the House while Democrats hung on to a slim margin in the Senate, members will look to return to Washington for official business next week. Stay tuned for congressional hearings and other events related to innovation and entrepreneurship.

Why New Growth Companies Aren’t Going Public

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

New Report Outlines Causes of Market Distortions Choking Recovery and Preventing New Growth Companies from Going Public

Derivatives known as "ETFs" are the true culprits in artificially setting stock prices and posing threats to market stability

1,300+ U.S. Organizations Gearing Up for Global Entrepreneurship Week

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. is gearing up for the launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) on Nov. 15. More than 1,300 U.S. organizations in all 50 states are collaborating to celebrate entrepreneurship Nov. 15 – 21. These organizations include top universities, non-profit organizations, successful entrepreneurs, government agencies and corporate sponsors. The state of California is the most active with over 106 partner organizations, closely followed by Michigan (100 partners).

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Oct. 26- Nov. 1)

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

DC Plans for Global Entrepreneurship Week

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

This month, millions of people around the globe will participate in the world’s largest celebration of entrepreneurship. As thousands of events take place in more than 100 countries during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Washington, DC, is planning on making its mark through a number of policy events.

Denmark’s Active Investment in Entrepreneurship

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The following is a collaborative post by Jonathan Ortmans, president of the Public Forum Institute and a senior fellow at the Kauffman Foundation, and Anders Hoffman, Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy for Erhvervs- og Byggestyrelsen

Denmark is in many ways a paradoxical country. It has the world’s highest taxes and yet Danes are among the happiest people in the world according to the U.S. National Science Foundation. Denmark has generous social benefits, a large public sector and yet is quite innovative and entrepreneurial. The Global Competitiveness Report and the Index of Economic Freedom both rank Denmark 9th on their world lists, and the Legatum Prosperity Index ranks the country 6th in entrepreneurship and innovation. Denmark did not end in the top ten of these world lists by chance. What steps and policy initiatives made this possible?

Grants Reward Universities for Creative Approaches to Commercialization

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Three universities – Carnegie Mellon University, University of Missouri System and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – are this year’s "Kauffman Commercialization Leaders." This $100,000 grant award recognizes the universities’ creative approaches to help accelerate the process of bringing student and faculty innovations to market.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Nov. 1)

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are home campaigning for the upcoming elections.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Oct. 19-25)

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

A Silent G20 and the Need for Entrepreneurial Role Models in South Korea

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

I have just returned today from a short visit to South Korea where I addressed an international conference and met with various universities both in Seoul and Daejeon Valley – described to me by locals as Korea’s Silicon Valley.

Visitors arriving at Seoul’s acclaimed airport can only be impressed by its sophisticated application of technology into everyday lives. The train I rode from Seoul to Daejoen cruised at 300 Kilometers per hour, every taxi in Seoul was clean and paid for with a back seat touchpad card reader and the urban planning seemed super smart with local government being placed in beautiful floating structures on the river and national government being moved altogether out of Seoul.

Economics Bloggers Want to See Lower Barriers to Entrepreneurship

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Kauffman Foundation has been surveying the nation’s top economics bloggers each quarter. In this last quarter, they have once again conveyed a steadily deteriorating view of the U.S. economy in responses. Respondents’ outlook on the U.S. economy is even more pessimistic than in any previous quarterly survey in 2010, with 99 percent saying that conditions are mixed, facing recession or in recession.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Oct. 25)

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are home campaigning for the upcoming elections.

Video Highlights of the Translational Medicine Alliance Forum

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The 2010 Translational Medicine Alliance Forum, hosted by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Council for American Medical Innovation and Faster Cures, convened industry leaders to help facilitate a better understanding of effective models enabling and accelerating the progress of translating scientific research into patient treatment focusing on three key elements:

New Federal Tax Provision Accelerates Angel Investments

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Angel Capital Association (ACA) has alerted its members about the provision of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 that provides a 100 percent exemption for gains made in Qualified Small Business Stock. This benefit is for investments made between September 27 and December 31, 2010. “This provision encourages angels and entrepreneurs to speed up investments that are already in the pipeline,” said Marianne Hudson, ACA’s executive director. “The significance is that entrepreneurs will receive the funds they need to grow their businesses sooner. That means they can hire people which adds new jobs to the economy.”

A Bright Future for Entrepreneurs in China

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The China we knew as the enormous economy largely fueled by cheap labor and inexpensive manufacturing has changed. Though happening slowly compared to its potential, China is becoming one of the most innovative economies on the planet and the birthplace of entrepreneurs like Robin Li, CEO of Baidu, who are entrepreneurial rock stars at home and around the world. Entrepreneurial capitalism seems to be taking hold in China. How is entrepreneurship overcoming the roadblocks of a planned economy?

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Oct. 12-18)

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Action Plan for New Age of Health Care

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Last week I participated in an interesting gathering in Washington, DC of top medical and policy experts who issued a new health care manifesto that might be of interest to entrepreneurs in the space. Hosted by the Council for American Medical Innovation, FasterCures and the Kauffman Foundation, the 2010 Translational Medicine Alliance Forum (TMAF) brought together leaders from academia, government agencies, and pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and venture industries to discuss models to enable and accelerate the progress of translational medicine.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Oct. 18)

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are home campaigning for the upcoming elections.

New World Bank Data on New Business Creation

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

While the global financial crisis impacted almost all new entrepreneurs, it began in developed countries and hit their entrepreneurs harder. As a result, in richer countries, new business creation dropped sharply amid the crisis. In contrast, new business registrations in many low-income countries didn't change much. These are the findings in The 2010 World Bank Group Entrepreneurship Snapshots, which presents data collected about newly registered companies in 112 countries and was released recently.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Oct. 05-11)

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Message to the Incoming Class: It’s All About the Startups

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The past few months have brought a new series of reports dissecting the job creation phenomenon by new firms, timely at a time when so much of the economic discussion lately in the U.S. has focused on strategies to recover the roughly 8 million jobs lost during this past recession. We already knew that research has firmly established that new firms—those no more than five years old—over the past three decades have been responsible for virtually all of the net new jobs created in the U.S. economy (see 2009 reports “Jobs Created from Business Startups in the United States,” and “Where Will The Jobs Come From?”). As the nation debates this leading up to the mid-term elections in the United States, let’s further examine U.S. job growth and its relationship to startup companies.

Stabilizing State and Municipal Finances

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Shortfalls in state and local budgets affect entrepreneurs. As Robert Litan, vice president for research and policy at the Kauffman Foundation explained that "these budgets directly impact businesses and entrepreneurs. They can't plan for the future without knowing what their tax liabilities will be and what services will still be around for them and their employees." To address these concerns the Milken Institute and the Kauffman Foundation led a study of current state and municipal budget challenges, which includes an analysis of back-to-basics solutions.

The EU: The "Innovation Union"

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Last week, the European Commission proposed an innovation strategy that aims to improve conditions and access to finance for research and innovation in Europe, and to remove bottlenecks which stop ideas reaching the market. The “Innovation Union” is a key element of the Europe 2020 Strategy for a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Oct. 11)

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Both houses of Congress are home campaigning for the upcoming elections.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Sept. 27 - Oct. 04)

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Global Entrepreneurship Week Growing Closer

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In November, millions of people around the globe will participate in the world's largest celebration of entrepreneurship. Thousands of events in more than 100 countries will celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010 (GEW), Nov. 15-21. Now in its third year, the event will bring together aspiring and inspiring entrepreneurs, helping them embrace originality, imagination, and ingenuity through local, national, and global activities.

Measuring Entrepreneurship Around the World

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

I returned this weekend from the Aspen Institute’s annual meeting of development entrepreneurs in New York where fresh thinkers were hard at work looking for new approaches to impactful international economic development. USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah sought out the opportunity to present his new vision for his agency, and Carl Schramm, President of the Kauffman Foundation, challenged the traditional strategic and intellectual platform that has driven the tired policies of decades of Washington consensus thinking around how we stimulate global economic growth.

Startup Weekend: Coming Soon to a City Near You

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Startup Weekend, a nonprofit organization focused on educating entrepreneurs through community building, innovation and education, recently received a grant from the Kauffman Foundation to expand its efforts. The typical Startup Weekend event educates aspiring entrepreneurs and helps move them from idea to market all in the span of a 54-hour event over – you guessed it – a weekend.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0500

No relevant hearings are scheduled for this week.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (Sept. 27)

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:10:00 -0500

With everyone in Washington focused on the upcoming elections, last week and the one ahead have been busy as members eye an October return to their home states for some last-minute campaigning. Here is a look at some relevant hearings for the week ahead.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Sept. 21-27)

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Sept. 14-20)

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Advancing Innovation... To Patients

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Despite the growing sophistication and promise of healthcare technology research, fewer and fewer breakthrough ideas are finding their way out of research institutions and into the hands of experienced clinicians and medical product development teams. Patients suffer as a result because promising research and innovation is not being translated into new treatments. If that sounds identical to the problems surrounding the typical challenges in bringing innovation into the marketplace, it's because it should.

Bolivia: Advancing a Nascent Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Like many developing countries, Bolivia has a nascent, but promising entrepreneurial environment. The country has a good number of institutions that offer financial and technical services that network the country’s millions of micro-entrepreneurs. However, as readers of this blog are well aware, data has confirmed time and again that it is young firms that grow that provide the most benefits to society in terms of job and wealth creation and innovation. Thus, the challenge ahead for Bolivia is to enable more growth entrepreneurs.

By George, I Think You've Got... a Bailout?

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Long overdue assistance for America's small business owners? Or just another ill-conceived bailout?

In Washington, the answer to that question depends on which side of the aisle you sit. Outside Washington, it likely depends on whether or not your business sees a slice of a $30 billion fund intended to ease credit and stimulate lending to small businesses.

Supporting Women & High-Growth Entrepreneurship

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

While data show that women start more than 50 percent of all businesses, their participation in high-growth startups remains extremely low. In an effort to change this, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has announced a $500,000 grant to Astia, a premier business accelerator that works with women-led startups. The grant represents a commitment from both organizations to strategically work together to advance the participation of women in high-growth entrepreneurship.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (100920)

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Almost everyone in Washington focused on the upcoming elections, which means that there is a lot of hustle and bustle as members eye an October return to their districts / states for some last-minute campaigning. Here is a look at some relevant hearings for the week ahead.

When Politicians Can't Be Entrepreneurial, Entrepreneurs Must Be Political

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Guest post by Byron Kennard

Is DC defunct? It sure seems that way. Just about everybody is bemoaning Washington’s dysfunctional political system. According to a recent Rasmussen Poll, 73 percent of respondents consider the system “broken.” Only 15 percent think it workable. Fifteen percent?! Louis XVI had higher public approval ratings on the day the Bastille fell. What’s next? A guillotine installed on Lafayette Square?

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Sept 7-13)

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Entrepreneurship Rhetoric vs. Action in Washington

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Venturebeat.com had an interesting guest column last week by Jeff Bussgang, a General Partner at Flybridge Capital Partners. In “Who will champion entrepreneurship in Washington?” Bussgang reflects on President Obama’s speech on Iraq, where he declared that “Our most urgent task is to restore our economy and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work…We must unleash…innovation…and nurture the ideas the spring from our entrepreneurs.”

Start-Ups Continue to “Bloom” in Argentina

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In the 90s, Argentina became Latin America’s Internet center, which was a good sign of an entrepreneurial spirit among its people. Endeavor, the United States nonprofit that helps foster high impact entrepreneurship, had its first success in the developing world in Argentina just before the country’s last major financial collapse. Given Argentina’s turbulent economic history, I thought I would take a quick look at the role of entrepreneurs over the past 10 years since Argentina’s Internet startup boom.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The US House and Senate return this week from their Summer Work Period. As of now, the following hearings are scheduled for this week... although more may be added as the day progresses. Stay tuned for updates.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Aug 30-Sept 6)

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Does Silicon Valley Need a DC Lobby?

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

LinkedIn founder and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman was reported by The Hill saying that entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley could benefit from a stronger lobbying presence in Washington D.C. because their concerns are often ignored in favor of older interests.

National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Work

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

On Wednesday (09/02/2010), the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship held its first official meeting in Washington, DC. This 26-member Advisory Council is part of the Secretary's Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and its mission is to “identify and recommend solutions to issues critical to the creation and development of entrepreneurship ecosystems that will generate new businesses and jobs.” It will also serve as a vehicle for ongoing dialogue with the entrepreneurship community and other stakeholders.

Obama Administration Weighing Tax Incentives

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Several news sources reported at the end of last week that the Obama team is seriously weighing a package of business tax breaks worth hundreds of billions of dollars with the hopes of boosting employment. The Washington Post reported that under consideration are a temporary payroll-tax holiday and a permanent extension of the now-expired research and-development tax credit.

The Structural Features of Entrepreneurial Capitalism

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The extraordinary contribution of jobs from new and young firms often is treated as something unique to these firms. A new Kauffman Foundation study, Neutralism and Entrepreneurship: The Structural Dynamics of Startups, Young Firms and Job Creation,reveals an important structural context in which firm formation and job creation occur that helps explain why new and young companies dominate net job creation.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There are no hearings scheduled for this week as the House and Senate are in recess for their Summer Work Periods. Both are scheduled to reconvene on September 13, 2010.

Small Business – Small Office – Big Deal

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Until late 2008, Tom Sullivan served as the Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration. While he is now back in the private sector, he is still championing the cause of entrepreneurs and small business owners everywhere.

In a recent blog post on AmericaSpeakOn.org, Sullivan reflects on the President’s recess appointment of his successor:

The State of Entrepreneurship in Chile

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Chilean economy has been recognized as the most competitive of Latin America. In general, Chile has been characterized by political and economic stability and relatively low levels of corruption and offers one of the most advanced physical infrastructure systems in the region. The potential and proven track record of this economy has led to Chile’s recent accession to the OECD as its 31st member and its first member in South America. Not surprisingly, Chile is often a case study in economic development. The question is whether its model will show the power of entrepreneurship as an engine for prosperity?

This Week in Entrpreneurship Policy

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There are no hearings scheduled for this week as the House and Senate are in recess for their Summer Work Periods. Both are scheduled to reconvene on September 13, 2010.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act at 30

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

On September 21, 2010, the Small Business Administrations’ Office of Advocacy will be hosting a symposium on Regulatory Flexibility for Small Business. The event will highlight the 30 years of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and will examine the role that the RFA plays in ensuring policy decisions that create a healthy environment for small business growth and development.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Aug 16-22)

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Calling all Education Entrepreneurs for Startup Weekend in San Francisco

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Startup Weekend is an organization whose mission is to be among the most valuable and influential organizations in startup ecosystems around the world through community building, innovation and education. During August 27-29, 2010 at San Francisco’s Pier 38, it will focus on entrepreneurship in education through “Startup Weekend-Education”.
The event will feature a select group of entrepreneurs, developers, marketers and designers from the Bay Area and beyond who will ...

This Week in Entrpreneurship Policy

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There are no hearings scheduled for this week as the House and Senate are in recess for their Summer Work Periods. Both are scheduled to reconvene on September 13, 2010.

What Our Language Says About Us

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Recently, the Oxford English Dictionary released its annual list of new words in the English language. I was struck by how the list reflects the current times in our country, not only in popular culture, but also in our current political and economic climate.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Aug 9-15)

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Betting on Entrepreneurial Growth

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Cities and states focused on attracting big box stores and corporate behemoths like Dell Computers are going about it all wrong. If they want to promote sustainable economic growth, they need to bet on age instead of size -- putting their energies into cultivating an environment conducive to new, entrepreneurial startups.

Catalyzing Global Entrepreneurship Support

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Following up on chatter following my blog last week discussing the need for caution around the quality of interventions that seek to provide technical support to entrepreneurs, I will continue the conversation thread this week with a post discussing another innovative entrepreneurial support program - iStart, which happens to open for business today.

Kauffman Foundation introduces iStart

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The following press release was just issued by the Kauffman Foundation about the iStart, a new Web-based platform that helps organizations simplify how they market and administer business plan competitions worldwide. New Hub for Business Plan Competitions to Create Access, Transparency for Entrepreneurial Community Worldwide (Kansas...

Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Revived

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Eliminated by the previous administration, the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) will soon reemerge. The U.S. Department of Energy announced recently plans to reestablished SEAB under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Serving as an independent advisory committee to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, the twelve-member board is comprised of scientists, business executives, academics and former government officials.

This Week in Entrpreneurship Policy

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There are no hearings scheduled for this week as the House and Senate are in recess for their Summer Work Periods. Both are scheduled to reconvene on September 13, 2010.

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (Aug 2-Aug 8)

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Assessing Skill Building Programs for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

With nearly all net job growth in our country coming from companies less than five years old, Congress has debated this year what the role of government should be in developing programs and interventions that support entrepreneurship. While the World Bank’s Doing Business project reported a record number of new pro-entrepreneurship legal and regulatory reforms around the world in 2009, governments and multi-national institutions continue to be tempted to develop entrepreneurship development programs.

Entrepreneurial Resilience

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

A new Kauffman Foundation study shows that startups are resilient in job creation and durability. Previous research had confirmed that and again that startups are responsible for net new job growth in the U.S. economy. This new study, After Inception: How Enduring is Job Creation by Startups? , reveals another reason to be optimistic...

Entrepreneurs: Financial Risk-takers?

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Conventional wisdom says that entrepreneurs are financial risk-takers, but a new Kauffman Foundation research report, Business Owners, Financial Risk, and Wealth, suggests business owners...

This Week in Entrpreneurship Policy

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There are no hearings scheduled for this week as the House and Senate are in recess for their Summer Work Periods. Both are scheduled to reconvene on September 13, 2010.

Uncertainty About the Economy Among Bloggers

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

What are leading economics bloggers thinking lately? The Kauffman Foundation has once again collected the views of more than 200 of these specialized bloggers in a mid-July survey.

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

No hearings are scheduled for the House of Representatives as it is in recess for the Summer District Work Period until September 10. Meanwhile, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee will consider legislation calling on the SBA to increase entrepreneurial training and counseling for veterans.

Tracking Early Stage Investors

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Access to funding is often mentioned in meetings about how to enable high impact entrepreneurship. We are always reminded that bank lending to small businesses remains tight. Even loans subsidized by the Small Business Administration have dropped off in recent months. Venture capital was prominent historically for its role in financially catalyzing high-growth companies, but has over the years become less significant in spurring entrepreneurship. So what are angel investors up to this summer?

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 26-Aug 1)

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Dodd-Frank Signed Into Law

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Last week President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law. Concerns that the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will result in a flood of federal mandates detrimental to startups and small businesses were alleviated slightly by a handful of protections.

University Research and Untapped Potential

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:53:00 -0500

A report from Science Progress this summer spotlights the untapped potential of university research and presents “a model for cultivating new technologies and innovation ecosystems.” Though the government spends about $50 billion on university research, little is spent on maximizing the commercial potential of this research. The IMPACT (Innovation Model Program...

LeBrontrepreneurship

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

One of the big stories in sports this summer was “The Decision” by NBA superstar LeBron James to exercise his rights as a free agent and leave his current team for a better deal with another franchise. The media circus around this non-event spurred a...

Encouraging College Grads to Pursue an Entrepreneurial Path

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:22:00 -0500

The dreaded student loan. The moment you graduate from college the clock starts ticking toward that first payment. Land a job, pull in a steady paycheck and the pressure subsides. But how many recent graduates have not followed their entrepreneurial passion because their student loan...

Combing the World for Cleantech Entrepreneurs

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:49:00 -0500

This year has brought a lot of productive give-and-take of ideas on clean energy innovation by people around the world who saw opportunity rather than doom in the combination of environmental and financial challenges. Last May, for example, I joined over 140 participants from all...

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 19-25)

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:15:00 -0500

Conference Highlights Upcoming Focus on Cleantech

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:26:00 -0500

The National Cleantech Open Conference took place in San Jose last week, headlined by the Under Secretary of Energy, Dr. Kristina Johnson. Dr. Johnson spoke of the importance of innovation within the cleantech industry and announced a Department of Energy grant of $122 million over five years to...

Roadblocks to Startup Success

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:49:00 -0500

Peace (and Startups) in the Middle East

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:11:00 -0500

World leaders have focused on peace in the Middle East for decades and efforts to engage populations directly through entertainment and the arts -- like music, dance, poetry and painting -- have also aimed to bridge the gap between cultures. Now, Startup Weekend is banking on...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:45:00 -0500

Tuesday, July 20, 2010House Science and Technology Committee - Subcommittee on Investigations & Oversight"Building a Science of Economics for the Real World" Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2318 10:00AM - 12:00PMWitnesses: Dr. Robert M. Solow, MIT; Dr. Sidney G. Winter, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Scott E. Page, University of...

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 12-18)

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:34:00 -0500

Iceland: Conquering the Economic Crisis with Entrepreneurship

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Amidst all the bad news in Iceland related to the economic crisis and the disruption caused earlier this year by the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, the country has seen some entrepreneurial silver linings. The stream of positive signs I noticed began in March this year when Iceland...

Innovation in Economic Development

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:59:00 -0500

The U.S. Economic Development Administration has announced that it is now accepting applications for the 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards. The deadline for entries is August 27th, 2010 and winners will be announced October 27th, 2010. The purpose of the awards is to "recognize...

Kauffman Labs Looks for Scalable Education Enterprises

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:14:00 -0500

The following press release was just issued by the Kauffman Foundation about their Kauffman Labs program and its search for potential high-growth entrepreneurs in the education space. Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation Seeks Education Founders New Kauffman Foundation program launches search for passionate, aspiring founders of high-growth, scalable education enterprises (KANSAS...

Jump-Starting Entrepreneurship in Auto-Impacted Cities

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:46:00 -0500

The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded several grants to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship and create new jobs in areas that were previously supported by the auto industry.One grant of $1.5 millionis being awarded to Cleveland-based JumpStart, a non-profit focused on spurring economic transformation through high-growth...

Beyond the World Cup: A Diamond for Growth

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:52:00 -0500

Spain’s victory yesterday in the World Cup in Johannesburg marks the conclusion to an exciting competition. However, with the media pointing to some of the dashed economic expectations among South Africans these past few weeks, I decided to inquire a little more into the entrepreneurial...

A Look Back at Innovation Daily (July 5-11)

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:50:00 -0500

A 16 Point Gameplan for the U.S. Economy

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:14:00 -0500

Inc. Magazine has just released an article that serves as “a game plan to help revitalize the American economy.” The article is called Revitalizing the American Dream, and details 16 steps for how to promote entrepreneurial optimism and create jobs. Inc. underlined the importance of startups by echoing a recent...

The Importance of Start Ups

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:42:00 -0500

When it comes to U.S. job growth, startup companies aren’t everything. They’re the only thing.That is the key message from a recently released Kauffman Foundation report entitled "The Importance of Startups in Job Creation and Job Destruction." The findings echo testimony given earlier this month before...

Roundtables on Entrepreneurship Education Scheduled

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:31:00 -0500

Looking ahead to the end of 2010 and into 2011, the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) at Stanford University is conducting five Roundtables on Entrepreneurship Education (REE) for universities worldwide. The 2011 roundtables will mark the tenth year for the program -- and its first appearance in...

Commerce Forums on Innovation to Continue

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:16:00 -0500

The U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Economic Development Administration held a forum on June 29th on the topic of innovation. The forum took place at the University of Massachusetts in Boston and featured David Kappos, the Under Secretary of...

An Alternative Economic Stimulus Plan

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:05:00 -0500

The Huffington Post recently featured a piece by Kauffman vice president and researcher Robert E. Litan entitled“Entrepreneurial Stimulus Package can Help U.S. Jobs Shortfall.” Litan writes that the U.S.already has an alternative economic stimulus plan, one that does not require a massive federal bailout: to support entrepreneurship....

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 06:40:00 -0500

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy: No Hearings

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 06:01:00 -0500

The House and Senate have adjourned for the week-long recess for their Independence Day Work Period. They will return to Washington for legislative business on July 12.

Reshaping Economic Landscape in Saudi Arabia

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:32:00 -0500

As the King of Saudi Arabia met in the U.S. with President Barack Obama on June 29th, the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) released its first newsletter dedicated to entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. The news suggests that the country is gradually gaining a supportive...

A New Generation of Entrepreneurs to Commercialize Innovations

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:49:00 -0500

Kauffman Senior Fellow Dane Stangler spoke before the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee hearing titled “Fueling Local Economies: Research, Innovation and Jobs,” on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. PDE staff report: The hearing, moderated by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, featured testimonies from Cornell University Professor Zachary Shulman,...

Research Opportunities with SBA Office of Advocacy

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:57:00 -0500

The Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy has two new research opportunities open for interested applicants. In addition to increasing knowledge about small business and entrepreneurship in general, these areas are noteworthy because they may provide policymaking insight or serve as a foundation for further research.These...

An Update on Federal Data Efforts

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:49:00 -0500

A recent forum held at the Brookings Institution pulled together a fairly select group from the U.S. statistical agencies, academia, and other experts to discuss the current state of entrepreneurship and innovation data at the federal level. Following the Kauffman 2010 Interagency Forum on Entrepreneurship...

Tech Transfer Offices Only "Tip of the Iceberg"

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:10:00 -0500

A new report examining the commercial activity resulting from academic research shows that a large number of scientists bypass university patent and licensing offices. The study, conducted by David Audretsch and Taylor Aldridge of Indiana University, also shows that those who bypass the tech transfer...

State Department Launches New Program for Entrepreneurship

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:38:00 -0500

The U.S. Department of State just launched a new initiative that leverages entrepreneurship as tool for international economic development and cooperation. The Global Entrepreneurship Program (GEP) focuses on supporting entrepreneurs in communities around the world by helping to create supportive entrepreneurial ecosystems. The GEP will...

Cameron’s Payroll Tax Holiday and the G20 Summit

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:29:00 -0500

I suggested in my blog following President Obama’s Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship earlier this year that what we now need is for routine global ministerial level economic meetings to concentrate on policies that encourage the creation of new firms. As I depart Toronto where we...

A Look Back at Innovation Daily

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:03:00 -0500

Where Will the Jobs Come From?

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:18:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand for a Kauffman Foundation briefing at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on June 22. Our report of the event follows:While the job creation discussion usually defaults to a debate between big and small companies, often ignored are...

Achieving Our Energy Innovation Goals

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:06:00 -0500

At a meeting of national energy industry innovators in Omaha last week, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released a report summarizing the discussion and recommendations made at the Energy Innovation Conference held at the White House last month. The report outlines a number of specific recommendations...

Summit & Site Explore 'Expeditionary Economics'

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:01:00 -0500

Rather than repeat futile efforts of pouring money and military force into these devastated economies, the concept of entrepreneurship driving economic growth and stability in war-torn and otherwise distressed nations is one that has been the subject of much discussion lately. A recent Foreign Affairs article by...

Can Cleantech Put the US Back to Work?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:22:00 -0500

That's the question that will be on everyone's mind at the National Cleantech Open Conference on Thursday, July 22, 2010 in San Jose, California.Dr. Kristina Johnson, the Under Secretary of Energy, and Ron Gonen, CEO of RecycleBank will keynote the event, discussing the economy, jobs...

This Week in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 06:36:00 -0500

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 Where Will the Jobs Come From?2226 Rayburn House Office Building12:00 noon While the American employment situation has begun to improve in recent weeks, the unemployment rate still hovers near 10 percent and millions of people remain unemployed, with long-term unemployment at an all-time...

Brazil’s Entrepreneurship Boom

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 06:00:00 -0500

Brazil is more than just the popular future host of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. It is a very promising economy and the country of origin of many global challenger companies, such as Embraer, Marcopolo, and Natura. Economic analysts group the country with...

A New Model for Development

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

During the last week of May, the Kauffman Foundation and the Command and General Staff College Foundation at Fort Leavenworth hosted a conference that sought to help build functioning economies in countries recovering from conflict or disaster. This new form of economic development, called expeditionary...

A Look at Innovation Daily (June 14 - 20)

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:35:00 -0500

A Voice for Young Entrepreneurs in G20 Meetings

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:23:00 -0500

This week on June 20-22, I will be speaking and participating at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit hosted by the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. The event, recognized by the Canadian government as an official G20 event, will bring together delegations from leading entrepreneurship organizations from...

Entrepreneurship as a Campaign Issue

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As the United States gears up for the mid-term elections in November, it appears that entrepreneurship may be emerging as a campaign issue that candidates are embracing as a way to create jobs and bring America out of the Great Recession. But before I tackle that...

A U.S Capitol Thumbs up for…Early-Stage Capital

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:33:00 -0500

Washington has been busy on several fronts important to entrepreneurs these past few months. One we must not forget to reflect on is the recent U.S. Senate approval of a bipartisan-sponsored amendment to the financial reform bill that protects against creating new barriers for high-growth...

A Look at Innovation Daily (June 7- 13)

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:22:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, we take alook at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: STAR METRICS: New Way to Measure the Impact of Federally Funded Research (from The...

Creating an Environment for Startups

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:30:00 -0500

The job market is terrible. Everyone knows it, especially those who graduated recently. According to New York Times Op-ed columnist Thomas L. Friedman the solution will come from startups. In a recent article, he conjectured that the lack of entrepreneurs participating in government partly explains...

Improving Science and Technology Innovation in the United States

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:21:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand for a forum on improving U.S. science and technology innovation and investment hosted by the Brookings Institution on June 8. Our report of the event follows: The United States is falling behind. For the past 50 years, the nation has led...

Congress Listens on Ways to Improve Commercialization Practices

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:38:00 -0500

Today, I attended the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Science Education a hearing titled “From the Lab Bench to the Marketplace: Improving Technology Transfer.” The representatives heard from experts on ways to approach the improvement of the process of transferring...

Combating Climate Change: How Entrepreneurs Are Doing What Congress Can't or Won't

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:29:00 -0500

Guest post by Byron Kennard "Historically, when environmentalists see a problem, their reaction is to regulate it," says Mark Clevey, a clean technology guru who has helped dozens of green small businesses in Michigan get off the ground. "When entrepreneurs see a problem, their reaction is...

Be Grateful You’re A Bootstrap Entrepreneur

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:57:00 -0500

Tech Crunch guest writer Vivek Wadwha wrote recently in "Startups: Poverty is Underrated. Be Glad That You’re Not Rich" that money is often a curse for entrepreneurs. “When a company is running on a tight budget, it will usually perform far better than a company that...

A Look at Innovation Daily (May 21-June 6)

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:18:00 -0500

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:06:00 -0500

Thursday, June 10, 2010House Committee on Science and Technology - Subcommittee on Research & Science Education - Hearing"From the Lab Bench to the Marketplace: Improving Technology Transfer"2318 Rayburn House Office Building10:00AM - 12:00PMWitnesses: • Dr. Thomas W. Peterson, Assistant Director, Directorate for Engineering, National Science...

Entrepreneurship in the EU and Beyond

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 09:45:00 -0500

The European Commission’s Directorate-General “Enterprise and Industry” has been studying, for the past 10 years, the development of entrepreneurship in EU Member States, and has compared European opinions with those outside of Europe, especially in the US. Last week, the European Commision published a new...

Accelerating Energy Innovation

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:34:00 -0500

President Obama has made it a priority to address one of America’s greatest challenges, meeting energy demand in a sustainable way by transforming the ways we produce and consume energy. He assembled a team that could help him in this task, such as science adviser...

Schramm on Rose: Entrepreneurship and Economic Recovery?

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:40:00 -0500

In a world ravaged by wars, natural disasters and economic turmoil, the need for new ideas to meet the marketplace has seldom been more pronounced. In a recent interview with Charlie Rose, Carl Schramm, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, suggested that the...

COMPETES Bill Passed in the House

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:37:00 -0500

Last Friday, on a third try, the House of Representatives passed with a 262-150 vote the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act (H.R. 5116), ending a heavy House debate over concerns about the fiscal challenges that the act represents. The act, aiming to support U.S. competitiveness through...

Calling for a National Entrepreneurs' Day

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:01:00 -0500

Have you ever wondered why there isn't a National Entrepreneurs' Day? Then sign the petition that was launched this month by Grasshopper and help support the cause to make this a national day in the United States. This year Entrepreneurs' Day will be November 19, 2010,...

A Look at Innovation Daily (May 24-30)

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:07:00 -0500

Stand Up and Be Counted

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

By now, every American should be aware that the U.S. government is conducting its decennial census, as mandated by the Constitution. Since this only happens every ten years, every approach to counting the number of people living in the U.S. is completely different, especially with...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (May 24 - 28)

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:41:00 -0500

Wednesday, May 26Joint Economic Committee"Avoiding a Lost Generation: How to Minimize the Impact of the Great Recession on Young Workers" Dr. Harry Holzer Professor, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University Washington, DC Mr. David R. Jones President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Service Society New York, NY Mr. Stephen M. Wing Director of...

Resilient Entrepreneurship

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:01:00 -0500

Once again, entrepreneurial activity showed big in the United States. Last year was a tough year for entrepreneurs. We have experienced a deep recession, credit crunch and record unemployment rates. But although the odds were against them, new-business creation during the 2007-2009 recession years increased...

UVA Creating Jobs Through Student Ventures

Mon, 24 May 2010 09:56:00 -0500

While most college students scramble to find summer jobs, a handful of students at the University of Virginia will spend their summer trying to create some. This summer, the Darden Business Incubator will host 18 entrepreneurship ventures as MBA students -- and others in the U.Va. community -- bring...

A Look at Innovation Daily (May 17-23)

Mon, 24 May 2010 08:52:00 -0500

Why Don't Entrepreneurs Run For Office?

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In doing research for my most recent posts, I was reminded how few of our representatives come from entrepreneurial roots. In fact, almost 80 percent of the current United States Senate has been supported by the government (taxpayers) for their entire working lives. Lawyers make up 59 percent...

Kauffman Foundation Accepts Proposals for 2011 Dissertation Fellowship Program

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:40:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is now accepting proposals for the 2011 Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation supports doctoral students through the Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program. The Foundation will award up to 15 Dissertation Fellowship grants of $20,000 each to Ph.D., D.B.A. or other doctoral students for...

Entrepreneurship Recession Proof, Hits 14-year High

Thu, 20 May 2010 14:31:00 -0500

Click the image above for an interactive set of graphics displaying the data According to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, a study that measures the percentage of the adult, non-business-owner population that starts a business each month, 2009 has had the highest level of entrepreneurial activity...

New Credit Initiative to Boost Lending to Small Businesses?

Wed, 19 May 2010 11:12:00 -0500

The U.S. Treasury Department today unveiled a new credit initiative aimed at increasing lending to small businesses. According to the Wall Street Journal, the initiative is expected to spur $20 billion in lending while being particularly beneficial to small minority-owned firms.The new policy is modeled...

Understanding Women’s Entrepreneurship

Mon, 17 May 2010 14:22:00 -0500

There has been a lot talk in the past year about job creation, entrepreneurship and economic recovery. Under the economic pressures, it became more important to than ever to examine closely how to unleash the entrepreneurial potential of various groups in society. We know for...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (May 17-21, 2010)

Mon, 17 May 2010 12:19:00 -0500

Monday, May 17, 2010 House Small Business Committee - Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Field Hearing "Access to Capital for Small Businesses" The hearing will examine the current credit conditions for Pennsylvania small businesses. Witnesses will offer testimony on expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs and spurring...

COMPETES Removed from Consideration

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:43:00 -0500

On Thursday, May 13 the House of Representatives voted to recommit the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 on a 292-126 vote. In response, House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) requested House leadership to pull the bill (H.R. 5116) from consideration....

A Look at Innovation Daily (May 10-16)

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:03:00 -0500

Running to Save California

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The race is on in California. Voters from the state that boasts the eighth largest economy in the world will go to the polls in November to decide who will succeed the embattled Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger. Though California’s financial problems have been well-documented, two candidates...

External Debt Markets Key for Young Firms as They Age

Thu, 13 May 2010 09:23:00 -0500

Data released on May 12, 2010 in the fifth follow-up report of the Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS), a study of new businesses tracked over their early years of existence, confirmed the important role of banks and other formal debt providers in young firms’ survival and...

Are You an Entrepreneur?

Thu, 13 May 2010 08:54:00 -0500

Are you following a dream, pursuing an opportunity, taking charge of your own destiny? Are you bringing something of value to society, making a job for yourself and for others, and creating wealth that benefits your family, your community, your country, your world? If you answered yes to...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (May 10-14, 2010)

Mon, 10 May 2010 14:51:00 -0500

WEDNESDAY, May 12, 2010 House Small Business Committee - Hearing “Small Businesses and Broadband: An Engine for Economic Growth and Job Creation” The Committee will hear from small businesses on how broadband is helping to grow the economy and create new jobs. 2360 Rayburn House Office Building 1:00 PM [more info]

America's Organic Startup Culture

Mon, 10 May 2010 14:19:00 -0500

Having focused last month on efforts to further entrepreneurship abroad leading up to the global Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, this week I wanted to focus squarely on the United States ahead of next month's Global Entrepreneurship Week Partners Forum convened at the Kauffman Foundation in...

A Look at Innovation Daily (May 3-9, 2010)

Mon, 10 May 2010 10:17:00 -0500

Entrepreneurs as Senate Candidates

Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

So who will fill these empty Senate seats? Will the American people choose the real job creators in our economy to get our country hiring again? I thought I’d profile a couple of candidates with backgrounds in innovative high-growth companies that are running for office...

Economic Bloggers Have Mixed View

Fri, 07 May 2010 10:05:00 -0500

The nation's leading economics bloggers have a more balanced outlook than last quarter, according to a new Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation survey. Anticipating positive movement in the gross domestic product and other key indicators, 59 percent of economics bloggers who responded to the second Kauffman...

States Providing Funding / Incentives for Entrepreneurs

Wed, 05 May 2010 11:41:00 -0500

[HT to Innovation Daily] A recent piece on Forbes.com, “States that Truly Bet on Small Business," offers a glimpse at a Spinal Tap-esque list (it goes to 11) of states that strongly promote entrepreneurship through funding programs. Which states -- and programs -- make the list? Ohio: Ohio Third...

Patent Backlog Stifling Job Creation

Tue, 04 May 2010 17:12:00 -0500

The director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), David Kappos, said at the annual trade show of the Biotechnology Industry Organization earlier this week that he thinks the USPTO is hampering the creation of millions of potential jobs because of its inability to...

The Presidential Summit's Report Card

Tue, 04 May 2010 17:01:00 -0500

Tim Kane, blogger for growthology.org and Senior Fellow at the Kauffman Foundation, has graded the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, separating his report into the following aspects:Title: A - “They could have had a summit on "Development" or on "Peace" which would have been instantly forgettable...

Yes, Minister. Entrepreneurship.

Mon, 03 May 2010 13:55:00 -0500

The spirit of entrepreneurship was alive and well at last week’s Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship. The White House took a political risk in hosting a summit on “global” entrepreneurship in a climate when so many Americans, anxious about their local economy, are easily blinded to...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (May 3-7, 2010)

Mon, 03 May 2010 10:42:00 -0500

Wednesday, May 5, 2010House Small Business Committee - Hearing“Tax Initiatives that Promote Small Business Growth”The Committee will analyze how targeted tax provisions aimed at small firms can maintain the economic recovery and encourage small business expansion.2360 Rayburn House Office Building 1:00 PM[more info] Wednesday, May...

A Look at Innovation Daily (April 26 - May 2, 2010)

Mon, 03 May 2010 10:10:00 -0500

Bringing Change to Washington, Through Attrition

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

When Barack Obama was still a presidential candidate, he promised to change the way Washington worked. He was swept to power on this mantra of change accompanied by seemingly insurmountable majorities in both houses of Congress. But due to a multitude of factors, major membership...

State Department Initiatives for Entrepreneurship Announced

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:51:00 -0500

At the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship which I am attending this week, in her speech before all the delegates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced specific steps to create entrepreneurial environments, expand access to capital and expertise, and advance mentorship for emerging and aspiring entrepreneurs...

Entrepreneurship and National Security

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:44:00 -0500

The University of California – San Diego hosted Richard Boly on April 26 at the UCDC center for a presentation on “Why Entrepreneurship is a National Security Initiative.” Our report of the event follows: Richard Boly, Director of the Office of eDiplomacy at the U.S. Department...

Summit-Related Events Mapped

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:19:00 -0500

In addition to the official events on April 26 and 27 for the Presidential Summit, over thirty partner organizations have invited participants to independent events, highlighting how the President and the US Government have helped catalyze a long-term, sustainable conversation on entrepreneurship. During recent months,...

Washington Rolls Out Red Carpet for Global Entrepreneurship

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:00:00 -0500

This afternoon, President Obama addressed the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship organized by the Department of State and the Department of Commerce following his promise in Cairo last June. The event is designed to promote entrepreneurship in Africa, the Middle East, and South, Central and Southeast...

COMPETES Introduced in the House

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:49:00 -0500

Last Friday, the House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) introduced HR 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010.COMPETES was originally signed into law in 2007 after receiving broad bipartisan support. It was based on recommendations from the National Academies’ report Rising...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (April 26-30)

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:13:00 -0500

Tuesday, Apr. 27, 2010 Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship - Hearing “Connecting Main Street to the World: Federal Efforts to Expand Small Business Internet Access” Russell Senate Office Building, SR-428A Witness Panel 1: * Jonathan Adalstein Administrator Rural Utilities Services * Julius Genachowski Chairman Federal Communications Commission ...

A Look at Innovation Daily (April 19-25, 2010)

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:38:00 -0500

Boulder, Colorado: A Town for Startups

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 23:30:00 -0500

According to a new article by Vivek Wadhwa in BusinessWeek, Boulder, Colorado is the top U.S. destination for new tech companies largely because of a bottom-up revolution led by entrepreneurs. Wadhwa traces that revolution: 1970s: "The combination of entrepreneurship, engineering talent, and a counterculture vibe...

Summit Delegates Make Their Way to Washington

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:46:00 -0500

[image courtesy America.gov]Individuals from more than 50 countries are on their way to Washington to serve as delegates to the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship. America.gov is telling the stories of several of those amazing delegates.Its feature on the summit -- slated for April 26 & 27 -- includes blog...

VC & Startups Roundtable

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:36:00 -0500

According to PWC Money Tree 90% of “startup capital” comes from angel investors; who are these angels? How do angels and professionally managed angel groups contribute to the life cycle of a company; where do angels invest? where do VC’s invest? Also, the SBA Business...

Is the U.S. Turning Away Entrepreneurs?

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:43:00 -0500

ABCNews has an interesting article, 'Shooting Itself in the Foot': Is U.S. Turning Away Entrepreneurs?, describing the growing movement in favor of new immigration policy specifically for skilled foreign workers as immigration reform becomes a future hot button issue. Supporters like Microsoft founder Bill Gates who...

Every Day Is Earth for Small Business

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:50:00 -0500

Guest post by Tom Sullivan Here in Washington, there is a hue and cry against "special interests," for every topic of debate. Bankers who provide homeowners with loans and who provide entrepreneurs with seed capital are the "special interests" who oppose financial re-regulation. Doctors who care...

Briefing to Cover Regulatory Relief

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:15:00 -0500

The Small Business Coalition for Regulatory Relief is holding a briefing tomorrow (April 22) on government-wide technologies and tools to facilitate stakeholder participation in regulatory development. Headlining the briefing is Neil Eisner, Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Eisner will provide...

Streamlining Research Commercialization

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:40:00 -0500

A new paper by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Facilitating the Commercialization of University Innovation: The Carolina Express License Agreement, presents a novel licensing process for commercializing university research that can support American universities' startup companies and enable long-term economic growth. The University of North Carolina...

From the University to the Marketplace

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:15:00 -0500

The JSOnline has an interesting article on a new trend in academia: Professors take expertise to marketplace. For example, Professors at UW-Madison started six companies in fiscal 2008 and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which handles a lot of UW-Madison's technology transfer activities, has about...

The State of Entrepreneurship in Malaysia

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:36:00 -0500

Today, we start the seven day countdown for the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, and I want to take the opportunity to highlight a nation where entrepreneurship is starting to bloom: Malaysia. Although not yet a start-up economy, the desire for entrepreneurship and innovation are there,...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (April 19-23)

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:40:00 -0500

Monday, April 19, 2010, House Small Business Committee - Subcommittee on Finance and Tax - Field Hearing “Access to Capital for Small Businesses” The field hearing will examine the current credit conditions for Florida small businesses. Witnesses will offer testimony on expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs...

A Look at Innovation Daily (April 12-18, 2010)

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:23:00 -0500

Brazil's Technology Entrepreneurs

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:58:00 -0500

The Christian Science Monitor has lately been reporting on Brazil’s emerging focus on entrepreneurship. Its recent article “Big-business Brazil taps into its young entrepreneurs,” highlights the work of a business incubator in Rio de Janeiro. The Genesis Institute has helped young entrepreneurs commercialize technologies like...

Mathematic Inevitability: Young Firms and Job Creation

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:54:00 -0500

Paul Kedrosky, senior fellow at the Kauffman Foundation, has a very interesting post on growthology.org ("Drunks, A Wall, Entrepreneurs and Jobs") where he explains the mathematic inevitability of the relationship between young firms and job creation. He parallels the relation to the "drunkard's walk" concept...

Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:40:00 -0500

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to join an extraordinary group of women entrepreneurs mostly from Saudi Arabia for a lunch at the home of the Honorable Esther Coopersmith. All were both proud of their higher education in Saudi Arabia and had started companies in...

Open Data & Policymaking

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:34:00 -0500

[image courtesy Wordle.net] Hal Varian, the chief economist for Google has frequently said that the sexy job in the next 10 years will be a statistician. With the explosion of available digital data its not hard to see what he's getting at. Now think about the impact of...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (April 12-16)

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:26:00 -0500

Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2010House Science and Technology Committee - Subcommittee on Research & Science Education - MarkupNational Science Foundation programs10:00 AM - 12:00 PMRayburn House Office Building, Rm 2318[more info][audio] Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2010 Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee - HearingHearings to examine reviewing the...

A Look at Innovation Daily (April 5-11, 2010)

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:35:00 -0500

An Economist for the Court?

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:00:00 -0500

Last week, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced his retirement kicking off one of Washington's favorite pastimes -- speculating on potential Supreme Court nominees, their political leanings and whether or not the opposing party will turn the confirmation process into a bloodbath. Tim Kane, senior fellow...

Picking Winners?

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:07:00 -0500

Can and should the government pick “winners”? That was the question driving the debate hosted today by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). James Fallow (National Correspondent, The Atlantic) moderated the debate which had Rob Atkinson (President, ITIF) and Clyde Prestowitz (President, Economic Strategy...

Start-ups and Broad-Based Employee Ownership

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:18:00 -0500

Last October, Elinor Ostrom won the Nobel Prize for Economics for her work on the role of the commons in economic governance. Now, more and more scholars are exploring the intersection of start-ups and employee ownership. Some of the research underway is evaluating in particular...

Young Entrepreneurs, Here’s a Chance to Tell your Story!

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:46:00 -0500

The Center for International Private Enterprise invites young people to share their ideas on how to create opportunities for youth to strengthen democracy and the private sector in their own countries. One of the essay categories is “Entrepreneurship and society.” The concept of social entrepreneurship is...

Entrepreneurship in Turkey

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:50:00 -0500

Turkey offers quite a sophisticated platform for entrepreneurs. It has a diversified industrial base, a relatively stable political and economic environment, a critical mass of willing early adopters, a considerable talent pool, a strong domestic market and underserved neighboring markets. Yet, currently only 6 out...

Jobs Come from Start-Ups, Not Bailouts

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:06:00 -0500

Thomas Friedman has an interesting column in the New York Times titled “Start-ups, Not Bailouts.” He points to many barriers to entrepreneurship that need to be removed for our economy to thrive. Here are a few highlights from Friedman’s argument: Message: If we want to bring...

A Look at Innovation Daily (March 29-April 4, 2010)

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:45:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation-- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here,wetake a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: A Funding Fix For New Businesses (Forbes) Startups Get Hit By Shrapnel In The Banking...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (April 5-10, 2010)

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:43:00 -0500

There are no relevant hearings this week, but here is one for next week:Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee - HearingHearings to examine reviewing the national broadband planWitness: The Honorable Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission 2:30 PMRussell Senate...

Intangible Assets: A New Method of Financing

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:00:00 -0500

For innovative start-ups finding sufficient funding can be difficult, especially when much of their value takes the form of intangible assets. In light of this, there is an emerging practice of funding companies based on intellectual property (IP) and other intangible assets including worker expertise,...

Trends in the Angel Investor Market for 2009

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:30:00 -0500

The angel investor market of 2009 has reflected a tendency for cautious spending and an appetite for new technology, according to the newly released analysis from the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. Investments totaled $17.6 billion in 2009, a decrease...

The State of Entrepreneurship in Egypt

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:01:00 -0500

Last June, President Obama announced in Cairo, Egypt that the U.S. government will host a Summit on Entrepreneurship to identify how we can deepen ties between leaders, foundations, and entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Muslim communities around the world. Throughout April leading up to the...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (March 29 - April 2)

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:49:00 -0500

Congress is currently in recess. The Senate will reconvene on April 5 and the House on April 12.

A Look at Innovation Daily (March 22-28, 2010)

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:37:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation --courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, wetake a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: What's Stopping Innovation? (Harvard Business Review) America's Real Dream Team.......Look to our...

Accelerating Innovation & Drug Development

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:35:00 -0500

PDE staff participated in an interactive Webinar to discuss a new drug development model with the potential to accelerate the process. The event was sponsored by The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF), Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Pioneer Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the...

Proposed Bill Would Hurt Angel Investors and Entrepreneurs

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:14:00 -0500

Kauffman Foundation Vice President Robert Litan argues in an opinion piece published in the Huffington Post that proposed 'protections' for angel investors in Section 926 of the comprehensive financial reform bill outlined by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Senator Dodd are unnecessary and will hurt America's...

Entrepreneurship Research Funding Opportunity

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:21:00 -0500

The SBA’s Office of Advocacy invites proposals in one or more of the following areas: Research on Small Business and Access to Credit Research on the Importance of Entrepreneurship to the Economy “In addition to increasing knowledge about small business in general, these areas are noteworthy because...

The Global History of Entrepreneurial Innovation

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:04:00 -0500

A new book published by Princeton University Press, The Invention of Enterprise, offers the most comprehensive history of entrepreneurship ever compiled—from Ancient Mesopotamia to modern times. Edited by economists David S. Landes, Joel Mokyr and William J. Baumol, The Invention of Enterprise gathers together, for...

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:59:00 -0500

Susanne E. Jalbert, Ph.D. has contributed an article to the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) focusing on women entrepreneurs and the role of women’s business associations. “Women comprise more than 50 percent of the world’s population. Yet in spite of their numbers, they own...

Webinar: Developing Cures with Less Time & Capital

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:15:00 -0500

The Myelin Repair Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Pioneer Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Scott Cook & Signe Ostby Foundation are offering an interactive Webinar to discuss a new drug development model with the potential to cut years from the drug...

Nurturing the Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Young

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:04:00 -0500

Today, I would like to discuss the education-related recommendations outlined at the Kauffman Foundation’s State of Entrepreneurship address. We have long been aware that American education is struggling to stay competitive. We also know that the development of entrepreneurial skills, such as opportunity recognition and prudent...

Postdoctoral Entrepreneurs Recognized for Excellence

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:05:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has presented it two inaugural Postdoctoral Entrepreneur Awards at the 8th Annual Meeting of the National Postdoctoral Association on Friday, March 12. This represents the first time that the entrepreneurial performance of postdoctoral researchers in the scientific community is being...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (March 22-26, 2010)

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:30:00 -0500

Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2010Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation"Reviewing the National Broadband Plan"2:30 pmRussell Senate Office Building, Rm 253 [more info] Wed, Mar. 24, 2010House Science and Technology Committee - Subcommittee on Technology & Innovation - Hearing Supporting Innovation in the 21st Century Economy10:30AM - 12:30PMRayburn...

A Look at Innovation Daily (March 15-21, 2010)

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:21:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation --courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, wetake a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: If You Want to See Entrepreneurs, Go to China (BusinessWeek) Entrepreneurial Spirit Soars...

Business Incubators and Job Creation

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:08:00 -0500

A House Committee on Small Business hearing earlier this week covered the topic of "Business Incubators and Their Role in Job Creation." Testifying before the committee was Dr. Robert Strom, Director of Research & Policy at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, who called the newfound...

Entrepreneurship as Career Option

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:15:00 -0500

Various countries are launching new initiatives to boost entrepreneurship education within their traditional institutions. For example, Canada’s Federal Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) Rob Moore met with entrepreneurs and mentors last week in Toronto to discuss the state of youth entrepreneurship in Canada. Hosted by...

Improving the America COMPETES Act

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:23:00 -0500

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has released a new report: “Eight Ideas for Improving the America COMPETES Act.” Robert Atkinson, ITIF President, argues that reauthorizing the America COMPETES Act provides an opportunity to continue policies the U.S. needs to compete in the innovation-based...

Geography and Entrepreneurship

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:19:00 -0500

A Harvard Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston has been sponsoring a series of talks on geography and entrepreneurship. Now, it has released a Policy Brief that explores the question of “Why are some metropolitan areas so much more entrepreneurial than others?” For example, startups can...

Qualifying for the Startup Visa

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:07:00 -0500

In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Kauffman Foundation economist Robert E. Litan argues the "Startup Visa Act" introduced recently by Senators John Kerry (D., Mass.) and Richard Lugar (R., Ind.) should be broader to fully capture the job-creation potential of immigrant entrepreneurs. In particular,...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (March 15 - 19)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:31:00 -0500

Tuesday, March 16, 2010House Science & Technology Committee -- Subcommittee on Research and Science Education - Hearing"Broadening Participation in STEM"10:00 a.m.2318 Rayburn House Office Building[more info]Tuesday, March 16, 2010 House Appropriations Committee - Full Committee – Hearing"FY 2011 Budget and Economic Outlook"10:00 am2359 Rayburn House...

A Look at Innovation Daily (March 8 - 14, 2010)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:06:00 -0500

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation -- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: Tech Entrepreneurship: Does the City You Live in Even Matter? (from...

Global Entrepreneurship: A Common Language

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:27:00 -0500

Last week’s Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Dubai was a historic gathering not only because -- under the patronage of Sheik Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan of the UAE -- it brought together entrepreneurship leaders from nearly 100 nations, but because it heralded a new era...

What America Needs

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:01:00 -0600

Texas’ Wilson County News published an interesting essay by Craig Columbus about education and solving the job crisis, “What America Needs: A Bumper Crop of Young Entrepreneurs.” The insufficient private sector job growth, the author argues, signals the need to produce more entrepreneurs. Ironically, America’s...

States and Cities Efforts to Help Small Businesses

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:49:00 -0600

Elizabeth Olson’s New York Times article “What States and Cities are Doing to Help Small Businesses” highlights several initiatives at the state and municipality levels to save small businesses and jobs. The local approaches are as varied as subsidizing wages for new hires, running a...

Nationwide 'Startup Tour' to Find the Best Startups in America

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:45:00 -0600

Robert X. Cringely, author of the technology blog “I, Cringely” (www.cringely.com), has launched a plan to restart the economy called “Cringely's (NOT in Silicon Valley) Startup Tour.” People are invited to nominate startup companies in six different categories, discuss them, and vote for favorites on...

Job Generating High-Growth Firms

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:30:00 -0600

According to a new Kauffman Foundation study, High-Growth Firms and the Future of the American Economy, high-growth firms account for a disproportionate share of job creation despite their relatively small numbers. More specifically, the study showed, that so-called “gazelle” firms (ages three to five) comprise...

States’ Antiquated IT Infrastructure

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:08:00 -0600

Vivek Wadhwa, senior research associate at the Labor & Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and executive in residence at Duke University, has a new article on BusinessWeek. In “States, Innovate in IT or Else,” Wadhwa looks at the way antiquated and expensive IT systems...

Entrepreneurship in the Arab World: A Report from Dubai

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:23:00 -0600

It is an important week for entrepreneurship in the Middle East. Here in Dubai, two important global summits will be convened by His Excellency, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, United Arab Emirates Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Carl Schramm, President of the...

Rockstar Entrepreneurs in DC to Push for a StartUp Visa

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:43:00 -0600

More than a dozen rockstar entrepreneurs and startup financiers have decided it was time to visit Washington, DC. They have taken three days of their busy schedules this week to push for the passage StartUp Visa Act of 2010, a bill that would make it...

A Look at Innovation Daily (March 1-7, 2010)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:19:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation -- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled last week: And Google Begat... (from BusinessWeek) Why CEOs Don't Get Innovation...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (March 8-12, 2010)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:16:00 -0600

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 House Science and Technology Committee- Subcommittee on Research & Science Education - Hearing "The National Science Foundation’s FY 2011 Budget Request" 10:00AM - 12:00PM Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2318 [more info] Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee - Hearing "Advancing American innovation...

Maximizing the Potential of University Inventions

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:53:00 -0600

Robert Litan, vice-president of research and policy at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, has a new article explaining why the federal government should require universities receiving research grants to allow faculty inventors the right to choose their licensing agent. In this article, Litan responds to...

New “Invest in America Alliance” to Support Start-ups and Create Jobs

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:51:00 -0600

Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini announced that Intel will spearhead a $3.5 billion technology investment initiative in a speech titled "Rebuilding the Foundations of American Growth," delivered at The Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. The Invest in America Alliance represents the venture capital industry’s commitment...

The ARPA-E Innovation Summit

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:46:00 -0600

From March 1st-3rd, policymakers, thought leaders, award winners and investors gathered in Washington, DC for the first ARPA-E Innovation Summit. Secretary Chu announced that the third round of ARPA-E funding of $100 million will be made available to accelerate innovation in three new areas for...

A Look at Innovation Daily (Week of Feb 20 to Feb 26)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:45:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation -- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled from last week: Five nations boosting their culture of innovation (The Christian...

New Online ‘Energy Innovation Network’

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:22:00 -0600

The Kauffman Foundation has launched an online “Energy Innovation Network” to help close the gap between energy innovations and increasing consumer demand. The clean energy industry is taking an ever-increasing role in jump-starting the economy and creating new jobs; more than $80 billion has already been...

Entrepreneurship, a Social Phenomenon

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:19:00 -0600

Carl Schramm has new article explaining why “All Entrepreneurship is Social.” Writing for the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Schramm explained the dangers of using the modifier social: One danger, however, is that the use of the modifier social will diminish the contributions of regular entrepreneurs—that...

A Role for Entrepreneurs in Haiti

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:25:00 -0600

Haitians have received help from governments, the private sector and the philanthropic community around the world to deal with the awful devastation, but the long term goal of rebuilding a nation and constructing institutions from scratch will require sustained commitment to the country. I can’t...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy (March 1-5, 2010)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:11:00 -0600

Tuesday, March 02, 2010Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - Subcommittee on Economic Policy - Hearing"Restoring Credit to Main Street: Proposals to Fix Small Business Borrowing and Lending Problems"9:30 a.m.538 Dirsken Senate Office Building[more info] Wednesday, March 3, 2010 House...

Senators Introduce "Start-Up Visa" Legislation

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:47:00 -0600

On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Senators John Kerry, D-Mass., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., introduced legislation to drive job creation and increase America's global competitiveness by helping immigrant entrepreneurs obtain visas to the U.S. The “StartUp Visa Act of 2010” would allow an immigrant entrepreneur to receive...

Pediatric Medical Device ‘Idea Campaign’ Launched Online

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:30:00 -0600

In an effort to stimulate early stage innovation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced today an eight-week online “idea campaign” to encourage innovations and collaborations to meet the growing medical needs of children. Parents, doctors, researchers, entrepreneurs and others have eight weeks to post and...

DARPA’s Approach to Innovation

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:28:00 -0600

PDE staff were on hand today for the Woodrow Wilson Center and MIT’s Innovation Policy Discussion Group meeting. Our report of the event—DARPA’s Approach to Innovation—follows: Today, the Deputy Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Kaigham (Ken) J. Gabriel, offered insights into how...

Watch Governors Explore Ways to Spur Startups and Clean Technology

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:55:00 -0600

Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Governors from across the country will gather at the Kauffman Foundation to explore ways to build their economy by spurring clean energy entrepreneurship. You have an opportunity to watch a live webcast at 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST. The webcast...

A Note on Bayh-Dole

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:53:00 -0600

Last week PDE posted a note about an idea to improve the effectiveness of university technology transfer in the U.S. There seems to have been some confusion following this about the nature of the breakthrough idea to improve the U.S. model for commercialization of university-developed technologies. In...

Reevaluating Sarbanes-Oxley

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:15:00 -0600

At a time when we need risk-takers to start companies and create jobs, we need to do everything we can to remove unnecessarily burdensome regulations that dampen entrepreneurship. A high-impact, low-cost reform would be to make some of the more onerous requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley...

The World's Most Innovative Companies

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:07:00 -0600

Fast Company has released its list of The World's Most Innovative Companies 2010, featuring stories of extraordinary innovative efforts under way in businesses across the globe and across sectors, from technology to politics. For example, three-year-old Politico, ranked #49, is “doing the unthinkable: making money...

Manhattan Links Scientists, Entrepreneurs and Investors

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:18:00 -0600

In his State of the Borough Speech, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer outlined a plan to diversify the city's economy and spark new job growth in the tech sector. Stringer announced the creation of an “intermediary” that will foster linkages between scientists, entrepreneurs and investors....

The Entrepreneurial Experience of US Presidents

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:09:00 -0600

On Presidents day (Feb. 15), several articles pointed out that many of America’s presidents had an entrepreneurial background. USA Today’s Steve Strauss offered the following examples, among others: • Abraham Lincoln: In 1833, Lincoln and William Berry opened a general store (with Lincoln going into debt...

A Look at Innovation Daily

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:56:00 -0600

Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation -- courtesy of Innovation America and its founder, Rich Bendis. Here, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories it compiled from the last week: How Colleges Can Better Nurture Startups (from ReadWriteStart) New Tools for...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:29:00 -0600

The recurring snowstorms last week and the President's Day work period combined for a quiet couple weeks on Capitol Hill -- no relevant hearings or meetings are currently scheduled.

Multiagency Initiative to Create Energy-Related Regional Innovation Cluster

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:17:00 -0600

Seven federal agencies will work together to leverage funding and resources to promote regional growth through an Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC). The E-RIC will work to disseminate new technologies into the local marketplace and share best practices with the public and private sectors. The cluster...

Skepticism about Obama’s Small Business Lending Plan

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:19:00 -0600

An article in today’s Washington Independent, “Obama’s Small Business Lending Plan Meets Skepticism,” lays out concerns with the President’s plan to make $30 billion in repaid TARP funds available for small banks to lend to small businesses. “There’s little indication that these banks need the money — or that...

The Untapped Potential of Research Universities

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:12:00 -0600

Everyone surely owns an innovative product that has its roots in a university lab, or knows someone that has benefited from the presence of start-ups that formed through the dissemination of knowledge and technologies from the university to the marketplace. Universities have been the lifeblood...

Lack of Female Entrepreneurs: A Societal Failure

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:39:00 -0600

Vivek Wadhwa recently discussed why women are so poorly represented in tech and other high-growth businesses in Boy's Club: The Dearth of Female Entrepreneurs. Wadhwa argues that the lack of female entrepreneurs is a societal failure, citing evidence that men and women entrepreneurs are similar in...

Highlights from House Science and Technology Agenda

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:35:00 -0600

On January 19, Rep. Bart Gordon announced the 2010 legislative agenda for the House Committee on Science and Technology. Innovation and energy and STEM education lead the priorities list.As part of its effort to maintain U.S. competitiveness through innovation, the Committee plans to work on...

Race and Entrepreneurial Success

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:33:00 -0600

Why do Asian American-owned businesses do well in comparison to white-owned businesses, and why do African American-owned firms do poorly in relation to both? Economics professor Robert W. Fairlie and Kauffman senior research fellow Alicia M. Robb explore these issues in Race and Entrepreneurial Success:...

Rationalize Our Immigration System

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:24:00 -0600

In the hopes to continue a much-needed conversation on how to revamp the economy, this week I would like to highlight another policy recommendation that emerged from the Kauffman Foundation’s State of Entrepreneurship address: reform immigration policy to attract migrants who want to start new companies...

Michigan Prioritizes Entrepreneurship

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:21:00 -0600

During her State of the State address, Gov. Jennifer Granholm laid out initiatives to help entrepreneurs. One of these initiatives involves entrepreneurship training through the expansion of the FastTrac program being offered at Detroit's TechTown. The FastTrac program, a national effort by the Kauffman Foundation...

A Look at Obama's Plan for Small Business

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:17:00 -0600

Within the past week President Obama outlined several proposals to help small business create jobs: $30 billion of federal bailout funds redirected to community banks to lend to small business Tax credits for new hires and wage increases Elimination of capital-gains tax on investments in small business Tax incentives...

Recognizing Student Contributions to Solving World Problems

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:13:00 -0600

The Kauffman Foundation has awarded a grant to Olin College of Engineering to implement a nationwide award competition that will recognize students’ contributions to solving the major challenges facing the world today. The “Extraordinary Stories Student Awards” will be given to students who have completed science...

The Economic Power of University Spin-offs

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:08:00 -0600

According to Krisztina Holly, vice provost for innovation at the University of Southern California and former founding executive director of MIT's Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, “an opportunity to solve our job crisis lies right under our noses.” In an opinion piece for CNN, Holly explained:...

Educating the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:04:00 -0600

As the nation seeks solutions to joblessness, policymakers and the media have been looking at the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), an organization that has skillfully been tapping on our youth’s inventiveness and entrepreneurial potential through entrepreneurship education. The media has been highlighting the impressive...

Leading Economics Bloggers Share Grim Outlook

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:38:00 -0600

The Kauffman Foundation has released the findings of its inaugural Economic Outlook: A Quarterly Survey of Top Economics Bloggers.As we reported on Monday, more than 200 top economics bloggers who participated in the mid-January survey graded on an A to F grading scale U.S. institutions...

Facts on Job Creation

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:34:00 -0600

In light of President Obama's State of the Union pledge to make the creation of a million jobs his priority in the year to come, the Kauffman Foundation has compiled a list of related facts and studies:• Why it is that young firms—not necessarily small...

Young Firms (and our Nation) Need a Payroll Tax Holiday

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:23:00 -0600

The unemployment pressure does not appear to abate. Layoffs continue every day and despite massive government intervention for economic recovery, there is little evidence of anything more than a slow, prolonged recovery. It is time to give a payroll tax holiday for young firms.Different forms...

Bloggers to Grade Economic Institutions

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:57:00 -0600

On an A to F grading scale, top economics bloggers grade U.S. institutions and organizations that influence the economy in a new Kauffman survey that is coming out tomorrow. The nation's top economics bloggers give the highest marks to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and...

Protecting U.S. Global Dominance in Biomedical Products

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:27:00 -0600

A new Kauffman Foundation paper, The Distributed Partnering Model for Drug Discovery and Development, argues that drug discovery is in jeopardy and recommends a new “distributed partnership model” for speeding therapeutic products to market. In the 20th century, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies were the major...

Tapping your Entrepreneurial IQ

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:25:00 -0600

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative (ELI) have launched a new online program to identify the entrepreneurial mindset. “Mindset: Tapping your entrepreneurial IQ” provides an inside look at the underlying beliefs that drive behavior that enables entrepreneurs to succeed. Are entrepreneurs...

Entrepreneurial Households Fare Better

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:24:00 -0600

New research from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy suggests that business-owning households are more likely than others to have higher income and wealth.Income and Wealth: How Did Households Owning Small Businesses Fare from 1998 to 2007? by George W. Haynes examines how...

NSF’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2010

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:30:00 -0600

The Science and Engineering Indicators 2010 report is now available. Here are a few highlights: The United States remained by far the single largest R&D-performing country. Its R&D expenditure of $369 billion in 2007 exceeded the Asian region’s total of $338 billion and the EU’s (EU-27)...

The Future of Community Development Venture Capital

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:25:00 -0600

When President Barack Obama called for sweeping new restrictions on the ability of commercial banks to make a variety of investments, some started worrying that the restrictions could include investments in community development venture capital (CDVC) funds. The Wall Street Journal reported in “Bank Rules...

EDA Recognizes Importance of New, High-growth Firms

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:21:00 -0600

In a keynote address to a summit hosted by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Northwestern University in Chicago on January 15, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez called for more high-growth entrepreneurship and innovation planned and run by regions’ entrepreneurs and civic...

Senate Asks SBA to Implement FAST Partnership

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:27:00 -0600

Last week, Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) co-signed a letter from the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee to Karen Mills, SBA Administrator, requesting that the SBA swiftly implement the allocated funds for the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership. FAST provides...

Friedman: “More (Steve) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:14:00 -0600

Thomas Friedman had an excellent piece this past weekend on New York Times titled “More (Steve) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” where he called for a more entrepreneur-friendly environment. I recommend that you read the entire op-ed, but here are a few excerpts that drive the...

Real Support for Entrepreneurs: What Are We Waiting For?

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:09:00 -0600

So we know that entrepreneurs are the primary engines of job creation in the United States. Research study after research study has confirmed that it is young firms that drive improvements in the employment situation. From 1980–2005, firms less than five years old accounted for all...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:31:00 -0600

Wednesday, January 27, 2010House Committee Science and Technology - Hearing"The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E): Assessing theAgency’s Progress and Promise in Transforming the U.S. EnergyInnovation System"10:00 AM - 12:00 PMRayburn House Office Building, Room 2318 [more info] Thursday, January 28, 2010 Senate Committee...

Lending to Small Business Shrinks $1B

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:27:00 -0600

Last Friday (Jan. 15), the Treasury Department released a report finding major banks have cut small business lending by $1 billion in November 2009.This marks the seventh straight month of decline in small business lending. The banks' total lending dropped 4.6% in that seven-month period....

Top 50 College Entrepreneurship Programs for 2009

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:24:00 -0600

Colleges and universities are increasingly devoting energy and resources to building attractive entrepreneurship programs. Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review developed a rank of the top 25 undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs in the United States.The top 3 undergraduate programs ranked are:#1 Babson College's Arthur...

The State of Entrepreneurship Address: Policies to Help History Along

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:21:00 -0600

An archived webcast of the "State of Entrepreneurship Address" by Carl Schramm of the Kauffman Foundation is now available. Citing sobering new datathat show a majority of American entrepreneurs do not expect to createjobs in 2010, Schramm delivered "The State of Entrepreneurship" address in which...

EDA Makes $37 Million Available to Create Jobs and Support Entrepreneurship

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:33:00 -0600

The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has announced that nearly $37 million in grants is available to help communities suffering from the adverse effects of import competition develop ways to more effectively compete in the global economy. The funding is available under EDA’s...

Early Career Scientists to Receive Funding to Support Research

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:30:00 -0600

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced that 69 scientists from across the nation will receive up to $85 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for five-year research grants. This effort is part of DOE’s new Early Career Research...

The State of Start-ups

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:30:00 -0600

When President Obama will deliver his first State of the Union address is still unclear. However, with 80 percent of the population believing that new economic growth and jobs will come from entrepreneurs, discussion around what his address should include in terms of policies that...

Watch the Webcast: State of Entrepreneurship Address

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:38:00 -0600

Watch a live Webcast of the Kauffman Foundation's State of Entrepreneurship Address, taking place at the National Press Club in Washington, DC from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ESTKauffman President and CEO Carl Schramm will assess the outlook for entrepreneurship in 2010, including the challenges...

NESTA's Big Green Challenge Winners

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:20:00 -0600

The UK’s National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) has announced the winners of its Big Green Challenge. The Big Green Challenge is NESTA’s £1 million challenge prize designed to stimulate and support community-led responses to climate change. The winners, who had until...

U.S. Commerce Secretary Highlights Innovation System Weaknesses

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:02:00 -0600

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke pointed to severe weaknesses with the US innovation system when he took part in a meeting of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology (PCAST) on January 7. “America simply doesn’t have an efficient system to take new ideas...

Science Park Legislation Introduced in the House

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:50:00 -0600

On Jan 12th, U.S. Representatives Gabrielle Giffords (D -AZ) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced “The Science Parks Research and Innovative New Technologies Act” (SPRINT Act - H.R.4413). The legislation would authorize the Department of Commerce to establish a $7.5 million competitive grants program for feasibility...

Obama's Social Innovation Fund

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:43:00 -0600

The Corporation for National and Community Service will receive public feedback on their draft Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) until the end of this week.SIF is a new public-private initiative created by the 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America...

Steady New Company Creation

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:40:00 -0600

A new Kauffman Foundation study, Exploring Firm Formation: Why Is the Number of New Firms Constant?, reveals that the annual new-business creation in the United States remains remarkably constant across time. This indicates that economic conditions, population growth, scarce or abundant capital, technological advances and...

Hearing This Week

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:37:00 -0600

The following hearing details were announced after our Monday newsletter. It will take place in Palo Alto, CA. Friday, January 15, 2010House Committee on Foreign Affairs – Hearing“The Impact of U.S. Export Controls on National Security, Science and Technological Leadership”10:30 a.m. (Pacific Time)Arrillaga Alumni Center,...

Hotspots for Cleantech

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:51:00 -0600

As everyone continues to look to cleantech as a hot industry for the coming year, what are the best places to be to capitalize on the trend? A recent post from the Cleantech Group ranked the top universities, while an earlier post looked at the...

BYU Recognized for Commercialization Efforts

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:34:00 -0600

Brigham Young University was recently recognized in a BusinessWeek story as an "entrepreneur factory." According to the Association ofUniversity Technology Managers (AUTM), BYU now ranks first in the country inthe number of startups, licenses, and patent applications per research dollarspent. The private Mormon university has...

Ranking the States: South Dakota Down to DC

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:11:00 -0600

South Dakota was recently named the most entrepreneur friendly state in the Small Business Survival Index put out each year by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. The 2009 edition again ranks the policy environment of all 50 states plus the District of Columbia -...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy: No Hearings

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:01:00 -0600

A couple of hearings are scheduled down the road to examine aviation security, but there still isn't much happening on the entrepreneurship front on Capitol Hill -- no relevant hearings or meetings are currently scheduled.

Energy Innovation Summit to Highlight ARPA-E Research Projects

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:47:00 -0600

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu recently announced that the inaugural "ARPA-EEnergy Innovation Summit" will take place March 1-3, 2010 at the GaylordNational Hotel & Convention Center in Washington, DC. The event willserve as a forum for members of the scientific and research communities,investors, technology...

Diaspora Entrepreneurs: From Brain Drain to Brain Gain

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:06:00 -0600

We have long argued that the American model for development assistance could improve dramatically if entrepreneurship becomes a stronger element of economic development efforts. Unfortunately, the importance of new firm creation is a concept that has yet to gain relevance in traditional development models, such as the...

2010 Emerging Scholars

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:10:00 -0600

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced last week the2010 recipients of the Kauffman Emerging Scholars Program, which recognizes theachievements of young scholars who are making significant contributions toresearch in entrepreneurship."Even though entrepreneurship is key to a sustainableeconomy, we have limited knowledge of this vital practice,"...

A Lost Decade? Look to New Firms for Growth

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:19:00 -0600

A new story in the Washington Post paints a pretty grim picture of the 2000s. Consider the fact that since the Great Depression, there have been six decades of continuous job growth -- and that it just ended. The decade that began with extravagant millennium...

VC Outlook for 2010 and Beyond

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:38:00 -0600

2010 will see a gradual increase in investment levels and exit transactions according to Venture View 2010, the annual year-end survey by the National Venture Capital Association. Sixty-three percent of all respondents expect venture investment dollar levels to remain the same or increase from 2009....

Access to Credit Improving... Barely

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:30:00 -0600

A number of sources are indicating that banks are relaxing lending standards -- leading to a slow increase in small business demand for loans. The graph below from the December issue of The Small Business Advocate suggests that brighter days are ahead. The latest report...

A New Year's Resolution

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:07:00 -0600

Since the economic crisis broke out, capitalism has been under the microscope. Many have blamed evil businesses and market forces for the financial meltdown, and have lost confidence in private-sector engagement strategies for recovery. Luckily, in this country many more have experienced the positive impact...

Tidings of Joy: An Optimistic Note for the Holidays

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:12:00 -0600

The spiritof entrepreneurship was alive and well at a recent gathering of more than 400 Georgetownstudents interested in globalization and entrepreneurship. When asked why theycame, it is not surprising that most aspired in some way to make a differenceas a “social innovator.” What was moreof...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy: No Hearings

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:04:00 -0600

As Congress prepares for the holiday, no relevant hearings or meetings have been scheduled.

Legislation to Develop Science Parks Advances

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:50:00 -0600

Last week, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee unanimously passed the Building a Stronger America Act which promises to spur innovation and economicdevelopment through the development of science parks. The Act allows the Secretary of Commerce to guarantee up to 80 percent of loans...

OECD Scoreboard Focuses on Innovation

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:16:00 -0600

The complete OECD Science, Technology andIndustry Scoreboard 2009 is now availablefree online. Scoreboard’s more than 200 internationally comparable qualityindicators provide data and analysis about trends shaping science andinnovation, and answer important policy questions such as: What impact has thecrisis had on innovation and spending on...

Ten Breakthrough Ideas for 2010

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:33:00 -0600

Creating an open, competitive licensingsystem for university innovators (scroll to the bottom of the page for the headline, then click on to the next page for the description) is one of HarvardBusiness Review’s “Ten Breakthrough Ideas for 2010.” This solution -- A Faster Path from...

2009 Hot Research Topics: Entrepreneurship, Jobs and Recovery

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:20:00 -0600

The nation's largest funder of entrepreneurial research, theEwing Marion Kauffman Foundation, announced that the most popular research in 2009 explored pastrecession trends and entrepreneurs' roles in economic recoveries.The Kauffman Foundation has compiled throughout the year itsmost in-demand research, which was mentioned in news stories generating...

U.S. Gives Green Light to Green Tech Patents

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:56:00 -0600

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced last week that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has put in place a new pilot program that will fast-track the review of green technology patents. To be eligible for the expedited review, the patents must materially contribute...

Innovation and Entrepreneurship: What Drives Them

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:17:00 -0600

Robert Litan, Vice President for Research at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and a Senior Fellow of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution explains why entrepreneurship is so important and how it can be promoted in an article for Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) titled...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:35:00 -0600

Thursday December 17, 2009 Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship - Committee HearingMark Up of "The Small Business Export Enhancement and International Trade Act of 2009" and "The Small Business Job Creation and Access to Capital Act of 2009"12:00 pmRussell Senate Office Building, Room 485 [more...

Bailout Funds for Small Businesses

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:26:00 -0600

In a speech at the Brookings Institution last Tuesday, President Obama proposed creating incentives for small businesses to hire more workers as part of recent efforts to boost job creation. "There is only so much government can do," Obama said. "Job creation will ultimately depend...

Innovate to Educate

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:55:00 -0600

President Obama recently announced that the U.S. government is committed to restoring the nation's leadership in educating children in math and science, and launched a new “Educate to Innovate” campaign. The campaign will bring together teachers, parents, businesses and the media to promote math and...

A Reflection on the Jobs Summit

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:02:00 -0600

Pessimism Over Economy Continues

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:39:00 -0600

Last week, we reported on the results from DISCOVER Small Business Watch survey which indicated small business confidence in the economy is still weak. The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ (NFIB) latest Small Business Optimism Index shows similar results. The Index decreased 0.8 points from...

Small Business Size Standards Under Revision

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:50:00 -0600

After 25 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is considering revising the definitions of “small business”. The current broad definition of small business covers businesses with 500 or fewer employees, but the exact definition depends on the type of industry. Comments for the three...

A Job Creator's Visa

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:55:00 -0600

The idea of an entrepreneur’s or start-up visa that grants high-skilled immigrants the right to stay if they start job-generating businesses is gaining traction. Last Wednesday, a Wall Street Journal article laid out the case for it and the next day it was discussed both at a meeting...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:09:00 -0600

Wednesday, Dec 9, 2009 Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - Economic Policy Subcommittee - Hearing"Weathering the Storm: Creating Jobs in the Recession"03:00 pmDirksen Senate Office Building, Rm 538 [more info] Wednesday, Dec 9, 2009Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation - Hearing"Research Parks and Job Creation:...

Entrepreneurship Recommendations at the Obama Jobs Summit

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:36:00 -0600

At yesterday’s White House “Jobs Summit”, Kauffman Foundation president and CEO Carl Schramm laid out five strategies to boost entrepreneurship and create jobs. Schramm, an economist, author on entrepreneurship and former entrepreneur, joined about 130 business leaders, economists and CEOs from across the United States...

Small Businesses’ Views on Health Care

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:35:00 -0600

A Dallas Morning News article recently argued that in Texas, where fewer than 50 percent of private-sector employers offer health insurance, some small firms say they would be more competitive if they dropped coverage and paid the fine that is stipulated in the House bill....

Leaders in the Philippines Look to the U.S. in New Tech Transfer Initiatives

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:25:00 -0600

A new Tech Transfer bill that models the US system is under consideration in the Philippines, where only an estimated 10 percent of university-research output is being transferred into industries. The Technology Transfer Act borrows heavily from the US Bayh-Dole Act.Philippine Senator Angara, co-sponsor of...

Small Business Confidence Declines

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:01:00 -0600

According to the latest DISCOVER Small Business Watch survey, economic confidence among America's small business owners plummeted in November, as more owners cited serious concerns about cash flow and declining economic conditions. Here are a few findings:• 52 percent of owners say they have experienced...

Innovation in Singapore

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:58:00 -0600

Singapore does well on the many global innovation rankings (e.g., it beat US and others to first place on one international innovation index by the Boston Consulting Group ), but the Singapore Competitiveness Report 2009 released by the Asia Competitiveness Institute at the Lee Kuan...

Recovery Act Funds for Small Business Clean Energy Innovation

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:56:00 -0600

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that more than $18 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will support small business’s ability to compete in the clean energy economy. These funds will target clean energy R&D, with an emphasis on near-term...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:32:00 -0600

Wednesday, December 2, 2009 Senate Energy and Natural Resources - Full Committee HearingHearings to examine policy options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.10:00 amDirksen Senate Office Building, Rm 366 [more info]

The Challenges for Youth Entrepreneurship in Ghana

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0600

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has recently released the first place winner of the 2009 CIPE International Essay Competition in the category of entrepreneurship and employment. The article by Saeed Mahmoud Jajah examines “The Current State of Youth Entrepreneurship in Ghana.”After Ghana attained...

The Strategy for Energy Innovation

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:14:00 -0600

PDE staff attended a meeting on “Innovation and the Strategy for Renewable Energy” at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Our report of the event follows:The Tuesday Innovation Policy Discussion Group of the Woodrow Wilson and MIT hosted last week a meeting with Henry Kelly, Principal Deputy...

Why Global Entrepreneurship Week Matters

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:50:00 -0600

(photo courtesy of Pieter Glerum) Days before Global Entrepreneurship Week kicked off, a piece in BusinessWeek by two of the initiative's proponents made the case for why it pays to encourage entrepreneurship among young people around the globe. Written by PDE's Jonathan Ortmans and...

A Global Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:57:00 -0600

[L to R] Dutch Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Jan Kees de Jagerhan, and Jonathan Ortmans of PDE during Global Entrepreneurship Week (photo courtesy of Pieter Glerum) During this past Week I have been “Globe Blogging” and have reported from the road about...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy: No Hearings

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:51:00 -0600

As Congress prepares for the long holiday weekend (and with all eyes onthe looming health care debate), no relevant hearings or meetings havebeen scheduled. The Senate next meets on November 30 & the House ofRepresentatives next meets December 1.

A Renaissance in Entrepreneurship Policy in the Middle East

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:56:00 -0600

Throughout the Arab world, policymakers have been paying attention to the power of entrepreneurship. Hundreds of initiatives are being launched to encourage youth to innovate, learn marketable skills and start their own enterprises. The United Arab Emirates and the Arab Republic of Egypt rank among...

Central and Eastern Europe: the Transition to Entrepreneurial Capitalism

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:53:00 -0600

Austria was the last nation to officially sign up for Global Entrepreneurship Week this year and we are especially grateful to the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) who with little noticed organized one of our global Featured Events - a forum on “Entrepreneurship and...

President Obama Proclaims Support During Global Entrepreneurship Week

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:24:00 -0600

As Global Entrepreneurship Week comes to a close in the US and 88 countries around the world, U.S. President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation supporting those efforts, proclaiming November 16 - 22 to be a national Entrepreneurship Week. In doing so, Obama called "upon...

The Economic Impact on Firm Starts and Exits

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:59:00 -0600

As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (Nov. 16 – 22), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) today unveiled the first indications of how the economic slump has impacted entrepreneurship in the United States and 11 other countries in 2008 and most of 2009....

Policymakers in Egypt Launch Global Entrepreneurship Week

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:53:00 -0600

In Cairo, the Minister of Education, the President of the Financial Supervisory Authority and other high-ranking officials gathered on November 15 for the Launch of the Global Entrepreneurship Week. At this event, participants shared knowledge on how to build an entrepreneurial environment. Egyptian leaders tapped...

Recipe for Success: Experience, Management and Luck

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:38:00 -0600

While there has been an increased interest among policymakers in supporting small businesses as a way to spur job creation and to end the current recession, little has been known about the factors that cultivate and support entrepreneurialism. In conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week, the...

Rising Interest in Entrepreneurship Career Choice

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:35:00 -0600

A new Kauffman Foundation study revealed that interest in entrepreneurship among first-year college students has risen over time. Trends in Business Interest Among U.S. College Students bases its findings on data available through the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, which for 40 years has conducted the...

Global Entrepreneurship Policy Dialogues in Washington, DC

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:26:00 -0600

Washington, D.C, the capital of one of the most entrepreneurial economies and home to the largest international development organizations is alive for this, Global Entrepreneurship Week. Policy events will focus, like others around the world, on the need to globally unleash a new wave of...

Entrepreneurship Globe Blogging Tour

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:08:00 -0600

Welcome to Global Entrepreneurship Week. Throughout this week, I will be reporting in from entrepreneurship policy events around the world. Global Entrepreneurship Week is engaging more than four million participants in 88 countries exploring new venture creation as a career path through mentoring activities, business plan...

France's Early Start on Global Entrepreneurship Week

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:51:00 -0600

Kauffman Foundation Senior Fellow Karen Wilson attended "Les Journees de l'Entrepreneur", a Global Entrepreneurship Week event in France hosted by Ernst & Young. Karen's report of the event follows: France got an early and elegant start on Global Entrepreneurship Week last night with the hosting...

New Perspectives on R&D and Innovation

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:16:00 -0600

On October 22, the European Investment Bank (EIB) held a “Conference in Economics and Finance 2009”, which brought together academics, policy makers and companies to discuss R&D and innovation-related policy issues. Among the topics discussed were the size and productivity effects of investment in R&D...

Sarbanes-Oxley Exemption for Small Businesses

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:13:00 -0600

On Wednesday November 4th, the House Financial Services Committee approved legislation that would permanently exempt some small businesses from having to comply with provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The amendment would exempt companies with a market cap of less than $75 million from having to...

Global Entrepreneurship Week... Coming Soon to a Venue Near You

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:16:00 -0600

What do Snoop Dogg, Prince Charles & Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have in common? They are just a few of the VIPs and world leaders involved in Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative taking 87 countries by storm next week. Some of the...

Cultural Capital for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:03:00 -0600

The record number of pro-entrepreneurship legal and regulatory reforms in the past year among the economies studied by the World Bank’s Doing Business project is welcome news during a time of global economic recession. Prioritizing reforms and learning from global best practices hold enormous potential...

Census Data Analysis Shows New and Young Firms Drive Job Creation

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:58:00 -0600

Today, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released the study Where will the Jobs come from? which shows that companies less than five years old created nearly two-thirds of net new jobs in 2007. These firms create more net new jobs than their older counterparts, as...

Homepreneurs' Impact on the Economy

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:38:00 -0600

A new analysis by Emergent Research, Homepreneurs: A Vital Economic Force, argues that home-based businesses are not only operating successfully, but also making contributions to employment and the economy. The researchers analyzed data from U.S. Census and the Small Business Success Index, along with Small...

Innovation in Recessionary Times

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:06:00 -0600

It appears that the recession has forced the corporate sector to improve its approach to innovation. Booz & Company’s annual study of corporate R&D spending revealed that most companies have continued with their innovation programs despite the economic downturn, and that many are even increasing...

China Aims to Bolster High-tech Sector with VC funds

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:02:00 -0600

In an effort to support the country's growing high-tech sector, China's economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, announced the launch of venture capital funds totaling 9 billion yuan (equivalent to USD $1.32 billion). The funds are jointly backed by the state (1...

Federal Grants for Youth Entrepreneurship

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 -0600

On Oct. 29, the U.S. State Department's Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI) announced on grants.gov that it expects to award a maximum of two discretionary cooperative agreements for projects that will encourage youth entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa.This funding...

Caught the Entrepreneurial Bug? Don’t Procrastinate

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:14:00 -0600

If you often find yourself quietly thinking “I know a better way to do this” or “I could create something new that would make this easier for everyone,” you are a potential entrepreneur. Don’t waste that potential. The economy needs you more than ever.In times...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:47:00 -0600

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee - Hearing"Hearings to examine increasing health costs facing small businesses."02:30 pmDirksen Senate Office Building, Rooom 430 [more info] Wednesday, November 4, 2009House Small Business Committee - Hearing"Small Businesses and the Estate Tax: Identifying Reforms...

Small Businesses Important Players in the Economic Future

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:43:00 -0500

The SBA Office of Advocacy’s new Small Business Profile for the United States highlights that small businesses are important players in U.S. business and job growth.The profile includes details about small business employment, business starts and closings, bank lending in 2008, the demographics of business...

Trends in Angel Investment Behavior

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:31:00 -0500

Angel investors pulled back in the first half of 2009, according to the newly released analysis by for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Total investments in first and second quarters of 2009 were $9.1 billion, a decrease of 27 percent over...

A New Extension for SBA Programs

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:35:00 -0500

On Monday, the Senate unanimously passed legislation (S.1929) to temporarily extend all the Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, which include the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The legislation will extend these programs through April 30, 2010.On her statement...

A Stimulus for Entrepreneurship

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:38:00 -0500

Last week, PDE reported on several measures under discussion in Washington that would put entrepreneurs at the forefront of recovery efforts. Some of these measures are moving quickly. On Friday, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair, Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., introduced a bill...

Universities: Incubators of Entrepreneurial Talent

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:50:00 -0500

Not too long ago, entrepreneurship education was part of the curriculum of few university programs across the country. In 2003, the Kauffman Campuses initiative started to help seed cross-campus entrepreneurship programs at dozens of American universities, thereby allowing more young people to explore their entrepreneurial...

Entrepreneurs’ Perspective on Healthcare Reform

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:30:00 -0500

PDE staff attended a U.S. Senate hearing entitled “Reform Done Right: Sensible Health Care Solutions for America’s Small Businesses" held by the Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship. Our report of the event follows:On Oct. 20th, policymakers examined the impact of the current healthcare system...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:12:00 -0500

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 House Science and Technology Committee - Technology and Innovation Subcommittee – Hearing "Developing Research Priorities at DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate"2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2318 (WEBCAST)[more info]Tuesday, October 27-29, 2009 Senate Environment and Public Works...

The Jobless Economic Recovery

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:06:00 -0500

The New America Foundation organized a symposium on “The Jobs Deficit: The Challenge of Putting America Back to Work.” Our report of the event follows:The New America Foundation event gathered a large crowd of economic and political analysts, policymakers and public opinion leaders, who considered...

Tax Policy and Small and Medium-size Enterprise

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:03:00 -0500

A new tax policy study by the OECD explores impediments to small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) posed by the cost of tax compliance. The report, Taxation of SMEs: Key Issues and Policy Considerations, examines a range of tax issues affecting SMEs, including the possible influence...

Achieving Scale in Entrepreneurship

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:42:00 -0500

The economic downturn has renewed interest on how to generate more “job creators” in our economies. A new global movement will launch a celebration in November, promising to unleash entrepreneurial potential around the world: Global Entrepreneurship Week. Founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and...

A Problem with a Gift in Its Hands

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0500

I have always liked the story of the CEO who sends two shoe salesmen to Africa. When they report back, one says “Bad news, they don’t wear shoes here”. The other reports excitedly “Wonderful news boss, they have no shoes”.One of the worst features of...

Universities as Drivers of Innovation

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:27:00 -0500

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) recently sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing called “Enhancing Universities’ Role in Innovation.” Our report of the event follows:The featured proposal of this briefing outlined how the federal government can help formulate a scalable model for commercializing the technology...

A Shift in Mandate: Federal Bailout Funds for Small Businesses

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:02:00 -0500

It seems like some policymakers have decided to invest directly in the most powerful job creators, small businesses. The Washington Post unveiled this morning that there are a few plans under discussion in Washington to boost job creation and the recovery by making bailout funds...

Clean Tech Job Trends

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:35:00 -0500

A new report from Clean Edge highlights clean-tech employment trends in the U.S. and globally. Clean Tech Job Trends 2009 is an analysis of how clean-tech jobs are changing the face of industry, where the hotbeds of growth exist, and whether current clean-tech salaries are...

The Under 30 Entrepreneurial Generation

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:25:00 -0500

Inc. just launched its annual 30 Under 30 list. I encourage you to take a look at the site featuring profiles of young minds that are changing everything from office settings to the way other start-ups can succeed. For example, Elliot Bisnow started the Summit...

Top Cities to Launch a Start-up

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:37:00 -0500

This week, the Fortune Small Business magazine and the Kauffman Foundation announced the 50 best places to launch a business in the United States. The top 10 large cities (defined in the study as having a population of 1 million or higher) are: Oklahoma City, OK Pittsburgh,...

Health Care Reform: Don’t Shortchange our Growth Drivers

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:37:00 -0500

On the heels of the Senate Finance Committee’s long-awaited vote on its health care bill, I thought it would be helpful to once more comment on its effect on our entrepreneurs. The status quo in healthcare undermines entrepreneurship: small businesses are paying a higher cost...

The Entrepreneurial Potential of Postdoctoral Researchers

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:56:00 -0500

The Kauffman Foundation welcomed its inaugural class of Entrepreneur Postdoctoral Fellows for its fall program workshop. The weeklong workshop "From Postdoc to Startup" will introduce the 13 selected Fellows to experts who can help them commercialize their innovations and start new firms."From Postdoc to Startup”...

The Health of Regulation for Medical Innovation

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:55:00 -0500

PDE staff attended a Capitol Hill briefing on “Incentives for Innovation: Protecting America’s Greatest Innovators” sponsored by the Council for American Medical Innovation. Our report of the event follows:The third and final briefing of a series entitled "Recovery Through Discovery" focused on how government policies...

New York City’s Innovation Performance

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:20:00 -0500

A new study by the Center for an Urban Future, a Manhattan-based think tank, shows that New York City has great research universities and research centers, but is underperforming in turning scientific advances into start-up businesses.The report, Building New York City's Innovation Economy, details why...

Entrepreneurship Guidance in the Career Center

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:47:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has recognized an important player in entrepreneurship education. It has awarded a grant to The Launch Pad, the entrepreneurship resource component of the Toppel Career Center at the University of Miami that helps students explore and launch new firms while...

Europe's Entrepreneurial Challenge

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:22:00 -0500

The Doing Business 2010 reporthighlighted how the financial crisis has prompted governments to act inareas where regulatory reform may be more difficult and require moretime. The report states that in times of recession, “the more quicklythe assets of nonviable firms can be freed up, the easier it...

Third Age Entrepreneurs

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:14:00 -0500

The UK’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) has recently published a report on The grey economy. Authors Ron Botham and Andrew Graves argue that as the UK population is getting older, the economic contribution of people aged 50 and over is...

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:39:00 -0500

Boulevard of Broken Dreams is the title of Josh Lerner’s forthcoming book where he provides the first extensive look at the ways governments have supported entrepreneurs and venture capitalists across decades and continents, and why some are successful and others are not.Josh Lerner is the...

New Office for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:36:00 -0500

Last week, the U.S. government took a bold move in favor of entrepreneurs. At the Inc. 500/5000 conference, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke announced the formation of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, as well as a National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Secretary...

America’s Last-place Performance

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:31:00 -0500

On Monday, September 28, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) Senior Analyst Stephen Ezell presented findings from a report appearing in September’s Democracy: A Journal of Ideas. In the report, Ezell discusses the strategies of the worlds’ ten most innovation-forward countries. Ezell argues that the...

Keys to Economic Growth and Global Competitiveness

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:47:00 -0500

PDE staff attended a Capitol Hill briefing on comparative innovation policy sponsored by the National Research Council. Our report of the event follows: A September 22nd Capital Hill briefing on research, science, and technology (R-S-T) parks sought to convince policymakers that promoting innovation and commercialization...

Rockstar Entrepreneurs Don't Come to Washington

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:24:00 -0500

If you have ever been around somebody trying to start or grow abusiness, you know that entrepreneurs don’t have time for much else,especially not for going to Washington to help keep policymakers up todate on how to encourage high growth entrepreneurship in America—nothurt it. When...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:06:00 -0500

Tuesday, September 29, 2009Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship - Hearing“Reform Done Right: Sensible Health Care Solutions for America’s Small Businesses.”Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 562 [more info] Wednesday, September 30, 2009 House Committee on Science and Technology - Energy and Environment Subcommittee –...

Hot Topic: Research and Innovation Infrastructure

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:15:00 -0500

There has been a lot of talk about research parks lately. Here are few ideas that have been discussed lately.Science Progress, a project of the Center for American Progress, recently released a report on the federal government and the growth of regional innovation clusters, The...

How to Train Future Innovative Entrepreneurs

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:10:00 -0500

Universities and colleges have increasingly established entrepreneurship education programs in the past few decades. In an effort to more fully understand the outcomes of this education, the SBA’s Office of Advocacy released an initial analysis of the impact of entrepreneurship programs.The report, “Toward Effective Education...

Entrepreneurs' Movement Launches at Inc. 500

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:20:00 -0500

In a piece on the Huffington Post, Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, outlines the rationale for a new movement to support America's entrepreneurs. Schramm points to the fact that "since 1980, all net job growth has come from businesses less than...

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:23:00 -0500

Despite the gloomy outlook from entrepreneurs on the status of the U.S. economic recovery, a recent story in the Wall Street Journal suggests that entrepreneurs are typically a happy bunch. Somewhat surprising numbers considering the risk and long hours involved in running one's own business, but...

What Do Entrepreneurs Think?

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:59:00 -0500

A new survey of American entrepreneurs conducted by theEwing Marion Kauffman Foundation revealed that entrepreneurs continue tostruggle despite increasing optimism about the economy on Wall Street and thatthey want government to do more to encourage entrepreneurship. Conducted one week before Federal Reserve Chairman BenBernanke...

An Emerging National Innovation Strategy

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:48:00 -0500

While President Obama has said a lot of the right things about innovation and entrepreneurship, a number have pointed to a disconnect between those words and the actions and policies emerging from the Administration. Earlier today, the president again addressed the topic from Hudson Valley...

Challenges to Translational Research

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:07:00 -0500

PDE staff participated in a Capitol Hill briefing on translational research sponsored by the Council for American Medical Innovation. Our report of the event follows:On Thursday, September 17, the Council for American Medical Innovation brought together policy experts for its Capitol Hill briefing “Translational Research:...

NSBA on Small Business Energy Efficiency

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:03:00 -0500

The National Small Business Association (NSBA) released a new report on energy efficiency, “On-Bill Financing: Helping Small Business Reduce Emissions and Energy Use While Improving Profitability.” The report argues that small business could collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 259 million tons each year if...

Seed Capital, Entrepreneurs and Economic Recovery

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Last week, I participated in the NASVF Annual Conference inOklahoma City where experts discussed again how to ensure that creditcrunches do not negatively impact start-up performance.The goodnews is that those gathering at this conference started from a commonappreciation that entrepreneurship cannot be on the sidelines ofeconomic and...

This Week in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:44:00 -0500

Tuesday, September 22, 2009Senate Committee on Finance - Open Executive Session"Business meeting to consider an original bill providing for health care reform."9:00 a.m.Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216 [more info] Tuesday, September 22, 2009Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship - Roundtable"Small Business...

Developments in Washington from the Perspective of Small Businesses

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:42:00 -0500

PDE staff participated in a Virtual Summit organized by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Our report of the event follows:On September 15, the NFIB held a Virtual Summit featuring interesting debates on the impact of health care reform proposals and the state of...

Matching Youth Unemployment with Entrepreneurship

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:21:00 -0500

Youth unemployment rates are soaring worldwide. That rate recently reached 15% in the UK, a record 25.5% in the U.S., and much higher numbers in other countries whereeconomic growth and opportunity have long failed to keep pace with thegrowing number of young people entering the labor force. However, youthunemployment...

Fernandez confirmed at EDA

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:08:00 -0500

President Obama's selection to head the Economic Development Administration, John Fernandez, was confirmed yesterday by the U.S. Senate. The following is a press release issued by the Commerce Department: JOHN R. FERNANDEZ CONFIRMED AS U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTWASHINGTON -- U.S. Commerce Secretary...

The Building Blocks of Innovation

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:29:00 -0500

PDE staff attended today a briefing on education and immigration hosted by the Council for American Medical Innovation. Our report of the event follows:At a Capitol Hill briefing titled "Education & Immigration: Building Blocks of Innovation," the Council for American Medical Innovation President Debra Lappin...

'Doing Business' Rankings Stimulating Reform

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:48:00 -0500

The overview of the Doing Business Report 2010 is now available. Since 2004, the World Bank’s Doing Business project has been tracking regulatory reforms in 10 areas of business regulation that record the time and cost to meet government requirements in starting and operating a...

US Falls in Global Competitiveness Rankings

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:43:00 -0500

The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, an assessment of the productive potential of nations worldwide, is now available. Switzerland tops the overall competitiveness rankings, followed by the United States. The U.S. fell to second position after several years at the top of the...

Small Businesses FAQs

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:42:00 -0500

The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy released its annual update to its “Frequently Asked Questions” document. It estimates that there were 29.6 million small businesses in the U.S. in 2008. An estimated 627,200 new employer firms began operation in 2008, and 595,600 firms closed...

Entrepreneurs As a Solution to Policy Challenges

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:57:00 -0500

In the past few months, we have highlighted through articles and factsheets how public policy can make the path easier for entrepreneurship and innovation. With the Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship, we hope to emphasize not only how policies can foster entrepreneurs, but also how entrepreneurship can directly be part of...

Modernizing the Labor Movement: “The Entrepreneurial Union”

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:39:00 -0500

Amy Wilkinson, senior fellow at Harvard University’s Center for Business and Government and public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, has been researching and writing about entrepreneurial leadership. In a recent piece for the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled “The Entrepreneurial...

Regulate Venture Capitalists?

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:41:00 -0500

A discussion on regulating venture capitalists is building up as new legislative proposals in Congress would require private pools of investment capital to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The objectives of such legislation are to protect the public from abuses and...

Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Deadline Approaching

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:19:00 -0500

This is a reminder that the deadline for the 2010 Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program is approaching quickly -- all proposals must be submitted by 7:00 p.m. (Central) on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation supports doctoral students through the Kauffman Dissertation...

Boom in Entrepreneurship Just Down the Road

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:53:00 -0500

Earlier this summer, we reported on a recent study by Dane Stangler of the Kauffman Foundation that showed Baby Boomers are sparking a rise in entrepreneurship and that young, tech-savvy upstarts like Mark Zuckerberg and Kevin Rose were still outliers. Yesterday, Carl Schramm, president and...

SBA Expands Microloan Program

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:42:00 -0500

The Small BusinessAdministration (SBA) has expanded its Microloan program as Recovery Act fundsare making their way into access to capital programs for small businesses. Theincreased funds -- an additional $50 million for loans and $24 million for technical assistance from the the American Recovery and...

In the National Interest: High-Skill Immigration Reform

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:30:00 -0500

Before the August congressional recess, key Senators anticipated thatan immigration reform bill will be ready for the Senate to considerthis fall. Given that congressional action on immigration could startsoon, it is time again to highlight why the U.S. needs a smartimmigration reform that considers high-skilled immigrants’ contributions...

U.S. R&D Tax Credit Sagging

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:11:00 -0500

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) continues toargue in favor of corporate tax reform. In “U.S. Continues to Tread Water in Global R&D Tax Incentives”, ITIF’s Robert Atkinson contends that the United States’ R&D credit has fallen so far behind compared to other nations...

FCC Examining Wireless Innovation

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:40:00 -0500

The FCC is pointing to innovation in wireless communications as a major driver for near-term ecomic recovery and long-term growth. On Thursday August 27, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved a sweeping investigation into the wireless industry. The move is being broadly reported as...

Exploring Innovation Clusters

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:20:00 -0500

The OECD has a new publication exploring the challenges OECD countries now face in sustainingtheir positions and the lessons for other places seeking to build successfulclusters. Titled “Clusters, Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, the book addresses the followingquestions: What are the key factors forcluster success? What problems are...

SBA Introduces YouTube Channel

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:35:00 -0500

The Small Business Administration recently launched it's own YouTube channel, joining an increasing number of federal agencies that are taking advantage of the popular video-sharing platform to reach a larger audience.The channel will carry a variety of content aimed at helping support entrepreneurs and small...

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Economic Bloggers

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:56:00 -0500

Earlier this year, the Kauffman Foundation played host to a collection of economic bloggers for an open discussion on the economic meltdown occurring at the time. Now, the Foundation has released a video that shares the insights of some of the country's most widely-read economic...

Nordstrom versus Sing Sing

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:59:00 -0500

by Tom SullivanIt is startling how quickly the mood of ourcountry has shifted. It seemed like justyesterday when the majority of Americans were optimistic about new leadershipin Washington and optimistic for our country's future. Now, when Members of Congress are home andmeeting with their constituents...

Immigrants a Plus for the Economy

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:26:00 -0500

Immigrants create more jobs than they take. That is the take home message appearing in a recent issue of Newsweek from the following 'Smart List' item: Lou Dobbs, take note: immigrants are good for our economy. The most skilled create jobs in technology and engineering,...

Liability Litigation and Entrepreneurship: A Delicate Balance

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Last week, I highlighted the need for a smart regulation frameworkthat doesn’t inhibit entrepreneurship. Today, I would like talk aboutliability litigation in more specificity. All businesses should beconcerned about the inherent risk of bringing a new product or serviceto the market. However, entrepreneurship can suffer...

Documenting the Impact of Broadband on Small Businesses

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:33:00 -0500

The Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy islooking for a contractor to conduct a study to evaluate the impact of broadband speed and priceon small businesses. Advocacy offers toprovide assistance in obtaining access to non-proprietary FederalCommunications Commission (FCC) and other agency data, if necessary.The study...

Science and the Public

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:18:00 -0500

A new report by the Pew ResearchCenter for the People& the Press in collaboration with the American Association for theAdvancement of Science (AAAS) found that the majority of Americans think"that science has had a positive effect on society” and that science hasmade life easier for...

Quarterly Indicators: Optimism Increasing Slightly

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:12:00 -0500

Thelatest update to the SBA Office of Advocacy’s Quarterly Indicators: TheEconomy and Small Business is now available. Real GDP fell only 1 percent in the second quarter of 2009compared to the previous quarter's 6.4 percent drop. Accordingly, smallbusiness owners seemed more optimistic in the second...

Cutting Anti-entrepreneurial Red Tape through Smart Regulation

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:06:00 -0500

As with any politically loaded term, any attempt at honestdiscussion of ‘regulation’ risks getting caught up in a web ofassumptions and intellectual shortcuts. One common fallacy is to putgovernment regulation (e.g. patent laws, health care, tax complianceregulations, etc.) on one end of a continuum in...

Fellowship will Nurture 'Scientist-founders'

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:20:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced recently that it has selected 13 leading scientific postdoctoral researchers to become the first class of Kauffman Postdoctoral Fellows. The thirteen postdoctoral Fellows will receive support from an academic advisor to mentor him/her on matters beyond research, and an...

The EU Regional Research System

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:34:00 -0500

A report by the European Commission titled Europe's Regional Research Systems: Current Trends and Structures provides interesting insights into R&D practices in that continent. This report is one of the main outcomes of the project to strengthen the foundations of the European Research Area.The report...

Small Business Costs and Employment Across Countries

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:32:00 -0500

A newly released paper by John Schmitt and Nathan Lane from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) argues that, contrary to popular perceptions, the United States has a much smaller small-business sector (as a share of total employment) than other industrialized countries. The authors...

Silver-lining Views among the Laid-Offs

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:58:00 -0500

A new SnagAJob.com survey, suggest that some laid-off workers feel encouraged. For an analysis of this survey, check out this article highlighting the companies started by laid-off people during this recession.Other studies and data have already made the case for entrepreneurship during recessions. We now...

Credit Card Debt Threatens Startup Survival

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:55:00 -0500

According to a new study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, while credit card debt often fills startup firms' equity gap, it reduces the likelihood that a new business will survive its first three years of operation.Credit card debt provides needed short-term funding, but it...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:04:00 -0500

The Senate will begin recess this week. When Congressional activities resume on Sep 8, 2009, we will continue to keep you informed about relevant hearings. Wednesday, August 12Senate Small Business Committee - Portsmouth Hearing “Small Business Survival, Weathering the Economy, Creating Jobs, and What the...

Broadband Internet Grants

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:03:00 -0500

Two broadband internet grants guides became available this week for small businesses interested in applying for $4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants to bring broadband internet service to underserved and rural communities across the nation. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship...

Chicago: A Systems Approach to K-12 STEM Education

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:57:00 -0500

On Thursday, June 30, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Research and Science Education Subcommittee held a hearing to examine how the private, public, and nonprofit sectors in an urban K-12 system can work together to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education...

Request for GAO Study on Trade Policies to Help Small Firms

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:56:00 -0500

Gene Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), was asked last Monday for a study on the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee’s (TPCC) progress in implementing an effective government-wide strategy to promote exporting for small businesses. The request came from Senate Committee...

Rebound in VC Cleantech Investment

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:53:00 -0500

In the second quarter of 2009, VC investment in cleantech companies reached $572 million, an increase of 73% in terms of capital, with 48 financing rounds, a 100% increase in number of transactions compared to the first quarter of this year, according to an Ernst...

Updated Statistics of U.S. Businesses

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:50:00 -0500

The Census Bureau has released 2005-2006 updates to the Statistics of U.S. Businesses. The SBA Office of Advocacy, which partially funded this project, announced that the newly added data include business openings/closings and job creation/destruction by industry and geographic location. A new component of this...

SBIR Temporarily Extended

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:56:00 -0500

On Friday, July 31, President Obama signed into law “The Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act Temporary Extension” (S. 1513), which temporarily reauthorizes the Small Business Innovation (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs until September 30, 2009. This new two...

Ideas on Corporate Tax Reform

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:26:00 -0500

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) released a new report, Effective Corporate Tax Reform in the Global Innovation Economy, in which Robert Atkinson examines the issue of corporate tax reform.At the release of the report, C. Fritz Foley, Associate Professor at the Harvard Business...

“Can Washington Power Up Inventiveness?”

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:24:00 -0500

That was the title of the July 20 event of the New America Foundation, in which the Kauffman Foundation’s Bob Litan laid out some principles to provide a sense of direction in the heavy debate on whether innovative entrepreneurship lies in the hands of government...

Press Conference on the Health Insurance Reform

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:17:00 -0500

Yesterday at a press conference at the Capitol, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La., Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., discussed the effects skyrocketing health care costs on small businesses and...

Research Contracting Opportunities at the SBA

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:54:00 -0500

The SBA Office of Advocacy is receiving research proposals on the status of small businesses, which may provide policymaking insight or serve as a foundation for further research. Areas of continuing interest include:- The Tax Gap and Small Business- Credit Markets for Small Businesses in...

Access to Credit Studies

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:52:00 -0500

The SBA's Office of Advocacy recently released “Small Business In Focus: Finance," a compendium of studies offering insights into the ways small businesses have used financing over recent decades. These insights are based on data from the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Small Business Finances...

Entrepreneurship Law Website

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:50:00 -0500

The Kauffman Foundation now offers “e-Law,” an online community and tool devoted to expanding legal entrepreneurship curriculum and education. The eLaw website is made up of two sections. The public section contains current information for lawyers, CPAs, engineers, scientists, and the general public regarding legal...

Entrepreneurial Population Dynamics

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:26:00 -0500

An aging country doesn’t strike one as an entrepreneurial society, but Dane Stangler from the Kauffman Foundation put together various pieces of evidence suggesting that we are “on the cusp of an entrepreneurship boom.” In a new report, "The Coming Entrepreneurship Boom," Dane explains that...

Entrepreneurial Approach to Innovation in Pediatric Devices

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:09:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced on July 21st that it is partnering with the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health in awarding a grant to create a Pediatric Medical Device Innovation fellowship team at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The fellowship team is...

Exploring Women's Participation in STEM Education

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:07:00 -0500

In a hearing last week, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Research and Science Education Subcommittee examined current research findings, best practices, and the role of federal agencies in increasing the interest of girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in primary and...

Perspectives on IPOs

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:03:00 -0500

Entrepreneurs making a decision about obtaining angel versus venture financing should consider a new research finding that there are substantial differences in how angel investors and venture capitalists approach initial public offerings (IPOs).The Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) presented...

This Week in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:52:00 -0500

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 House Science and Technology Committee - Full Committee MarkupThe Committee will meet to consider the following measures or for other purposes:H.R. 3246, Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009H.R. 3165, Wind Energy Research and Development Act of 2009H.R. 3029, To establish a...

A Seemingly Simple Concept: Cost Matters

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:57:00 -0500

Recognizing Outstanding Scientific Entrepreneurs

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:53:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the National Postdoctoral Association announced today that nominations have opened for the Outstanding Postdoctoral Entrepreneur Award, which recognizes a researcher who has successfully brought his or her discovery to market. The winner of the award, which includes a $10,000...

The Research & Experimentation Tax Credit

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:26:00 -0500

Last week, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing on "Helping Small Business Innovators through the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit." Led by the Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology, members listened to the experience of technology entrepreneurs in utilizing this tool, commonly known...

Economy Will Revive with Help from Entrepreneurs

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:58:00 -0500

Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy recently released its annual report The Small Business Economy. In an accompanying letter to the President, the report affirms that “the economy will revive, with help from America’s entrepreneurs.” This new edition documents the effects of the 2008 recession on...

TARP Funds for Small Businesses?

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:54:00 -0500

The Obama Administration revealed last week that an initiative to redirect some of the $700 billion TARP funds away from banks and towards helping small businesses is on the table. Although no amounts have been specified, this new initiative would represent a significant shift...

Update on SBIR Reauthorization

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:04:00 -0500

Late on Monday (07/13/2009), the Senate passed S. 1233 via unanimous consent. This bill would reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through 2023 and change the eligibility criterion for VC-backed firms. This bill would let the National...

SBA Funding on the Rise

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:16:00 -0500

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Financial Services Appropriations Bill, which incorporates a $22 million increase for the Small Business Administration (SBA) over the President’s request. The bill allocates a total of $697 million in funding for the Small Business Administration (SBA) and...

House Approves SBIR Reauthorization

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:37:00 -0500

On July 8, 2009 the House of Representatives approved H.R. 2965, the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 2009 by a vote of 386-41. This legislation would reauthorize through 2011 the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs....

Indicators of Entrepreneurial Tendencies

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:21:00 -0500

A newly released report by the Kauffman Foundation, Anatomy of an Entrepreneur, reveals that the majority of entrepreneurs had early propensity toward starting companies, judging by their academic performance and socio-economic backgrounds. For the study, author Vivek Wadwha surveyed 549 entrepreneurs in high-growth industries, including...

Gender and High-Tech Entrepreneurship

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:12:00 -0500

A new research paper, Sources of Financing for New Technology Firms: A Comparison by Gender, shows that women continue to use a different financial strategy and lag behind men-owned firms in numerous performance measures over time. The study is fifth in a series of Kauffman...

Dissertation Fellowships Available

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:23:00 -0500

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is now accepting proposals for the 2010 Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program. The Kauffman Foundation supports doctoral students through the Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program. The Foundation will award up to 15 Dissertation Fellowship grants of $20,000 each to Ph.D., D.B.A. or...

Obama Announces Choice to Head EDA

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:38:00 -0500

President Obama announced on Monday his nomination of John Fernandez to head the Economic Development Administration as the new Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Most recently, Fernandez worked for the Indianapolis-based law firm ofKrieg Devault, advising private and governmental organizations oneconomic development, public...

Inc.'s Lemonade Stand Contest

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:07:00 -0500

Who says that the little guys never get any recognition? Inc. magazine is calling for entries into its annual "Best Lemonade Stand in America" contest to highlight the entrepreneurial chops of business-savvy 5 - 12 year olds. Top prize last year went to a pair...

Financial History... the Backstory Behind All History

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:45:00 -0500

A new PBS series, sponsored in part by the Kauffman Foundation, called "The Ascent of Money" promises to take viewers on a journey chronicling the role of money in human progress in a new light. An initial two-hour version of the documentary, which aired last...

BERR Becomes BIS... with a New Fund of Funds

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:02:00 -0500

Early in June, the UK's Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform got a facelift -- merging with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to become the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It also has a new venture capital 'fund of funds'...

Is a Green Boom Coming?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:18:00 -0500

A recently released report explores how entrepreneurial small business are combating the recession, creating new jobs and economic growth, and tackling energy and environmental challenges through a technological and cultural revolution.The report, Small Wonders, predicts that clean energy innovations will lead to a "green entrepreneurial...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:35:00 -0500

Wednesday, July 8, 2009House Small Business Committee - Hearing"The Looming Challenge for Small Medical Practices: The Future Physician Shortage and How Health Care Reforms Can Address the Problem"10:00 AM2360 Rayburn House Office Building [more info] Wednesday, July 8, 2009 House Science and Technology Committee -...

Cap-and-Trade Moves to the Senate

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:36:00 -0500

Recently, the House of Representatives narrowly voted (219 to 212) in favor of the gargantuan H. R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, sponsored by Representatives Henry Waxman of California and Edward Markey of Massachusetts. At the heart of this over 1,200-page legislation...

The Condition of U.S. Research Universities

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:38:00 -0500

Four Members of Congress have asked the National Academies to assess the competitive position of our research universities, both public and private. In a letter delivered on June 22 to the Ralph Cicerone (President of the National Academy of Sciences), Harvey Fineberg (President of the...

Calling All Entrepreneurship Scholars

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:56:00 -0500

Over the past decade, study of the field of entrepreneurship has expanded considerably -- both in terms of curriculum offered for students as well as academic research and the volume of data it generates. Two items of interest for those who focus on the latter.Over...

Creating a White House Office of Innovation Policy

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:14:00 -0500

The innovation legislation pieces discussed yesterday in the House Committee on Science and Technology corresponded with three sectors of innovation policies—information technology, energy, and services—discussed at a gathering I attended the same day by The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF). Stuart Benjamin and Arti...

Bills to Stimulate Innovation Advance

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:19:00 -0500

On Wednesday June 24, the House Committee on Science and Technology held a markup on H.R. 2965, the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 2009. This Act reauthorizes and revises the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) program, which stimulates development of commercial...

Senate Committee Votes to Reauthorize SBIR-STTR

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:26:00 -0500

In a closed session late last week, the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship unanimously passed two bills to reauthorize and improve a number of Small Business Administration (SBA) programs. PDE staff covered a roundtable discussion on these issues earlier in June....

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:48:00 -0500

Below, we highlight some hearings and events on policy areas that intersect with entrepreneurship. Monday, June 22, 2009Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship - Field Hearing“Missed Opportunities: The ARRA and the NIH/SBIR exclusion” 1:00 PM ETStella B. Warner Montgomery County Council Office Bldg, 7th...

Entrepreneurship Not on G8 Radar

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:13:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand last week for a conference to discuss the priorities of the upcoming G8 conference in Italy, including the global economic crisis. Ourreport of the event, hosted by the Centerfor Strategic & International Studies and the Italian Embassy, follows: This...

More Recommendations Supporting VC-Backed Firm Access to SBIR-STTR

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:48:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand last week for a hearing of the House Committee on Small Business taking yet another look at the reauthorization of the SBIR and STTR programs. Our report of the hearing--Legislative Initiatives to Strengthen and Modernize the SBIR and STTR Programs--follows:This...

Next Cities Attract Innovative Youth

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:03:00 -0500

What does it take for a city to attract young professionals? Next Generation Consulting asked just this in compiling its "Next Cities" rankings of the best places to live and work for young professionals (defined as 20-40 year olds). “Simply being the cheapest place to...

An Entrepreneurial Silver Lining

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:23:00 -0500

While reports on our current recession are inescapable, there is one positive piece of news -- rates of entrepreneurship increase during times of recession. Admittedly, a number of new firms can be attributed to necessity entrepreneurs -- those who start a firm because they have...

New SBA Program Starts Today

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:13:00 -0500

Small businesses needing assistance with making payments on existing debts have a new option starting today -- the American Recovery Capital (ARC) program from the Small Business Administration (SBA). This new emergency lending program aims to help businesses that have not missed a payment yet...

Cap and Trade Not Enough

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:53:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand earlier this week for a panel discussion held by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) on Capitol Hill. Our report of the event--Is Cap and Trade Enough? Why Reducing Emissions Depends on Technology Innovation Panel Discussion--follows:The Information Technology and...

Entrepreneurial Development

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:47:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand earlier this week for a roundtable held by the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Our report of the event--Entrepreneurial Development: Investing in Small Businesses to Strengthen Our Economy--follows:In preparation for the reauthorization of the Small Business Administration (SBA), the...

A Bill on the Future of SBIR

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:41:00 -0500

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship introduced this week a legislation to reauthorize the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program along with the Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR), which were scheduled to expire at the end of July...

Trade Opportunities for Small Businesses

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:41:00 -0500

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, (D-La), introduced a bill to help increase small business trade opportunities. S.1196, The Small Business International Trade Enhancements Act of 2009 improves the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of International Trade to help small...

House Approves Two Bills for Inter-Agency Coordination in S&T

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:38:00 -0500

The science and technology bills are moving along the legislative process. The House of Representatives approved yesterday two bills that originated in the Committee on Science and Technology and that share the common theme of interagency coordination and knowledge-sharing.H.R. 1736, the International Science and Technology...

Excellence in Economic Development

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:50:00 -0500

Secretary Locke (left) with PDE's Jonathan Ortmans at a previous meeting discussing entrepreneurship as a means of economic development Last week, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced the seven winners of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Excellence in Economic Development Awards 2009. “Excellence Award winners exemplify the...

Rebuilding an Infrastructure Needs Entrepreneurs

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:59:00 -0500

Shovel ready (adj.): Ready for immediate commencement of excavation and construction Initial reports on President Obama's stimulus package have introduced a new expression into our everyday language. While only intended as a criteria for government spending, "shovel ready" brings back images of the public works...

Legislative Initiatives to Modernize & Strengthen SBIR and STTR

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:06:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand last week for a hearing held by the House Small Business Subcommitte on Contracting and Technology. Our report of the hearing--Legislative Initiatives to Strengthen and Modernize the SBIR and STTR Programs--follows:The reauthorization of the Small Business and Innovation Research (SBIR)...

Financing the Entrepreneurial Recovery

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:48:00 -0500

Watch leading economists, researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs address how to finance the only path to a sustainable economic recovery: an entrepreneurial renaissance. Financing the Entrepreneurial Recovery, a summit sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation, is being held on Wednesday, June 10 at NYSE Euronext from 9:00...

SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Focus of Roundtable Discussion

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:04:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand earlier this week for a roundtable held by the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Our report of the roundtable--SBIR and STTR Reauthorization: Ensuring a Strong Future for Small Business in Federal Research and Development--follows:The U.S. Senate Committee on Small...

House Gives Vote of Confidence to Entrepreneurs

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:10:00 -0500

As part of an effort to get our economy back on track by unleashing entrepreneurship, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill designed to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with new and expanded assistance. H.R. 2352, the Job Creation through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009...

The Future of Clean Energy Technology

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:19:00 -0500

I recently participated in a congressional retreat hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Kauffman Foundation on front line innovations in the clean energy sector. The science at work on that campus is inspiring and reassuring, which is why I wanted to touch...

Where are the Friendly Banks?

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:06:00 -0500

The SBA Office of Advocacy released its latest annual study of banks’ and other financial institutions’ small business lending. The study “Small Business and Micro Business Lending in the United States for Data Years 2007-2008” revealed that the growth of small and microbusiness lending remained...

NAS Study on SBIR Adds Hope for the VC Industry

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:34:00 -0500

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...

More VC Leadership at the SBA

Wed, 27 May 2009 08:00:00 -0500

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 comes to...

This Week in Entrepreneurship Policy

Tue, 26 May 2009 11:43:00 -0500

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.

The Entrepreneurial University: An Institutional Innovation

Tue, 26 May 2009 10:46:00 -0500

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,...

Saving Detroit

Tue, 26 May 2009 10:12:00 -0500

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 Michigan...

Schramm to Students: "Join the Army of Entrepreneurs"

Fri, 22 May 2009 08:13:00 -0500

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...

What Accounts for the Overproportion of Immigrant Entrepreneurs?

Thu, 21 May 2009 08:54:00 -0500

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 overproportion?”...

The Economy and Small Business in the First Quarter

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:24:00 -0500

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 March 2008 level....

No Business Plan? Don't Worry

Tue, 19 May 2009 10:28:00 -0500

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...

Increased Credit Card Protections Sought for Small Firms

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:24:00 -0500

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...

Unlock Entrepreneurship Through Health Care Reform

Mon, 18 May 2009 11:35:00 -0500

As the president of the Public Forum Institute, I have been actively engaged in health care economics for more than 15 years. After facilitating hundreds of town halls aimed at finding common ground, I can attest that whoever leads the charge makes as many enemies...

The Mind of an Entrepreneur

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:33:00 -0500

How do entrepreneurs think about themselves? A recent study from Australia offers some insights. "Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Action in New Venture Development" considers the motivations and attitudes of entrepreneurs in explaining their actions both before and after the launch of a new venture. The study...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 18 May 2009 07:04:00 -0500

Monday, May 18, 2009 House Energy and Commerce - Full Committee Markup"American Clean Energy And Security Act Of 2009 Markup"01:00 PM2123 Rayburn House Office Building[more info] Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Senate Appropriations - Energy and Water Development Subcommittee - Hearing"Hearings to examine funding and oversight...

Senate Hearing Addresses Small Business Financing

Fri, 15 May 2009 12:02:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand earlier this week for a hearing of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Our report of the hearing--Small Busniess Financing: Progress Report on Recovery Act Implementation and Alternative Sources of Financing--follows: In her first appearance before the U.S. Senate...

Economic Stimulus and Small Business

Thu, 14 May 2009 13:13:00 -0500

What do the new economic stimulus measures mean for America’s small business owners? A new e-book from MyVenturePad.com takes a closer look.The report provides three perspectives on what the changing world of Washington may mean for small business owners. With billions of dollars in new...

The FY2010 Budget Request

Tue, 12 May 2009 08:27:00 -0500

The FY2010 budget request (i.e. the Appendix) is finally out. Here are some details about the President’s allocations for science and technology and small businesses.The Budget provides a 16-percent increase over 2008 funding levels for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and similarly large increases for...

Have We Oversold the Role of Venture Capital?

Mon, 11 May 2009 11:49:00 -0500

There has been much debate lately over the benefits and drawbacks of venture capital-backed firms being eligible to receive SBIR awards. This week, I take a look at the role that the VC industry has played in entrepreneurial growth. Here is the lead:There has been...

USA National Innovation Marketplace

Mon, 11 May 2009 10:38:00 -0500

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently unveiled a great new resource designed to link inventors with potential investors and business partners. The National Innovation Marketplace was developed in cooperation with Planet Eureka!, a private consultancy. The site, still in beta format,...

Agencies Encouraged to Use Recovery Funds on Innovative Small Businesses

Fri, 08 May 2009 11:28:00 -0500

United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La., wrote on Thursday (05/07/2009) to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and National Science Foundation Director Arden Bement, urging them...

A Plan for Saving Capital Markets

Fri, 08 May 2009 09:10:00 -0500

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) has recently released its recommendations to restore liquidity in the American VC industry and create a vibrant IPO environment once the overall economy stabilizes. The NVCA’s recommendations rest on four pillars: ecosystem partners, enhanced liquidity paths, tax incentives, and...

New Bills to Support Green and Women’s Entrepreneurship

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:38:00 -0500

The House Small Business Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade Subcommittee approved a series of bills last Thursday (04/30) to authorize and expand several Small Business Administration programs.Some of these new bills have an interesting focus on "green entrepreneurs." For example, a bill sponsored by Rep....

Policymakers, Mark your Calendars!

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:44:00 -0500

In these tough economic times, policymakers should certainly look to entrepreneurs to boost recovery, job creation and innovation. Here is an opportunity to gather ideas. The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) will be hosting its 49th Annual Conference titled "Energizing Entrepreneurship: Monitoring Progress,...

A Tough Quarter for Venture Capitalists

Mon, 04 May 2009 09:04:00 -0500

The latest data from the National Venture Capital Association show that venture capitalists have had a tough 2009 so far. Forty VC funds raised only $4.3 billion in the first quarter of 2009, representing one of the slowest quarters in recent years. Even worse news...

VC Investing in China

Mon, 04 May 2009 08:51:00 -0500

The flow of venture capital to China is slowing in response to the global downturn. According to a new report from the China Venture Capital Association (CVCA), foreign venture capital (VC) investors are concerned about the short term economic prospects for the Chinese economy. More...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy

Mon, 04 May 2009 08:02:00 -0500

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 House Science & Technology Committee, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight – Hearing "Follow the Money Part II: Government and Public Resources for Recovery Act Oversight"2:00p.m. – 4:00p.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building (WEBCAST)[more info]Wednesday, May 6, 2009House Small Business Committee -...

Patent Reform & Our Innovation Economy

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:58:00 -0500

This week's essay suggests a couple of principles to guide patent reform and promote entrepreneurship. Here is the lead:Momentum for a comprehensive patent reform has been slowly building in Congress. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee began examining a patent bill introduced in March by Judiciary...

Competition Promotes Entrepreneurship in New Orleans

Fri, 01 May 2009 08:26:00 -0500

States and localities are recognizing that business plan competitions can help generate local interest in entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. Idea Village, a New Orleans-based entrepreneurial network, has developed an interesting approach with its 504ward program (the name is a play on the New Orleans’ area code)....

New Report Shows Entrepreneurship on the Rise

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:21:00 -0500

A new report by the Kauffman Foundation shows that the level of entrepreneurial activity in the U.S. increased slightly from 2007 to 2008. The latest Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity shows that approximately 530,000 new businessesstarted up each month, representing a .02 percent increase over...

Improving Collaboration and Efficiency in Science Programs

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:50:00 -0500

Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology approved three bipartisan bills which share the common themes of strengthening inter-agency coordination processes andmaking government smarter. There was no major disagreement in today’s full committee markup; the bill with all proposed amendments was moved to the...

Innovation in Japan?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:10:00 -0500

Japan’s economy has been in the doldrums for some time, and things are getting worse in the current downturn. If they hope to jumpstart growth, Japan’s leaders need to embrace a new approach to innovation. A new report from Harvard Business School researchers suggests that...

The First 100 Days

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:18:00 -0500

Facing a country reeling from the Great Depression and demanding immediate action, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt pushed through a remarkable number of new programs during the first 'First Hundred Days.' Since then, it has become a milestone for every president and this week, I take...

Small Businesses Leery of Obama’s Agenda

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:46:00 -0500

A new survey sponsored the City Business Journals Network finds that many small business owners are wary of the economic policies of the new Obama Administration.The survey was based on interviews with 301 business owners (42% Republicans, 34% Independent, and 16% Democrats) across the US.Of...

World Economic Forum Calls for Entrepreneurship Education

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:08:00 -0500

The World Economic Forum has issued a call to action—to globally catalyze entrepreneurship through education--in a new report “Educating the Next Wave of Entrepreneurs.” The report analyzes entrepreneurship education practices around the world, focusing on everything from youth, to higher education and social inclusion. This...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:51:00 -0500

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 -- Committee HearingHouse Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment"Pushing the Efficiency Envelope: R&D for High-Performance Buildings, Industries and Consumers"Time -- 10:00a.m. – 12:00p.m. Location -- 2318 Rayburn House Office Building[more info] Wednesday, April 29, 2009 --...

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:14:00 -0500

Twice each year since 2003, we highlight a number of new books that cover topics related to entrepreneurship, business trends, and the like. Our “Summer Books” issue is coming out in June, and we’re looking for your suggestions of books that have been published in...

Top 50 Innovations in Government

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:03:00 -0500

Finalists for the prestigious Harvard Innovations in American Government Awards were recently unveiled by the school's Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation. The fifty cited programs will be winnowed down to six final winners who will be officially announced in May.This larger group of...

Top Social Networks for Entrepreneurs

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:37:00 -0500

Mashable, a popular blog covering social media and Web 2.0, recently offered its take on the top 10 social networks for entrepreneurs. If you’re looking to link up with other entrepreneurs or with potential customers, partners, or friends, you should check out some of these...

Will We See a Revolution in Energy Technology?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:32:00 -0500

Today the world celebrates Earth Day. This year, advocates of policies to contain climate change probably see hope in the increased federal funding for energy R&D coming from the stimulus bill and this year’s budget. Charles Weiss (Georgetown University) and William B. Bonvillian (MIT) remind us...

Cleantech VC Funding Takes Temporary Hit

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:51:00 -0500

The venture capital industry is not immune from the current economic downturn. It appears that VCs, like many of us, have paused to assess the impact on their portfolio companies.The first quarter of the year saw a drop in venture capital investment. The level of...

Business Lessons from Miles Davis

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:49:00 -0500

If you’re a jazz fan, chances are you’re also a fan of Miles Davis’ seminal 1959 album, Kind of Blue. In honor of the album’s fiftieth anniversary, a group of Harvard Business School researchers sought to tease out some business lessons from the recording. They...

In Good Times & Bad, Innovation Can't Wait

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:28:00 -0500

Human nature in times of crisis tells us to avoid rish and make the safe play. This week, I explain why the exact opposite message is needed when it comes to entrepreneurial activity in times of recession. Here is the lead:Every day—while building roads, giving...

Entrepreneurs 1 -- Pirates 0

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:34:00 -0500

Through the Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship we like to talk about the importance of creating an entrepreneurial ecosphere to stimulate economic growth. We also believe strongly that an essential element of that is a culture that recognizes opportunities and is willing to accept risk...

Payne Recognized for Angel Investing

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:55:00 -0500

Allow me to be one of the first to congratulate Bill Payne for being given the 2009 Hans Severiens Award for his contributions to angel investing. I had the chance to talk a bit with Bill at the Inc. 500 conference in Savannah, Georgia a...

A State-by-State Look at Job Growth

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:40:00 -0500

A new study by Moody's, an economic consulting firm, is getting some attention on USAToday.com. While the 2009 forecast for the US shows a drop of 3.3%, it projects gains for 2010-2012 across all job sectors--even the sluggish manufacturing industry. In the meantime, what does 2009...

Succeeding Through Failure

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:07:00 -0500

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. This week's essay encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to never give up. Here is the lead:“Lizard King” John Bello describes his first entrepreneurial venture as a miserable failure. Bello launched South Beach Beverage Co. in 1995. Despite the...

Defending Capitalism

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:29:00 -0500

With a magnificent stumble highlighting a global recession, capitalism has been kicked numerous times while its down. There is even a new term popping up--"casino capitalism"--to paint it as too fast and too loose. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.A recent...

We're from the Government and We're Here to Help

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:31:00 -0500

On a recent appearance on MSNBC, Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee chair Mary Landrieu talked about easing the flow of credit and other efforts in Washington to help small businesses. Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

New Benchmarking Reports: Cyberstates and Rich States, Poor States

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:18:00 -0500

Two new national economic benchmarking reports were recently released.The annual Cyberstates study, produced now by TechAmerica, examines national and state trends in technology industry (primarily information technology-related sectors) employment and growth. Despite glum economic news, the technology industry had a pretty good year in 2008,...

New Approaches to Measuring Innovation

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:26:00 -0500

Last year’s report from the Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Measuring Innovation (chaired by the Kauffman Foundation's Carl Schramm) has stimulated a lot of additional research on the thorny issues of how best to track innovation at the business, community, region, and national levels....

Going High-Tech in West Virginia

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:02:00 -0500

Business and political leaders in West Virginia are getting serious about nurturing technology and innovation in the Mountain State. TechConnect West Virginia, the state’s advocate for technology-based economic development, has unveiled a new blueprint for strengthening the state's technology sector. West Virginia’s economy has traditionally...

Grow the Economy... Support Entrepreneurs

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:02:00 -0500

New firms create more jobs--if they survive--than older, established firms. That's a pretty important message with the national unemployment rate at 8.5% and on the rise for six consecutive months. That translates to 13.2 million people out of work (according to seasonally adjusted figures released...

House Republican Budget Plan

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:24:00 -0500

For several weeks, Republicans in the US House of Representatives have been soundly criticizing President Obama’s proposed FY2010 budget as fiscally irresponsible. But, without a detailed budget plan of their own, Republicans were unable to present a comprehensive alternative. Last week, House Republicans unveiled their...

Bloggers Say Innovation & Entrepreneurs Key to Job Creation

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:10:00 -0500

What happens when you put a bunch of economics bloggers in the same room? A significant amount of discussion about speeding up the economic recovery process. Led by Growthology’s Tim Kane, a senior fellow at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, some of the country’s leading...

How to Revive Health Care Innovation

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:01:00 -0500

The Obama economic recovery plan includes significant funds to help spur innovations, such as electronic health records, in the health care industry. Program managers in Washington would be well-advised to check out a new book, The Innovator’s Prescription: A Disruptive Solution for Health Care, from...

The Promise and Perils of Self-Employment

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:50:00 -0500

While recent booms in entrepreneurship and self-employment have generated many benefits for the American economy, these trends are not necessarily a “free lunch” according to a new article in City Journal, a publication of the Manhattan Institute. Patterns of self-employment have changed in recent years....

Entrepreneurship in Education

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:09:00 -0500

Last week, I argued in favor more high-skilled immigration to bringadditional entrepreneurial talent into the country for the near future.Today, I want to focus on an urgent policy issue that needs to beaddressed to produce results over the long-run. Improvements ineducation are essential to equipping...

E=R... Canadian-style

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:15:00 -0500

I saw this tweet yesterday afternoon from @unleashingideas: "...long term, economic growth will be generated from private sector, innovation and entrepreneurship..." PM Harper That's an awful big message to pack into 140 characters or less. It refers to a recent interview that Canadian Prime Minister...

Entrepreneurship and Recovery in New York City

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:16:00 -0500

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been making a big push to promote entrepreneurship as a path to the city’s economic recovery. Over the past several months, he has made several announcements related to expanded support for the city’s new and aspiring business owners....

The 2009 Clean Tech Open

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:09:00 -0500

A group of California-based entrepreneurs are getting very serious about building a new green economy. They’ve recently announced a major expansion of the Clean Tech Open, a four-year old business plan competition that has supported innovation in California’s Clean Tech sector.This year’s Open has expanded...

The State of Entrepreneurship in Montana

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:37:00 -0500

Montana is among the most entrepreneurial states in the US, at least that's the message from a new study from Montana’s Workforce Information Center. The study assesses entrepreneurial activity in Montana according to a number of different metrics, including new business starts, new business growth,...

The Week Ahead in Entrepreneurship Policy

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:51:00 -0500

April 1, 2009 - Committee HearingSenate Small Business and EntrepreneurshipHearings to examine the nomination of Karen Gordon Mills, of Maine, to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration.Time -- 09:30 a.m. April 1, 2009 - Committee HearingHouse Ways and MeansFull Committee, hearing on Health Reform in...

Reality Check: Scarce Talent

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:15:00 -0500

The $787 billion economic stimulus package includes largeinvestments in innovation in areas such as energy, health IT, andbroadband. Developing these new technologies will be scientists andengineers, but here’s a reality check: we don’t have enough of them.Although increasing the number of U.S. scientists and engineers...

SBIR Lives to Fight Another Day

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:11:00 -0500

Well, it wasn't a long-term reauthorization that many wanted, but the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was extended recently through July 31, 2009. The Continuing Resolution keeping SBIR afloat expired on March 20 and while the House and Senate differed over the length of...

Expanding Equity Investment in Small Businesses

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:32:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand earlier today at the House Small Business Committee hearing on the impact of the current financial crisis on investment in small businesses and steps to expand equity investments. Our report of the hearing follows: In today’s hearing for the...

HUBZone Program Under Fire

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:43:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand yesterday at the House Small Business Committee hearing on oversight of the Small Business Administration and its programs. Not surprisingly, recent reports of fraud in the HUBZones program dominated discussion. Our report of the hearing follows: The future of...

Proposed SBA Budget Focus of Hearing

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:53:00 -0500

PDE staff were on hand yesterday to cover the fairly routine Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2010 for the Small Business Administration. Our report follows:Over the last eight years the agency has seen a 28 percent...

Has Entrepreneurship Become Cool?

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:01:00 -0500

Has entrepreneurship become cool?Of course we like to think so, but it's nice to see that The Economist feels the same way. About twice each month, the self proclaimed "authoritative weekly newspaper focusing on international politics and business news and opinion" publishes 'special reports' that...

Who Do You Trust? Government or Entrepreneurs?

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:44:00 -0500

Who will lead us out of this recession? The answer seems fairly clear for a majority of the American public. A new survey by the Kauffman Foundation shows a strong public sentiment that government should be doing more to encourage entrepreneurship. Nearly 3-to-1 (63 percent...

New Programs to Support Small Business Lending

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:26:00 -0500

The Obama Administration seems to be warming up to an important fact: entrepreneurs will be the real drivers of new job creation and economic recovery. The latest evidence comes from last Monday’s White House announcement of a series of measures to help address the credit...

Innovation at Small Firms

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:19:00 -0500

The latest report from the Intuit Future of Small Business series takes a look at how small firms innovate. The report notes that, while small business owners are natural innovators, few view themselves in this manner. Instead, they refer to “tweaks,” “improvements,” or “experiments.” To...

Innovation in Manufacturing

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:41:00 -0500

A new Boston Consulting Group study examines how American manufacturers view innovation. Not surprisingly, they recognize that innovation is a key to future success, but they are not happy with their own firms’ performance. Only 43 percent of surveyed executives are happy with the return...

Combing the World in Search of Start-up Talent

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:19:00 -0500

Our new generation of entrepreneurs are global in their mindsets. This week, I argue that we should approach innovation in a similar fashion, taking steps to boost R&D and the commercialization of new technologies at home, while at the same time scouring the world to...

The Power of Entrepreneurial Development Systems

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:37:00 -0500

Several years ago, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation provided grants to six rural regions to begin an effort to develop local entrepreneurial development systems, which were designed to provide a range of support services to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing businesses. The Aspen Institute has recently published...

Next PDE Briefing to Address Immigration & Innovation

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:37:00 -0500

The next PDE briefing on Capitol Hill will look at the much-discussed and debated issue of what to do about foreign talent as we try to jumpstart the economy. Innovation, Immigration & the Knowledge Economy is scheduled for Monday, April 6 from 11:15 am -...

Patent Reform Debates Gear Up

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:44:00 -0500

Congress has been grappling with patent reform for nearly a decade. Several reform bills have passed in past Congresses, but none have made it into law. A new series of debates is set to begin anew in the 111th Congress. Last week, the leadership of...

Nordic Innovation Monitor

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:36:00 -0500

Over the past decade, the Nordic nations have emerged with some of the world’s most innovative and competitive economies. According to the Nordic Council of Ministers’ latest Nordic Innovation Monitor, the current economic crisis may offer an opportunity to help accelerate innovation in the region.Clearly,...

The Need for Speed

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:30:00 -0500

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contains $7.2 billion to help support and expand broadband deployment across the US. A new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Policy Foundation reminds us that these critical investments are not just about allowing us to surf the...

Innovation Heat Map

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:17:00 -0500

Analysts at McKinsey and Co. have recently created a very cool look at the world of innovation. Their innovation "heat map," developed in conjunction with the World Economic Forum, maps the world's leading industrial clusters according to key factors such as size, diversity, and growth....

Health Care Costs... Still a Problem

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:04:00 -0500

Ask an entrepreneur what his most pressing concerns are and you'll hear 'the increasing cost of health care' somewhere at the top. And thyey aren't alone. The latest edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation's regular polls on American attitudes toward our health care system makes...

Innovation at Risk

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:50:00 -0500

My essay today takes a look at the Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program. In all likelihood it will continue, but a reauthorization still hasn't happened. Here is the lead: One of the few effective government programs to support innovation is at risk. The language...

Entrepreneurship=Recovery

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:39:00 -0500

File this under "I'm pretty sure everyone saw this coming": The World Bank predicts that the global economy will enter recession this year for the first time since the Second World War. The Washington-based bank added that global trade was heading for its steepest decline...

Global Entrepreneurship Congress Looks to November

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:04:00 -0500

Last November, an entrepreneurial revolution started as more than 75 countries celebrated Global Entrepreneurship Week with 25,000 activities. This week, representatives from more than 50 of those countries are gathered in Kansas City at the Kauffman Foundation to collaborate on plans for 2009. I'm sitting...

Global Smarts: Cue the Innovation Generation

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:02:00 -0500

I wrote this week's essay while preparing to lead the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Kansas City at the Kauffman Foundation. The Congress brought together organizations that will again lead Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 16 - 22) to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. Here is...

Entrepreneur Postdoctoral Fellowships Open

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:41:00 -0500

Postdoctoral researchers bring new discoveries to the world, and the Kauffman Foundation is opening a door for them to do so through entrepreneurship.The Kauffman Entrepreneur Postdoctoral Fellows program provides a unique opportunity for postdocs in science and technology fields to launch their innovative research from...

Ten Emerging Technologies

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:25:00 -0500

Technology Review has just published its latest list of ten emerging technologies which always provides interesting insight on cool new innovations. What's hot this year? How about "modeling surprise" -- the use of data mining and computer models to help predict and foresee unusual events....

Innovation in the States: Washington

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:20:00 -0500

Washington, home to Microsoft, Amazon and numerous other technology firms, has always had a strong foundation for innovation and entrepreneurship. Yet, like most areas of the country, Washington now faces a severe economic crisis and can no longer continue with business as usual.A new study...

Innovation in the States: Arizona

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:17:00 -0500

In 2006, a host of Arizona-based business groups helped create the Science Foundation Arizona (SFAZ), as a statewide effort to diversify Arizona's economy by promoting science and technology. What seemed like a good idea in 2006 has become a harder sell in the face of...

A Bright Beacon in the "Shining City on the Hill"

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:14:00 -0600

The one thing that America has been admired for throughout the years is its entrepreneurial spirit. My latest essay touches on using that trait to lead a push for job creation and growth during a global recession. Here is the lead: Although the reputation of the...

What Do We Know About Innovation? The OECD’s Take

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:45:00 -0600

For the past decade, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has sponsored a significant number of research studies focused on various aspects of innovation and innovation policy. A new OECD research paper takes stock of what we’ve learned about innovation, with the...

A Sobering Look at American Competitiveness

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:23:00 -0600

America’s competitiveness challenges are not simply an outgrowth of the current economic crisis. Instead, they are the culmination of decades without a coherent national innovation strategy. That’s the primary message of a new Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) report that benchmarks American innovation performance...

Measuring Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:21:00 -0600

As part of an effort to address limitations to both the collection and monitoring of data on entrepreneurship and innovation, the Kauffman Foundation organized yet another Data Symposium. The 2008 Data Symposium took place last November in Washington DC and brought together more than 180...

The State of Microcredit

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:38:00 -0600

The field of microcredit (or microfinance) has been around for several decades now, and has become a mainstream part of international and national development policies. It has also enjoyed increased awareness among the general population, thanks in part to the popularity of kiva.org--the world's first...

Rewarding Entrepreneurial Spirits

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:01:00 -0600

The Kauffman Foundation recently recognized a number of individuals for their contributions to research on entrepreneurship. Ewing Marion Kauffman Prize Medal for Distinguished Research in EntrepreneurshipThe Kauffman Prize Medal, which includes a $50,000 prize, is awarded every two years to one scholar under the age...

30 Top Innovations in 30 Years

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:49:00 -0600

Way back in 1979, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) began its regular broadcasts of The Nightly Business Report. Thirty years later, the show is still going strong. In honor of this anniversary, the show has compiled a list of the top thirty innovations of the...

Obama, Jindal Pay Lip Service to Entrepreneurs

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:46:00 -0600

Last night, President Barack Obama delivered a State of the Union-like address to a joint session of Congress where he tempered his doom-and-gloom message while outlining his plans for the economy. And while the stimulus package that he's promoting as the answer to our financial...

Entrepreneurs: Engines for Job Creation & Innovation

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:21:00 -0600

Unemployment rates are more than just numbers. For each number, there is a personal story to be told. For some, it's a temporary inconvenience. For others, it is a lengthy process that creates a economic hardship. And for still others, it is a necessary nudge...

Universities Can Generate Billions for Regional Economies

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:38:00 -0600

Last Tuesday, the Public Forum Institute hosted its first Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship briefing to release the executive summary of a report on the critical role universities play not only in fostering innovation andentrepreneurial growth, but in stimulating the much-needed recovery inregional and global economies.The...

Brookings’ Recommendations on American Competitiveness

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:51:00 -0600

What can be done to revitalize the American economy? A group of scholars affiliated with the Brookings Institution recently offered some insights on the important issue of American competitiveness. Their broad categories of recommendations are tough to quibble with: Investing in Infrastructure, Investing in People,...

New Global Challengers

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:37:00 -0600

One offshoot of globalization has been the emergence of world-class businesses in less developed economies. These firms are no longer “junior partners,” but major global players in their own right.The latest Boston Consulting Group analysis of “New Global Challengers” identifies 100 companies with the potential...

'Team Obama' Efforts Recognized by Fast Company

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:04:00 -0600

Fast Company’s latest list of “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” contains many of the usual suspects we see on lists of this type. It’s pretty commonplace to see Apple, Google, Cisco, and Intel in lists of innovative firms. However, this year’s No. 1 company...

SBIR at Risk?

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:01:00 -0600

While many Federal technology and innovation-related programs will be seeing an infusion of new economic stimulus funds, one of Washington’s more effective technology support tools--the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program--may be at risk in the coming months. The SBIR program, which helps steer Federal...

A New Look at American Competitiveness

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 08:44:00 -0600

At a time of historic economic downturns, many American observers may console themselves that the American economy, despite its many challenges, still remains a global leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. After all, prestigious analysis like the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report continue to rank...

NYC Among Those Looking for 'FastTrac' to Recovery

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:05:00 -0600

In times of recession, entrepreneurial activity can experience an uptick as displaced workerslook to make their own opportunities. As the unemployment rate increases across the country, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other community leaders are turning to the Kauffman Foundation's FastTrac program to train these...

The Role of the University in an Entrepreneurial Economy

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:17:00 -0600

This week's essay is a lead in to our first Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship briefing on Capitol Hill featuring a new report by Ed Roberts, founder and chair of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center. Lesa Mitchell of the Kauffman Foundation and Robert Atkinson of the Information...

Energy Discovery-Innovation Institutes

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:11:00 -0600

The quest for clean and green energy is generating a lot of interesting ideas and policy proposals. The latest comes from a group of researchers affiliated with the Brookings Institution that recommend the creation of a nationwide series of Energy-Discovery Innovation Institutes. The institutes would...

Patterns of Recovery from the Recession

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:48:00 -0600

What do past recessions--and subsequent recoveries--tell us about how companies will recover from the current economic downturn? A new McKinsey Quarterly article sifts the historical evidence. Researchers examined the past four recessions, and found that, contrary to popular belief, the current recession is not...

Do Business Plans Matter?

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:37:00 -0600

Given all the attention paid to business plans as precursor to business start-ups, you would think that there would be strong evidence that such plans lead to better business outcomes. Somewhat surprisingly, the linkages aren’t quite so clear.New research sponsored by the US Small Business...

A “Competency Model” for Entrepreneurship?

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:42:00 -0600

If you think entrepreneurship is as much an art as a science, you might have some second thoughts about a “competency model” for entrepreneurship. But, the model does offer a useful way to understand the various skills that entrepreneurs need to succeed. Developed by the...

Big Ideas from "Green" Entrepreneurs?

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:28:00 -0600

The World Bank is looking for a few bright ideas from the next generation of "green" entrepreneurs. It is sponsoring an international essay contest for 18-25 year olds to share ideas for youth-led solutions to challenges posed by climate change. The challenge casts a...

Tax Employment?

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:23:00 -0600

There are a number of steps that must be taken to contain unemployment and revive a slowing economy. This week's essay suggests a good place to start might be payroll tax cuts. Here is the lead: Employment in the U.S. has been in a free fall....

Women-Owned Firms Underperforming

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:23:00 -0600

Last week, we highlighted an effort to promote entrepreneurship among women. According to new research from the Kauffman Foundation, women owned 6.5 million privately-held firms that generated $940 billion in sales and employed 7.1 million people in 2002. And they also underperformed relative to male-owned firms...

Reigniting the Innovation Economy: Where Do Universities Fit In?

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:11:00 -0600

As Washington debates a final agreement on the economic stimulus, we know that America’s colleges and universities are going to play an important role in revitalizing and strengthening the innovation economy. But, how can we be sure that new public investments have the greatest impacts...

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the States

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:05:00 -0600

As economic challenges pile up, states are facing tough times. While slashing budgets and cutting services, Governors and other state leaders also recognize that the path to prosperity will depend on how their states succeed in supporting the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship of local businesses...

The Graying of Social Networking Sites

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:10:00 -0600

Facebook, MySpace, and many other social networking websites got their starts as places for college students and other youth to interact online. Today, as a new Pew Internet and American Life report shows, online social networks are regular part of the online experience for all...

Are Green Jobs Good?

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:06:00 -0600

In the clamor for 'green jobs,' many advocates are avoiding the tough questions about whether green jobs are “good” jobs. If so-called green collar workers are paid minimum wage, the real benefits of a green economy may be limited. A new study from Good Jobs...

Entrepreneurs Promoting Social Value

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:14:00 -0600

Kudos to BusinessWeek for getting the focus right, if not the label. It is looking for the 'most promising social entrepreneurs' in the U.S. – those who aim to both turn a profit and solve social problems.Social entrepreneurship as a concept--using entrepreneurial skills and principles...

The Effects of Race on Entrepreneurship

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:21:00 -0600

Assuming you are one of the few brave DC residents that don't mind braving a snow flurry--and you don't already have lunch plans--head on over to the Hudson Institute today for a luncheon discussion on the effects of race on entrepreneurship. Robert Fairlie, professor of...

Global Innovation Index 2008-2009

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:26:00 -0600

INSEAD, Europe’s leading business school, has recently published the latest edition of its Global Innovation Index, which benchmarks the world’s most innovative economies. Given the seemingly unending stream of glum economic news, it’s nice to share some good news. The US still ranks as the...

Three Views on the Economic Stimulus Plans

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:14:00 -0600

As Congress continues to move forward with the 2009 economic stimulus package, a number of think tanks are offering their views on what makes sense both for economic stimulus, but also for building a more competitive American economy over the long term.The Information Technology and...

The Pathway to Prosperity

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:28:00 -0600

What can policymakers do to stimulate economic growth? The Monitor Group, a business consultancy, has recently released an interesting look at global patterns of entrepreneurship. The study, Paths to Prosperity: Promoting Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century, reports on the findings of the Monitor Entrepreneurship...

Calling All Women Entrepreneurs

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:08:00 -0600

Make Mine a Million, a non-profit focused on helping women entrepreneurs build high profile businesses, has recently announced a new initiative, The M3 Race. The Race is a year-long business growth marathon where women entrepreneurs sign up to meet certain business goals, such as generating...

GAO’s High Risk Series: 2009

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:47:00 -0600

At the beginning of each Congress, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) publishes its listing of Federal programs and efforts that are at “high risk” for waste, mismanagement, and abuse. This listing is designed to shine a light on these problems areas, and to help drive...

Greening Our Economy

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:29:00 -0600

Some have predicted that cleantech will be the next dot-com boom. That is a possibility, but involvement from the federal government is tricky. Here is the lead: Making what is urgently needed consistent with what is needed for the long-term is not a bad idea. The...

Stimulating Entrepreneurship

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:35:00 -0600

Everyone, everywhere is focused on the stimulus package being debated on Capitol Hill. My latest essay suggests policymakers can and should do more to leverage the role ofentrepreneurs in stimulating our economy, but they must do socarefully.Here is the lead: Congress is considering the American...

Building the Broadband Superhighway

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:36:00 -0600

Most of the current proposals related to economic stimulus call for major investments in broadband, but how do you make these investments in a way that not only provides a short-term stimulus but also generates major long-term benefits for the economy and society. A recent...

Catalyzing Regional Innovation

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:26:00 -0600

Science Progress, a blog sponsored by the Center for American Progress, recently asked a number of experts to offer their thoughts on how the new Obama Administration can best catalyze regional innovation. This effort, "Regional Centers of Innovation 101," is tied with its ongoing Task...

VC Fundraising in 2008: It Could Have Been Worse

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:13:00 -0600

The final figures for venture capital investing in 2008 have been released, and the news is not good, but it could have been much worse. Faced with a major economic crisis and moribund market for exits, venture capitalists and their investors may be starting to...

The Outlook for Federal Contracting

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:10:00 -0600

If you want to succeed in getting Federal government business in 2009, you better embrace innovation. That’s a primary take-away from Washington Technology’s 2009 outlook for Federal government contracting. The massive economic stimulus package will dominate the contracting world in early 2009, but companies cannot...

A Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:39:00 -0600

Chances are, you've noticed our new name, our new look and our new home on entrepreneurship.org. I've written a quick essay about these changes and what you can expect to see down the road. Here is the lead: For the past five years, the National...

Startups Critical for Job Creation in U.S.

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:54:00 -0600

In the midst of record unemployment, a new Kauffman Foundation-funded U.S. Census Bureau study suggests that the answer to economic recovery lies within startup companies. The Business Dynamic Statistics (BDS) indicate that without job creation from new firms, the U.S. net employment growth rate is...

The State of American Business

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:20:00 -0600

The US Chamber of Commerce has taken a look at “The State of American Business,” and they don’t like what they see. In a new report, the Chamber notes that tough times will likely persist far into 2009. Thus, major government investments are needed to...

Entrepreneurship in the Music Industry

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:57:00 -0600

In my life as a music fan, I've owned and used LPs, 45s (and even a few 78s), 8-track cartridges, cassette tapes, CDs, and now MP3 files loaded onto an iPod. The music industry continues to change and these shifts mean more than the fact that we seem...

Comparing Global Data on Entrepreneurship

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:37:00 -0600

As governments across the globe have become more aggressive in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, they have also increased their demand for new data about these phenomena. Responding to this demand, two well-known data sets---the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and the World Bank Group Entrepreneurship Survey---have...

Innovation in North Carolina

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:47:00 -0600

North Carolina has done a good job of building a strong innovation economy, particularly as it relates to world-class educational institutions and a capable workforce. But, as a new report sponsored by the North Carolina Board of Science and Technology notes, the state cannot simply...

Entrepreneurial Development in Texas

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:43:00 -0600

For the past several years, Momentum Texas, a Dallas-based economic development entity, has been involved in an effort to encourage entrepreneurship in five Texas cities: Abilene, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Lubbock, and Tyler. The Texas Entrepreneurship Initiative (TEI) sought to work with community leaders in...

Digital Transformation via Economic Stimulus

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:29:00 -0600

Invest $30 billion in America’s information technology (IT) infrastructure, and you may create as many as 949,000 jobs. That’s the bottom line number for a new economic stimulus package proposed last week by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). ITIF researchers argue that the...

NIST Needs You!

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:25:00 -0600

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its Technology Innovation Program (TIP) are looking for some good ideas. They have recently announced a call for White Papers from all interested parties who have thoughts and suggestions for “critical national needs” that could be...

Hot New Student-Based Innovations

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:01:00 -0600

The latest issue of The New York Times’ Education Life supplement contains an interesting look at the growth of entrepreneurship education on college campuses. As part of this article, Education Life also lists “23 Bright Ideas,” i.e., interesting inventions and innovations developed by current college...

The Power of Educational Benchmarking

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:11:00 -0600

If the US hopes to maintain an international leadership position in education and human capital, it needs to do a better job of learning from other countries, societies, and institutions that often do a better job of preparing young people to prosper in the...

Quality Management and the Bottom Line

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:40:00 -0600

There are lots of interesting theories and methodologies about effective business management practices, but, in many cases, there’s not a lot of on-the-ground evidence that these so-called “best practices” make a firm more profitable. New research from Harvard Business School takes a hard look...

Which State Is the Most Conducive to Entrepreneurship?

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:03:00 -0600

Which state is the most entrepreneurial? How about the most innovative? Business friendly? Just plain ready for the 'New Economy'? Obviously the answers depend on the methodology employed to find them -- and there are certainly differences from one study to the next. If...

Paying Taxes

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:20:00 -0600

What regions of the world are the most business-friendly when it comes to corporate taxation policies? A new PricewaterhouseCoopers study, Paying Taxes 2009, benchmarks how 181 countries stack up on three key tax policy-related metrics: 1) The total tax rate, 2) The time taken to comply...

The Secrets of High Growth Economies

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:15:00 -0600

What factors differentiate fast-growing national economies from the rest of the world? A new article in the World Bank’s Finance & Development magazine examines 13 national economies that have succeeded in growing at an average annual rate exceeding seven percent for at least 25...

Entrepreneurial Predictions for 2009

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:37:00 -0600

The Wall Street Journal’s entrepreneurship blog, The Independent Street, has made its predictions for what might happen in the world of entrepreneurship in 2009. As with all economic sectors, the world of entrepreneurs will be dominated by how they respond to the economic downturn. As...

The 2009 Franchise 500

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:46:00 -0600

Entrepreneur magazine’s 2009 Franchise 500 has just been released. Subway takes the top spot in 2009, topping 2008’s top franchise: 7-Eleven. Subway, which operates more than 30,000 restaurants in 87 countries, has long dominated the Franchise 500 list. It has held the top spot...

The Globalization of R&D

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0600

The latest edition of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Global Innovation 1000 was released earlier this month. The list ranks and assesses the world’s 1000 biggest corporate research and development (R&D) investors. The globalization of R&D is the big trend found among this year’s top R&D...

Venture Capital Predictions for 2009

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:42:00 -0600

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) has released its annual predictions for the venture capital industry in 2009, and the findings should not come as a big surprise. Venture capitalists (VCs) expect 2009 to be a difficult year. A large majority predicts a slowdown...

Emerging Economy Entrepreneur Predictions

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:39:00 -0600

Endeavor, a leading non-profit that support high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging economies, has recently asked its partner companies for their views on where the global economy is heading. Like angels, venture capitalists and many others, they are feeling fairly pessimistic. The surveyed entrepreneurs are already feeling...

UK Innovation Index

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:31:00 -0600

Great Britain’s Department of Innovation, Universities, and Skills has taken a close look at Britain’s innovation performance in its newly released Annual Innovation Report 2008. This first annual report follows up on the British government’s Innovation Nation White Paper published in March 2008 and the...

Challenges and Opportunities for Angels

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:30:00 -0600

While full data for 2008 investments are not yet in, the picture from the Angel Group Confidence Report is that total angel group investments in North America are estimated to decrease by at least ten percent from 2007. Angel groups appear to be focusing more...

Virtual Worlds and Business Ecosystems

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:40:00 -0600

The development of virtual world technology, in programs like Second Life and Habbo Hotel, has reached a point where these tools and concepts are beginning to change the way that businesses operate. A new Athena Alliance study contends that virtual worlds can become a critical...

US IT Spending: Down, Not Out

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:37:00 -0600

Given the seemingly unceasing tide of bad economic news, Forrester’s recent projections for the information technology (IT) market have to count as good tidings. Forrester is projecting business and government IT spending to grow by 1.9 percent in 2009. This is a big drop from...

Small Business and the Credit Crunch

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:23:00 -0600

A new poll from the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation takes a look at how small businesses are responding to the current credit crisis. Not surprisingly, surveyed business owners are glum, with thirty-four percent agreeing that their business has been “significantly” affected, and,...

Attacking the Recession with Innovation

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:20:00 -0600

Britain’s National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) continue to produce excellent studies that provide a 360° wide-angle view on the role of innovation in modern society. Their latest report, plus an accompanying blog, tackles the tough issue of how innovation can help...

Tips on the Presidential Transition

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:43:00 -0600

Presidential transitions are tricky things, even more so when the country is in the midst of a war and the worst economic downturn in decades. So, the incoming Obama Administration definitely has its hands full as it prepares to take over the White House in...