$1 Million Grant from Kauffman Foundation Aimed at Making Community Colleges a ‘Front Door’ for Entrepreneurship 
A model for entrepreneurship education and early-stage funding for startups, born in a community college in northeastern Ohio, will make its way to the national stage with the support of a $1 million grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
13 Area Entrepreneurs in Spotlight on Monday as Startup@Kauffman Demo Day Kicks Off One Week KC
Startups from metro area and Joplin will pitch their businesses to audience of mentors, advisors and potential partners. Live webcast can be viewed at www.siliconprairienews.com.
2008 State New Economy Index
The 2008 State New Economy Index indicates five states—Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey—are leading the United States’ transformation into a global, entrepreneurial and knowledge- and innovation-based New Economy. The reports was released by the Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) during Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people around the world to embrace imagination, innovation and creativity.
2011 State of Entrepreneurship Address
In the second annual "State of Entrepreneurship" address, presented on February 8, 2011, Kauffman Foundation President and CEO Carl Schramm presented policy recommendations to promote entrepreneurship and accelerate economic growth without adding to the deficit. In the address, titled "The Rules for Growth," Schramm cited data illustrating that the majority of all job creation in the United States is driven by young firms and emphasized how changes to specific laws and regulations could enable startups to grow more rapidly
2012 State of Entrepreneurship Address
With campaign season in full swing and the economy far from strong, 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.
2013 State of Entrepreneurship Address: Financing Entrepreneurial Growth
The Kauffman Foundation addresses challenges and opportunities in financing new and young companies at its fourth annual State of Entrepreneurship Address at the National Press Club in Washington.
A conversation with Desh Despande
In this video conversation, Desh Deshpande, co-founder and chairman of
Sycamore Networks Inc., talks about his life as an entrepreneur, the
multi-disciplinary approach of the Deshpande Center for Technological
Innovation at MIT, and how innovative philanthropy is making the world
better
A License to Grow: Ending State, Local and Some Federal Barriers to Innovation and Growth in Key Sectors of the U.S. Economy
With campaign season in full swing and the economy far from strong, 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.
A Market-Based Approach for Crossing the Valley of Death: The Benefits of a Capital Gains Exemption for Investments in Startups
New companies with high growth potential – and with high potential to create jobs – often struggle to obtain sufficient capital to cross the so-called "Valley of Death" in the process from concept to prototype. With continued economic uncertainty, government funding is no longer a guaranteed solution, and private investors have become increasingly risk averse.
A Rising Tide: Financing Strategies for Women-Owned Firms
Women-owned firms represent an increasingly important segment of the small business sector. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 7.8 million women-owned firms in the United States in 2007, generating $1.2 trillion in revenues and providing employment for 7.6 million people. A Rising Tide presents the financial strategies that have helped today's bold and creative women entrepreneurs to succeed.
A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs: New Kauffman Paper Highlights Different Types and Their Roles in Economy
The distinctive differences between innovation-driven enterprises (IDEs) and traditional small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – and their importance for governments and policymakers wanting to support long-term economic growth – is the subject of "A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs: Understanding Differences in the Types of Entrepreneurship in the Economy," which examines IDEs and SMEs, their roles in local, regional and global economies, and their differing needs in terms of financial and policy support.
A Valentine’s Day Edition of the Kauffman Sketchbook Reminds Us Why We Love Entrepreneurs
Paul Kedrosky, senior fellow with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, outlines the attitudes that set entrepreneurs apart and motivate them to devote all of their energy to their startup idea in the newest installment of the Kauffman Sketchbook series.
Advancing Innovation
The Kauffman Foundation has begun working with several universities and other partners to better understand the complexities of innovation in entrepreneurship.
Americans Want Government Stimulus for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship, Reveals New Survey from Kauffman Foundation
Americans want to see more initiatives that aid small businesses, like the $15 billion package unveiled by President Obama Monday, according to a new poll released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The survey, conducted by pollster Douglas Schoen, reveals a stark and fundamental gap between the agenda to date in Washington and the attitudes and beliefs of the American people—pointing to a key and unrecognized reason as to why the public has not been satisfied with the overall stimulus package.
An Overview of the Kauffman Firm Survey
Although entrepreneurial activity is an important part of a capitalist economy, data about U.S. businesses in their early years of operation have been extremely limited. As part of an effort to
An Overview of the Kauffman Firm Survey 2004–2008
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The KFS dataset provides researchers with a unique opportunity to study a panel of new businesses from startup to sustainability (or exit), with longitudinal data centering on topics such as how businesses are financed; the products, services, and innovations these businesses possess and develop in their early years of existence; and the characteristics of those who own and operate them.
An Unexpectedly Bright Beacon
While the power and influence of the United States remains unrivaled, global perceptions of many U.S. policies are consistently negative. Whether concerning the use of our military might, our recognition of environmental issues, or our levels of energy consumption—warranted or not—the United States in 2007 has a global public relations problem.
As Baby Boomers Reach Retirement, Many Turn to Entrepreneurship as Next Adventure
Beginning this September, Kauffman FastTrac will offer a new course specifically designed to help baby boomer entrepreneurs start up their businesses. The customized FastTrac® NewVenture™ course helps aspiring entrepreneurs evaluate their business idea and build a plan to take it to market.
Baby Boom Generation is Driving an Entrepreneurial Boom Toward Economic Growth, Kauffman Foundation Study Indicates
Economists know that entrepreneurship will drive the economy back to
health, but many people may be surprised to learn that the baby boom
generation is behind the wheel, according to a new study by the Ewing
Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Black-owned Startup Firms Constrained in Access to Capital in Early Years of Operation
While previous research shows that nearly three-quarters of all new
U.S. firms inject capital in their second or third year of existence,
detailed information from a recently-released Kauffman Firm Survey
(KFS) is the first to outline dramatic differences in the capital
injections of black-owned firms compared to white-owned firms in the
early, formative years after the business begins.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Boulevard of Broken Dreams is the first extensive look at the ways governments have supported entrepreneurs and venture capitalists across decades and continents.
Building Interest in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Among European Foundations
Karen Wilson, Kauffman Senior Fellow, interviews individuals at three leading foundations in
Europe that have been active in promoting entrepreneurship.
Business 'Churning' Good for Nation's Economic Growth and Productivity, According to Kauffman Foundation Report
According to Turmoil and Growth: Young Businesses, Economic Churning and Productivity Gains,
new and growing businesses create millions of jobs each year. At the
same time, exiting and declining businesses destroy millions of jobs.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago,
University of Maryland and the U.S. Bureau of Census, points out that
the contribution of new businesses extends beyond initial entry, with
surviving businesses having very rapid employment growth in their early
years.
Business Dynamics Statistics
The Business Dynamics
Statistics is a data series that tracks the annual
changes in employment for growing and shrinking businesses.
Business Dynamics Statistics Briefing: High Growth and Failure of Young Firms
Business startups that survive grow faster than more-established
companies, according to Business Dynamics
Statistics data funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation. However, because entrepreneurial ventures also have higher
mortality rates than older companies, they also have higher rates of
job loss reflecting an “up or out” pattern.
Business Dynamics Statistics Briefing: Jobs Created from Business Startups in the United States
Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau—the Business
Dynamics Statistics—show that employment accounted for by U.S.
private-sector business startups over the 1980-2005 period is about 3
percent per year. While
this is a small fraction of overall employment, all of this employment
from startups reflects new jobs.
Business Dynamics Statistics Briefing: Where Have All the Young Firms Gone?
Building on a long-term 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. New firms as a percentage of all firms continued a steady downward trend in 2010 – going from a high of 13 percent (as a percentage of all firms) in the 1980s to just under 11 percent in 2006 before making a steep decline to the 8 percent in 2010 – the most current year of data available.
Business Dynamics Statistics: An Overview
The Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) includes measures of
establishment openings and closings, firm startups, job creation and
destruction by firm size, age, and industrial sector, and several other
statistics on business dynamics.
Causes for Firm Formation and Job Creation Reveal Keys to Growing Economy, According to New Kauffman Study
Startups and young companies dominate net job creation in the United States – and have done so for the last 30 years. This economic phenomenon occurs because of the patterns of firm formation and survival, according to a report released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Census Bureau Announces a New Product for Tracking Business Activity
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the release of the Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS), a data series that allows users to track annual changes in employment for growing and shrinking businesses at the establishment level.
Challenges with Customer Payments Growing Concern for Young Firms, Kauffman Foundation Study Shows
While slow or lost sales have been at the top of young companies' list of challenges for the past few years, its impact is declining: fewer respondents to a Kauffman survey of young firms cited sales as their primary business challenge in 2010 (44 percent) than in 2008 (53 percent). On the other hand, entrepreneurs who said their biggest challenge was customers paying late or not making payments jumped from 2 percent in 2008 to 24 percent in 2010, according to the Kauffman Foundation's seventh follow-up report of the Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS), released today.
Characteristics of New Firms: A Comparison by Gender
While the country's 6.5 million privately held, women-owned firms
generated an estimated $940 billion in sales and employed 7.1 million
people in 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a Kauffman
Foundation research report indicates that women-owned firms have
relatively underperformed men-owned firms in a number of measures.
Collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Because of their common interests in global entrepreneurship and economic growth, the Kauffman Foundation and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) work together on a number of projects.
Defying Gravity: High-Growth Entrepreneurs Buck the Macroeconomic Factors Challenging Other Companies
Resilience, innovation and a unique perspective on risk taking are just three of eight critical factors that separate the very best entrepreneurs from others, according to Ernst & Young LLP, which is honoring America's top entrepreneurs at its 26th annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® gala in Palm Springs on Saturday, November 17.
Despite Economy, Kauffman FastTrac Entrepreneurs Started and Grew New Businesses in 2011, According to Survey
Kauffman FastTrac entrepreneur courses have been helping business owners launch and grow companies since 1993. After surveying recent FastTrac graduates via email, data indicate that, despite the current economic environment, the programs remain applicable and are integral in helping entrepreneurs achieve success with their businesses.
Effects of Patent Reforms on Entrepreneurs
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
are among the many institutions calling for reform of the U.S. patent system
because it no longer promotes innovation and competition as well as it should.
Entrepreneur Guru Brad Feld Illustrates How to Build a Startup Community in New Kauffman Sketchbook Video
Founder-turned-venture capitalist Brad Feld boils down 20 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and building a vibrant startup ecosystem into four essentials that will work anywhere in the world in his new book, "Startup Communities."
Entrepreneurial Activity Declines as Jobs Rise in 2012, according to Kauffman Report
According to the annual Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, the 2012 rate declined slightly from 0.32 percent of American adults per month starting businesses in 2011 to 0.30 percent in 2012.
Entrepreneurial Expert Brad Feld Buys House in Kansas City Startup Village, Launches Competition to Live in it
Brad Feld, a venture capitalist at Foundry Group, noted advocate for entrepreneurs and author of the book Startup Communities, has been lauded for his hands-on role in helping to make Boulder, Colo., a thriving hub for high-tech startups. Today he announces a venture that will extend his support for entrepreneurs about 600 miles to the east — to metropolitan Kansas City.
Entrepreneurs Optimistic About 2012, According to Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index
Owners of startup companies are surprisingly optimistic about 2012, according to the first Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and LegalZoom. More than one-fourth of the respondents said they plan to hire additional staff in 2012, and twice as many of them expect the economy to improve or stay the same (68 percent) as those who expect it to deteriorate (31 percent).
Entrepreneurs' Gloom Contradicts Wall Street Optimism
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation today announced the results of a
new survey of American entrepreneurs showing that entrepreneurs and
small businesses continue to struggle despite increasing optimism on
Wall Street.
Entrepreneurs’ Economic Confidence Slipping, Third-Quarter Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index Shows
According to the third-quarter Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index, released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and LegalZoom, expectations for the U.S. economy declined overall, but there is a significant optimism gap between older entrepreneurs and those between the ages of 18 and 40.
Entrepreneurship and the Process Development: A Framework for Applied Expeditionary Economics in Pakistan
A paper from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation outlines a strategic growth model for Pakistan and other fragile states by assessing barriers to growth and examining research on the impact of entrepreneurship on developing economies.
Eureka! Ranch
Eureka! Ranch applies scientific methods to address the
challenges of achieving meaningful uniqueness and help business owners find, filter, and fast-track their
innovations.
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation statement from Carl Schramm for Google Fiber announcement
We applaud Google's announcement today that both Kansas Cities will have access to its 1 Gig technology, blowing the door wide open to an exciting new era of innovation in our region.
Experience, Professional Networks, Encouragement, Support are Keys to Success for High-Growth Women Entrepreneurs, Kauffman Study Finds
Despite their majority representation at U.S. colleges and universities and increased participation in science and engineering, women still are under-represented among business founders, particularly in high-tech and other high-growth fields.
From Chasing Smokestacks to Embracing Entrepreneurship
Ed Glaeser, Professor of Economics, Harvard University, explains that today's cities can succeed
only if they are centers of innovation that produce new technologies and new
business models.
Frontier Economics: Why Entrepreneurial Capitalism is Needed Now More than Ever
Immediately following the 2008 global financial crisis, many economists and market observers hastened to declare that the era of free markets was now over. America, and the world as a whole, they said, were trending toward greater reliance on government controls.
Global Entrepreneurship Week News Page
The world's first Global Entrepreneurship Week introduced the notion of enterprising behavior to as many young people as possible, connecting in networks that cross national boundaries, cultures and disciplines. Inspirational entrepreneurs coached and mentored the next generation of enterprise
Global Student Entrepreneur Awards Announce Top Students Slated to Compete at 2009 Global Finals
The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), the premier competition for undergraduate students running a business while still in school, today announced the top student entrepreneurs from around the world who are scheduled to compete at the 2009 GSEA Global Finals at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri, during Global Entrepreneurship Week. The students represent 18 countries and some of today’s brightest, most innovative and forward-thinking individuals, laying the foundation for economic turnaround across the globe.
Grant Awarded to Yale Law School to Establish Kauffman Program in Law, Economics and Entrepreneurship
Yale Law School has received a $735,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to support the creation of the Kauffman Program in Law, Economics and Entrepreneurship at Yale Law School.
Grow New Firms. Grow New Jobs.
The economic importance of new firm formation in the United States cannot be overstated. Startups and young companies dominate net job creation in the United States—and have done so for the last thirty years.
Growing the Economy out of Crisis
Carl Schramm, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, delivered the keynote address for the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research's conference on the Market Meltdown.
Growthology.org
The Growthology.org blog features thoughts on entrepreneurship and its
implications for faster economic growth, greater individual
opportunity, smart government policy, and the expansion of human
welfare.
High-Growth Entrepreneurs Plan to Continue Growing
Entrepreneurs heading some of America’s fastest growing privately held companies have told the Kauffman Foundation that they plan to continue to grow in the United States provided they are able to find qualified people to add to their firms.
High-Growth Firms Account for Disproportionate Share of Job Creation, According to Kauffman Foundation Study
According to a new study released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the current national conversation on economic recovery would be more productively focused on creating a favorable environment for entrepreneurship—and particularly high-growth entrepreneurship—because top-performing companies are the most fertile source of new jobs.
High-Growth Firms and the Future of the American Economy
Into early 2010, more than two years after the recession began, the American economy continues to send out mixed signals with respect to economic recovery: GDP growth looks set to recover, while unemployment is projected to remain high for many more years. The most important economic matter facing the country is job creation, not only in terms of employment itself but also for boosting sectors such as housing, which will not fully recover until job creation recovers.
High-Growth Firms Flourish in Unexpected Locations and Industries, Kauffman Studies Show
"The Ascent of America's High-Growth Companies," a report series released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, reveals that high numbers of fast-growing firms are concentrated in unexpected regions and industrial sectors.
How Do New Businesses Get Ahead in the 'Money Game'?
There's no question that startups need money to grow. But although there is not more capital available to new companies, the sources of capital—from personal savings to loan programs to crowdfunding platforms—abound despite the economic downturn.
Immigrant Entrepreneurship Has Stalled for the First Time in Decades, Kauffman Foundation Study Shows
A new Kauffman Foundation study finds that high-tech, immigrant-founded startups — a critical source of fuel for the U.S. economy — has stagnated and is on the verge of decline.
