Why are we focused on Global Entrepreneurship Week throughout the year? Take a look at the following statistics from  the Kauffman Foundation's Fast Facts on Entrepreneurship and the Economy:

• Ninety-two percent of Americans say entrepreneurs are critically important to job creation; 75 percent think the United States cannot have a sustained economic recovery without another burst of entrepreneurial activity. Kauffman Foundation Survey of Entrepreneurs, September 2009
• From 1980–2005, firms less than five years old accounted for all net job growth in the United States. Business Dynamics Statistics Briefing: Jobs Created from Business Startups in the United States, January 2009
• Excluding startups, young firms—defined as one to five years of age—accounted for nearly two-thirds of job creation in 2007. Where Will the Jobs Come From?, November 2009 
• New firms add an average of 3 million jobs in their first year, while older companies lose 1 million jobs annually. The Importance of Startups in Job Creation and Job Destruction, July 2010
• While only half of new firms survive to age five, 80 percent of the jobs created by the firms survive five years.After Inception: How Enduring is Job Creation by Startups?, August 2010

Looking for more facts and figures? Check out any of Kauffman's other fact sheets. 
 

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