The Entrepreneur’s Census
Entrepreneur’s Census
Page 1
Contents
Executive Summary
Page 2
Contributions
Page 6
Statistics
Page 8
Response: Business Overview
Page 9
Response: Geography
Page 14
Response: Talent and Programming
Page 15
Response: Office Space and Costs
Page 17
Response: Financing
Page 20
Response: Access to Investors and Advisors
Page 26
Entrepreneur’s Census
Page 2
Executive Summary
Mission
To promote and improve entrepreneurship through data gathering and analysis
Objectives
We designed the Entrepreneur’s Census with several objectives in mind:
Bring attention to the vital field of entrepreneurship and innovation
Record benchmarks for entrepreneurs throughout the United States
Compare the circumstances facing entrepreneurs in New York, Boston and Silicon Valley
Background
The study originated in January 2010 as a project to understand the recent increase in entrepreneurial
activity and investment in New York City. Initially, we set out to provide information to the policy
makers that affect the entrepreneurs and investors of New York.
From January through March, we conducted interviews with approximately 50 of New York City’s
brightest entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, lawyers and strategic investors. We asked the
leaders of New York’s venture community to offer ideas as to how the New York City Government could
issue policies and initiatives to buttress the recent (and dramatic) increase of entrepreneurial activity and
investment in New York City. Some innovative and potentially effective ideas emerged from these
conversations.
In March, we undertook the task of gathering granular information regarding the venture communities in
Boston, Palo Alto and New York. We did so with the intent to verify the potential effectiveness of the
solutions suggested in our initial conversations and provide useful data to entrepreneurs throughout the
country.
We sincerely thank those who shared