Fall 2009

Recessions and Entrepreneurship: Is necessity the mother of invention?

More than half of Fortune 500 firms were founded in recessions or bear markets. Well-known companies like Burger King, Hyatt, and Microsoft were either launched or conceived during a recession. Is there something special about economic hardship that spurs entrepreneurship?

Related Links

Fairlie, Robert W. "Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity." Kansas City, Mo.: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, April 2009.

Stangler, Dane. "The Economic Future Just Happened." Kansas City, Mo.: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, June 9, 2009.

The Small Business Economy: A Report to the President. Washington, D.C: Small Business Administration, 2009.