Startup Weekends are important for growing entrepreneurs and developing entrepreneurial ecosystems. Recent studies show that while existing firms lose about a million jobs each year, startups add approximately 3 million new jobs, demonstrating their significance to job growth. Startup Weekends foster an entrepreneurial mindset and help participants learn expert entrepreneurial thinking. They also strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting people and promoting education, celebration, and new business initiatives. Developing more entrepreneurs and supporting them with strong ecosystems is vital for creating jobs and fueling economic opportunity.

1. Why Startups Matter.Why Startup Weekend Matters. Entrepreneurs Grow Jobs SW Grows Entrepreneurs Global SW/SD Organizers Conference Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation September 2010

2. Recent study showing that firms >1 year old shed (on average) a million jobs annually, but startups add ~3 million jobs. Not whole picture but where is this intel in most economists’ thinking?…

3. The smoking gun? Opportunity Entrepreneurship (peaked in 2005) Necessity Entrepreneurship (not to scale)

4. Growing Entrepreneurial Potential Growing Opportunity Entrepreneurship = Growing Potential Opportunity Entrepreneurs! #1: Develop Entrepreneurs Grow Entrepreneurial Thinkers #2: Develop an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Grow a “Nutrient-Rich Seedbed”

5. How to Develop Entrepreneurs? To Grow Entrepreneurial Potential = Grow (Expert) Entrepreneurial Thinking Mindset is key Expert entrepreneurs see opportunities to create value for others. Entrepreneurs find ways to act on those opportunities Entrepreneurs deliver value, then get paid. STARTUP WEEKEND --- grows the mindset!

6. How to Develop Entrepreneurial Ecosystems? Entrep Ecosystems = bottom-up, top-down AND networked Everyone needs to learn how to be a connector The Evidence: ‘Heart’ of entrepreneurial development Start Young Cast Net for Entrepreneurs Broadly Engagethe Ecosystem Broadly… but Strategically Celebrate, Educate and…. Initiate! STARTUP WEEKEND --- grows the ecosystem?

7. You want to prove how important entrepreneurs are in YOUR area? Check out www.youreconomy.org – data on where jobs come from – states, counties, cities… Example for Idaho, 2000-2007: Startups created 287K jobs Deaths lost 282K (net of +5K) Growing firms added 200K jobs Shrinking firms lost 135K (net of +65K) Startups Matter. Growing Firms Matter. High Growth Potential Startups REALLY Matter! So get busy already. Go start SOMETHING!