Latest Global Entrepreneurship Trends

More than 12 percent of American adults were engaged in starting a business or running a new one in 2005, according to the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. That's up from 11.3 percent in 2004.

The United States ranks No. 6 globally in early-stage entrepreneurial activity, behind Venezuela, Thailand, New Zealand, Jamaica and China.

Nearly 5 percent of Americans own established businesses, compared with an average of 6.6 percent for the 35 countries in the survey.

The United States and Canada, however, lead the world in high-expectation entrepreneurship -- early-stage businesses that expect to employ at least 20 people within five years. About 1.5 percent of North Americans are high-expectation entrepreneurs, according to the survey.

These entrepreneurs are especially important because 10 percent of new firms expect to create nearly 75 percent of the new jobs generated by early-stage businesses.

The GEM survey, which is directed by Babson College and London Business School, also found that high-expectation entrepreneurs tend to be males less than 44 years old.

For more information, see www.gemconsortium.org.