MEDIA ALERT: Kauffman Foundation to Present 'The State of Entrepreneurship' Address and Report

An Assessment of Where Entrepreneurship and New Companies Stand in the Current Economy

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following advisory was issued today by the Kauffman Foundation:

WHAT: Comprehensive overview of entrepreneurship, the critical links between new companies and economic recovery, and recommended solutions for fueling job growth.

Event and media-related details include:

• Carl Schramm, Kauffman Foundation president and CEO, will deliver a "State of Entrepreneurship" address at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, January 19 at 12:30 p.m. EST.
• U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will speak about what the administration and the Department of Commerce are doing to encourage the growth of entrepreneurship in America.
• Entrepreneurs from multiple sectors will participate in a panel discussion and share their personal stories following the "State of Entrepreneurship" address.
• Kauffman Foundation will release the results of an exclusive survey tracking entrepreneurs' concerns and their perspective on the economy.
• A printed report including an analysis of entrepreneurship trends and the challenges facing new business, an overview of the links between job creation and entrepreneurs and concrete policy recommendations will be released at the event.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 19, 2010; 12:30 p.m. EST

• Members of the media can attend the "State of Entrepreneurship" address at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor, Washington, D.C. 
• Lunch will be provided.
• Printed "State of Entrepreneurship" reports will be available at 11:30 a.m. EST.
• Still photos and images of the "State of Entrepreneurship" address will be available from the Kauffman Foundation following the event.
• A live broadcast of the event will be streamed through the State of Entrepreneurship web site: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=65341

WHY: As the engine of the economy, entrepreneurship warrants attention as the nation embarks on a new year dedicated to reversing the recession. With nearly $2 billion in assets, the Kauffman Foundation is the world's largest private foundation dedicated to entrepreneurship and the leading funder of economic research in the United States.

Recent Kauffman Foundation research has shed new light on the importance of entrepreneurship to economic recovery and growth, such as:

• Over the past 30 years, nearly all net job creation has come from companies less than five years old.
• Ninety-two percent of Americans in a September 2009 study say entrepreneurs are critically important to job creation.
• The highest rate of entrepreneurial activity is among people ages 55-64.
• Immigrants to the United States start new companies at nearly twice the rate of the native-born U.S. population.

For media that would like to attend the event in person or to schedule an interview, please contact:  

Kelly Rohrs, Edelman, 212-819-4852, [email protected]

Martin Maisonpierre, Edelman, 212-704-8111, [email protected]

SOURCE Kauffman Foundation