Get All Access for $5/mo

U.S. Entrepreneurship Climbs to Highest Level in More Than a Decade (Infographic) More than one in 10 Americans were developing their own business in 2012, according to the U.S. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor released today. Here's a look at the demographics of the community.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

iiwiki.com

The U.S. was founded on principles that anyone with a good idea and a willingness to work hard has a shot at success. That optimism about the potential of entrepreneurship is very much alive.

The percentage of U.S. adults in the nascent stages of entrepreneurship, either in the process of starting a business or a new business owner, reached almost 13 percent in 2012, up slightly from 12.3 percent the previous year, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor U.S. Report released today from Babson College and Baruch College. That is the highest level of entrepreneurship the U.S. has seen since 1999 when the rate was 8.4 percent and GEM first started producing the studies.

Related: U.S. Small Businesses Expect Improved Sales Prospects (Infographic)

Of the U.S. adults who are working on launching their own business or are running their young business, men outnumber women in a 10 to seven ratio, the report finds. First-generation immigrants are more likely than their nonimmigrant peers to become an entrepreneur. What's more, entrepreneurship rates across age categories, when adjusted to take into account the percentage of each age group that is active in the labor market, were relatively similar, the report found.

Below is an infographic prepared by the GEM in connection with the release of the U.S. report summarizing the diverse demographics of U.S. entrepreneurs, along with highlights about how U.S. entrepreneurs are working and the struggles they face.

What does the entrepreneurship community look like in your local region? Leave a note below and let us know.

Entrepreneurship in the U.S. Reaches Highest Level in More Than a Decade
Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

Wells Fargo Reportedly Fired More Than a Dozen Employees for Faking Keyboard Activity

The bank told Bloomberg that it "does not tolerate unethical behavior."

Starting a Business

Spend Less Time Worrying About Your Company's Runway — And More Time Rethinking Your Strategy. Here's How.

Perceived short runways leave founders in angst. It does not have to be this way; the best way to extend the runway is the right strategy.

Innovation

The Key to Real Innovation Is Cross-Pollination — Here Are 10 Ways to Implement It in Your Business

Transform your business with this unique approach to sparking innovation.

Business Models

5 Questions to Ask to Make Sure Your Company's Financial Plan Is on Track

Conducting a "check-up" at midyear is essential to maintain a healthy financial plan.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.