The US seems to be steaming ahead in its drive to out-startup and innovate the rest of the world. Consider, the qualities an entrepreneur must show, as Mark Suster well describes :
- Not very status-oriented
- Doesntfollow rules very well and questions authority
- Can handle high degrees of ambiguity or uncertainty
- Can handle rejection, being told “no” often and yet still have the confidence in your idea
- Very decisive. A bias toward making decisions even when only right 70% of the time moving forward & correcting what doesnt work
- A high level of confidence in your own ideas and ability to execute
- Not highly susceptible to stress
- Have a high risk tolerance
- Not scared or ashamed of failure
- Can handle long hours, travel, lack of sleep and the trade-offs of having less time for hobbies & other stuff
Evidently, this level of creative drive is more easily sustained when you are not starving or worried about how to pay the rent. When friends, family, and companies in your neighborhood provide a safety net, for you when you crash or need to bounce back.
Then consider the whitehouse’s Strategy for American Innovation, whose main lines are:
- Expand access to capital for high-growth startups ($2 billion)
- Expand entrepreneurship education and mentorship programs
- Strengthen federally-funded R&D commercialization
- Identify and remove unnecessary barriers to high-growth startups
- Expand collaborations between large companies and startups
Entrepreneurship is easier in a context that is so supportive. America is bound to have a lot more people prospecting for new businesses if the cost of failure and bouncing back is so reduced.
Cameron’s Silicon Roundabout needs some beefing up to stay competitive.
Update
Speaking of which, just released:
Prime Minister Welcomes Cisco’s $500 Million Investment Goal for UK as Part of Support for East London Tech City