The global economic downturn has lead to the perception that entrepreneurial opportunities in both the U.S. and Europe have declined. And with the ballooning debts in Europe, many have suggested that these opportunities in Europe are even more restricted.
But is the U.S. really in better shape than Europe for entrepreneurship? According to an infographic created by Grasshopper, the differences between the regions aren’t as great as one might imagine.
The infographic compares what it takes to become an entrepreneur in several Western European nations with what it takes in the U.S.
The U.S. leads with entrepreneurial activity as a percentage of GDP: 11.3% in the U.S. as compared to the next closest competitor, the U.K. 6.3%.
It’s not that the U.S. has the lowest barriers to starting a business. Sweden, the U.K. and the Netherlands all have fewer barriers, according to the infographic. Nor is it that the U.S. has proportionally more immigrant entrepreneurs.
But the U.S. does have proportionately more entrepreneurs, and according to the infographic, they are among the most optimistic and least fearful. And perhaps this, rather than any legal or economic circumstance, is what makes the difference.
