|
If you have problems viewing this email go to http://www.publicforuminstitute.org/nde/news/nde-news.htm |
|
|
|
|
Week of August 25 - 31, 2008 |
|
|
The latest version of the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing US companies—along with the newer Inc. 5000---was released this week. As usual, it’s an impressive list of world-class companies. This year’s list tracks firm performance between 2004 and 2007, so most of the companies were not yet affected by the current economic downturn. As usual, the list offers an interesting peak at “hot” sectors and trends. Topping this year’s list is Senior Whole Health, a Massachusetts-based managed care provider that has capitalized on Massachusetts experiments in health care reform. Without a doubt, Senior Whole Health has enjoyed a good run, posting a five-year growth rate of more than 31,000 percent. The list also includes some new categories, including:
As in the past, California is home to the highest number of Inc. 500 firms (78), and the Washington, DC (39) area tops the list of Inc. 500-heavy metro areas. If we look at the number of Inc. 500 firms per million residents, Utah is the place to be as the most popular state for these companies and Provo as the most popular metro location. To learn more about the 2008 Inc. 500, visit www.inc.com. The list also appears in the September 2008 issue of Inc. magazine. |
|
|
If you ask
entrepreneurs about important policy issues, they frequently cite the
importance of favorable tax treatment for capital gains. This important
issue also differentiates the Presidential candidates with Obama seeking
to reverse most of the cuts in capital gains taxes for individuals in
the highest tax brackets and McCain supporting the current tax rate of
fifteen percent. New research from the Urban Institute offers a look at
the state of the capital gains tax debate by asking who currently pays
these taxes. Fewer than one in seven American taxpayers report taxable
capital gains each year. Those who earn more than $200,000 per year
account for 83% of all capital gains taxes paid. Those who earn more
than $1 million per year account for a large portion of this total, and
also account for 63% of all capital gains taxes paid. Capital gains
account for approximately 40%—of annual gross income for this cohort of
taxpayers. |
|
|
As advances in nanotechnology continue,
government regulators face some tough challenges. A new study from the
Pew Trusts/Woodrow Wilson Center Project for Emerging Nanotechnologies
offers some guidelines for how the next Administration might address
these thorny issues. The report contends that the existing systems for
managing nanotechnology are “weak and inadequate.” It makes 35 different
recommendations for how to strengthen and update these tools and
regulations to help ensure that nanotechnologies can be harnessed to
best serve society’s needs. These suggestions include expanded funding
for research into the potential health risks of nanomaterials, revision
of existing laws to account for unique nature of nanomaterials, and more
aggressive enforcement of existing laws to regulate the use of
nanomaterials in cosmetics, clothing, household appliances, and other
consumer products. |
|
|
From Entrepreneur to Titan in Canada
Canadian business leaders have long bemoaned
their nation’s inability to rapidly generate world-class entrepreneurial
ventures in a manner like California’s Silicon Valley. A recent
symposium sponsored by the Information Technology Association of Canada
examined the causes of, and potential remedies, for this weak
performance. The symposium raised a number of concerns about the quality
of Canada’s technology workforce and the absence of a nurturing
environment for entrepreneurs. Symposium participants reached a
consensus view that a more supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem is
required if Canada wants to succeed in building a critical mass of
world-class companies. Specific recommendations included building
stronger mentoring programs for new business owners, including
establishment of global network of Canadian executives who could provide
coaching and support for these firms. |
|
|
Stanford Offers Entrepreneurship Podcasts and Video Clips The Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) in the School of Engineering at Stanford University continues to host a website with more than 1,200 free, high-quality podcasts and video clips of entrepreneurial thought leaders from Silicon Valley and beyond. The Entrepreneurship Corner (ECorner), sponsored in part by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, features clips recorded during guest lectures at Stanford University. More than 200 speakers, including Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of HP, offer insights on the following: creativity and innovation; opportunity recognition; finance and venture capital; leadership and adversity; and, other related topics. Formerly called Educators Corner, the new Entrepreneurship Corner is still available at http://ecorner.stanford.edu. |
|
|
The National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship is an initiative of the Public Forum Institute made possible by a grant from the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City. Through NDE-news, we bring you short summaries and analyses of various trends driving entrepreneurship around the world. Subscribe now to receive your weekly copy. Archived issues are available online. |
|
|
|
National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship
|
|
All
stories © 2008 The Public Forum Institute
|
|
