Entrepreneurship in the Population (EPOP)

Challenge

Researchers need to understand the full scope of entrepreneurial activities to best support business formation in the U.S.

Entrepreneurship studies focused on only current business owners don’t provide all the information policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations need. To understand and optimally support business growth and formation requires an understanding of not only existing business owners but also of those who formerly owned a business, are considering starting a business, or who have the potential to become self-employed. Data are available on current owners, but information on the broader scope of all entrepreneurial activities is scarce.

Solution

The Entrepreneurship in the Population (EPOP) Survey is a publicly available resource for understanding the scope of entrepreneurial activities and business formation across the U.S.

The EPOP Survey project is a multi-year study of adults to measure the interest in, involvement with, and experiences with entrepreneurship across the U.S. population. The overarching goal of this project is to profile and prospectively monitor entrepreneurial activities across the nation. The project is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that seeks to build inclusive prosperity through a prepared workforce and entrepreneur-focused economic development.

Result

EPOP:2022, EPOP:2023, and EPOP:2024 data are available for the public, policymakers, and researchers alike.

EPOP Survey data includes participants who are currently business owners or freelancers, as well those planning a business or used to be owners and gig workers. EPOP provides understanding of the motivations, actions, and challenges faced by people across the entrepreneurial process and the types of resources available to them, including financial resources, training, and other types of support.

Survey findings are being broadly shared to provide researchers, practitioners, and policymakers insights into the experiences of individuals at various points along the entrepreneurial journey, as well as the influences that support or inhibit entrepreneurship across the U.S. The data from 2022, 2023, and 2024 surveys are available via an interactive data dashboard, public use data files, and microdata files. Reliable estimation is possible at national, regional, and state levels, as well as in key metropolitan statistical areas.

Learn more about the study and request public use data files at EPOP.norc.org.