Author: Wayne Veldsman

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index GlobalNations Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places Globally to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces its December 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index Global (DII Global), which evaluates each nation’s ability to develop, support, and retain entrepreneurs, innovators, startups, and investors. First published in 2021, the DII Global provides the most well-rounded and up-to-date look at entrepreneurial environments across the globe. “This month is a first for the DII Global,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “For the first time, there was absolutely no movement in the top ten. However, there was quite a bit of movement outside the top ten and it had a lot to do with AI/Machine Learning-related investments, or the lack thereof. These technologies have transformative potential in pretty much every industry and are a foundation for innovation and entrepreneurship going forward. Because of this, attracting investment in this space should be a key strategic priority for nations.” Top Takeaways from the DII Global December 2024 Update “While it’s natural to acknowledge the potential of new technologies automating existing occupations, and to prepare for potential labor market and economic impacts, the reality is that they will also create new jobs and economic growth,” said  BizWorld Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “The trick, of course, is to minimize the former and maximize the latter.  AI and Machine Learning, major factors on this month’s rankings, have tremendous potential for growth and innovation, if supported by strong talent workforce pipelines and the right regulatory frameworks.”  The DII Global will release monthly updates to continually reflect the latest developments in global innovation and entrepreneurship, available here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index U.S.States Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces the December 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index U.S. (DII US), which evaluates each state’s innovation environment and entrepreneurship climate. Published monthly since 2021, the DII US provides the most well-rounded, up-to-date ranking of entrepreneurial locations, reflecting both traditional and emerging economic metrics, from taxes and regulations to venture capital investment, cryptocurrency friendliness, and blockchain investment trends. “Growth in venture capital was a major factor in DII US movements this month,” said BizWorld Founder Tim Draper. “Both overall venture capital investment levels and specific cryptocurrency/blockchain-related investments pushed states either up or down the rankings, which speaks to the importance of growing new investment opportunities in cutting-edge, innovative industries of the future. As shown in a recent McKinsey report, innovative industries have both the highest rates of investment returns and the highest long-term revenue growth trends, which means that supporting those industries by attracting entrepreneurs and investors should be a strategic priority for all states.” Top Takeaways from the DII US December 2024 Update “Despite being by far the largest U.S. state-level economy, California fell to 17th place in the DII US rankings this month,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “This was due in large part to weak business formation statistics, a worrying sign because entrepreneurship and start-up formation is critical integral to innovation and overall economic growth. How can states boost new business formation? One obvious lever to pull is removing regulatory and tax barriers for new businesses. Another would be supporting and expanding entrepreneurship-related educational programs.” The DII US will continue to post monthly updates which can be accessed here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index U.S.States Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces the November 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index U.S. (DII US), which evaluates each state’s innovation environment and entrepreneurship climate. Published monthly since 2021, the DII US provides the most well-rounded, up-to-date ranking of entrepreneurial locations, reflecting both traditional and emerging economic metrics, from taxes and regulations to venture capital investment, cryptocurrency friendliness, and blockchain investment trends. “Missouri, Vermont and Washington saw the largest jumps this month,” said BizWorld Founder Tim Draper. “In all three cases, improved business formation statistics were a major reason why. This points to something important. While policymakers and other government leaders can do a lot to build a welcoming entrepreneurial environment, it’s ultimately up to the entrepreneurs themselves to start businesses and innovate, as well as early-stage investors who fuel this critical economic growth.” Top Takeaways from the DII US November 2024 Update “While California is by far the largest U.S. state economy and ranks at or near the top in multiple metrics, it ranks only 16th in the DII US; at the same time, New York is the third largest state economy but recently fell to 36th,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “This is due to both states ranking in the bottom three in Small Business Policy and Tax Environment and points to something important – one of the best strategies for improving a state’s entrepreneurial environment is by addressing the most glaring weaknesses, as shown in DII US rankings. For California and New York, improving statewide entrepreneurial climates will have to involve improving their Small Business Policy and Tax Environment rankings.” The DII US will continue to post monthly updates which can be accessed here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index GlobalNations Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places Globally to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces its November 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index Global (DII Global), which evaluates each nation’s ability to develop, support, and retain entrepreneurs, innovators, startups, and investors. First published in 2021, the DII Global provides the most well-rounded and up-to-date look at entrepreneurial environments across the globe. In this month’s update, the DII Global saw several of its annual metrics updated including: the United Nation’s Development Program’s Human Development Index, World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index, and Foreign Direct Investment (World Bank.) “Singapore rose from 9th place to 7th in the DII Global due to a variety of factors,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “It attracted more foreign direct investment, rose in the UN Human Development Index, and boosted AI and Machine Learning-related investments. Foreign direct investment remains a critical driver of economic growth. Boosting foreign direct investment, which often involves removing barriers to foreign capital investment, is a powerful strategy for rapidly improving a nation’s entrepreneurial climate.” Top Takeaways from the DII Global November 2024 Update “Weak venture capital investment trends were a major factor in a number of declines rankings in the DII Global rankings this month,” said BizWorld Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “China, Hungary, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Suriname, and others fell for this reason, while countries like Singapore and New Zealand rose because of improved venture capital momentum, especially in AI/Machine Learning. The obvious connection between venture capital to entrepreneurship means that policymakers need to consider strategies for making their economies more inviting to domestic and international venture capitalists, such as through favorable tax and cryptocurrency policies.”  The DII Global will release monthly updates to continually reflect the latest developments in global innovation and entrepreneurship, available here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index GlobalNations Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places Globally to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces its October 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index Global (DII Global), which evaluates each nation’s ability to develop, support, and retain entrepreneurs, innovators, startups, and investors. First published in 2021, the DII Global provides the most well-rounded and up-to-date look at entrepreneurial environments across the globe. “Both major U.S. presidential candidates have backed cryptocurrency-related regulatory frameworks,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “The crypto-related SuperPAC Fairshake has emerged as a major player when it comes to funding campaigns. These two headlines point to the unprecedented political importance of cryptocurrency during this campaign cycle, and this importance is not limited in the United States or 2024. In the coming years, you can expect to see cryptocurrency as a major plank in the platforms of parties all around the world because it’s a forward-thinking, golden global opportunity to stand out from political rivals.” Top Takeaways from the DII Global October 2024 Update “Local currencies’ performance relative to Bitcoin continue to drive drops in the DII Global rankings,” said BizWorld Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “For instance, it played a major role in Mexico and Russia’s declines. As the cryptocurrency industry continues to grow and mature, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will become larger and larger considerations for multiple aspects of economic policy – not just crypto-specific regulations but also more broadly fiscal policy.” The DII Global will release monthly updates to continually reflect the latest developments in global innovation and entrepreneurship, available here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index GlobalNations Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places Globally to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces its September 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index Global (DII Global), which evaluates each nation’s ability to develop, support, and retain entrepreneurs, innovators, startups, and investors. First published in 2021, the DII Global provides the most well-rounded and up-to-date look at entrepreneurial environments across the globe. “As you can see, AI- and Machine Learning-related investments, or the lack thereof, were a major factor in which countries climbed up or fell down the DII Global ranks this month,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “Beyond all the hype is the reality that these rapidly emerging technologies do have tremendous economic potential, and investing in them should be a part of any country’s long-term research, innovation, and economic strategies. National economies need to consider ways to make these investments a key priority or risk getting left behind.” Top Takeaways from the DII Global September 2024 Update “Bitcoin has become a major factor for individual nations’ performances on the DII Global,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “It might not make headlines as often as in the past few years, but cryptocurrency has become an important component of leadership in the global economy, and something to be taken strongly into consideration when shaping economic and financial policy. The local currency’s performance against bitcoin should be a factor in these policies because the days of cryptocurrency as a just a novelty are long gone.”  The DII Global will release monthly updates to continually reflect the latest developments in global innovation and entrepreneurship, available here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index U.S.States Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces the September 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index U.S. (DII US), which evaluates each state’s innovation environment and entrepreneurship climate. Published monthly since 2021, the DII US provides the most well-rounded, up-to-date ranking of entrepreneurial locations, reflecting both traditional and emerging economic metrics, from taxes and regulations to venture capital investment, cryptocurrency friendliness, and blockchain investment trends. “Several states, including Texas, Montana and Idaho, rose across all three DII US scenarios,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “In all three cases, this across-the-board rise was due to a combination of multiple strengths in different areas. This points to something essential – the necessity of pursuing multiple different avenues of growth rather than depending on a single strategy. While cryptocurrency and blockchain-related investments are increasingly impactful on DII US rankings, fundamental strategies like tax policy, business-related regulations and attracting overall venture capital investment remain extremely important in driving performance in our rankings.” Top Takeaways from the DII US September 2024 Update “Montana enjoyed the biggest improvement this month,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “It rose up the ranks across all three scenarios and is now in 13th place in the Balanced scenario. Despite having the nation’s 44th largest population and its 48th largest GDP, Montana is rising rapidly when it comes to the best states for entrepreneurship. From the beginning, one of this project’s main goals was to reflect multiple aspects of what it means to be the best states for innovation and entrepreneurship, not just in traditional major economic hotspots. Montana’s rise reflects this. It also reflects how even the smallest state economies can take steps to become better environments for innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors.” The DII US will continue to post monthly updates which can be accessed here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index U.S.States Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces the August 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index U.S. (DII US), which evaluates each state’s innovation environment and entrepreneurship climate. Published monthly since 2021, the DII US provides the most well-rounded, up-to-date ranking of entrepreneurial locations, reflecting both traditional and emerging economic metrics, from taxes and regulations to venture capital investment, cryptocurrency friendliness, and blockchain investment trends. “Colorado rose to third place in the DII US this month on the back of strong performance across a wide variety of our data metrics and analytics,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “Florida, Utah, and Texas’s long-running monopoly on our top three has finally been broken. Colorado broke into the top three through success on both sides of the entrepreneurship coin, investment – including crypto and blockchain-related investment – and new business formation.” Top Takeaways from the DII US August 2024 Update “California and New York, two of the three largest state economies, both fell down the ranks again this month,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “This was due to weakness on a number of metrics, including a declining performance in Regulatory and Tax metrics for California. Both states have some of the nation’s highest tax rates, which have had a clear,  absolute knock-on effect on investors and entrepreneurs.” The DII US will continue to post monthly updates which can be accessed here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index U.S. States Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places to Launch a Startup North Carolina Overtakes Colorado for 4th in the DII USNew Hampshire Pushes Idaho Out of DII US Top 10 California Slips 2 Places to 13thMaine, Missouri, and Nebraska RiseConnecticut, Kansas, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and South Carolina Fall Oakland, California – BizWorld announces the July 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index U.S. (DII US), which evaluates each state’s innovation environment and entrepreneurship climate. Published monthly since 2021, the DII US provides the most well-rounded, up-to-date ranking of entrepreneurial locations, reflecting both traditional and emerging economic metrics, from taxes and regulations to venture capital investment, cryptocurrency friendliness, and blockchain investment trends. “Venture Capital investment statistics played a major role in states rising or declining in the Draper Innovation Index US rankings this month,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “This is as it should be, as the ability to attract new investment focused on entrepreneurship and innovation is a key indicator that says a lot about a state’s overall economic health – and how that economy is perceived around the world. At the end of the day, investors put their money where they see the best potential for economic growth and innovation, which is why both traditional venture capital and blockchain investments are key parts of our Top Takeaways from the DII US July 2024 Update “Maine saw the largest increase this month,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “It climbed up all DII US three scenarios. Missouri and Nebraska also saw significant growth in the DII US rankings while Delaware and Utah remained in the top ten and were joined by New Hampshire. Smaller states, in other words, can achieve quite a bit of economic success by creating thriving entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems. Large state economies do not have a monopoly on growth or innovation.” The DII US will continue to post monthly updates which can be accessed here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self- reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/

BizWorld Updates Monthly Draper Innovation Index U.S.States Compete to Land in Top Ten of Best Places to Launch a Startup Oakland, California – BizWorld announces the June 2024 update to the Draper Innovation Index U.S. (DII US), which evaluates each state’s innovation environment and entrepreneurship climate. Published monthly since 2021, the DII US provides the most well-rounded, up-to-date ranking of entrepreneurial locations, reflecting both traditional and emerging economic metrics, from taxes and regulations to venture capital investment, cryptocurrency friendliness, and blockchain investment trends. “The impact of cryptocurrency/blockchain-related investments on this month’s rankings speaks to crypto’s growing impact on state economies,” said BizWorld founder Tim Draper. “It’s becoming clear that crypto is here to stay and has become a gamechanger. Along with other DeFi innovations, states should think intently about its potential long-term benefits and how that might align with economic strategy.” Top Takeaways from the DII US June 2024 Update “As you can see, in addition to cryptocurrency and blockchain investment trends, business formation statistics played a key role in whether states climbed up or fell down the DII rankings this month,” said BizWorld Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Wallace Walrod. “Throughout this project, we’ve frequently discussed the impact of various policies on an individual state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. At the same time, however, it’s ultimately up to the entrepreneurs and investors themselves, not policymakers, to build and grow these ecosystems.” The DII US will continue to post monthly updates which can be accessed here. About BizWorld BizWorld.org is a global non-profit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to enable youth from all backgrounds to unlock the power of entrepreneurship to create career opportunities, inspire self-reliance, and build confidence that drives economic prosperity globally. Founded over 25 years ago by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, BizWorld.org programs teach students real-world 21st century skills and leadership that encourage them to become responsible leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. More than 850,000 students in more than 100 countries have participated in BizWorld programs. https://www.bizworld.org/