Kauffman VP hops on national TV to discuss gaps in entrepreneurship
May 8, 2017 | Bobby Burch
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s vice president of entrepreneurship recently took to national television to examine declining startup rates.
CNBC recently featured Victor Hwang to discuss the trend in declining startup rates, including generational gaps, cultural shifts, limited access to capital and the impact of regulations.
“It’s hard to pin it down exactly,” Hwang told CNBC. “There seem to be some cultural forces at work. It seems like entrepreneurship is starting to fall and we’re seeing a decline of economic dynamism. The Millennial set actually has much lower rates of entrepreneurship than you find in prior generations.”
In February, Kauffman Foundation leadership took to Washington D.C. to discuss common struggles entrepreneurs face, possible solutions and emerging trends with lawmakers. That visit also highlighted the foundation’s Zero Barriers to Startup Challenge, which is a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify barriers that get in the way of new business creation.
To learn more about three “megatrends” that have grabbed the foundation’s attention and informed some of its efforts to help reverse the startup deficit, check out this story.
Check out Hwang’s CNBC appearance below.

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Dozens of skyrocketing KC firms break into the Inc. 5000
Kansas City held its own on Inc. Magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing, private companies. The Wednesday unveiling of the Inc. 5000 featured 44 metro firms — including several area tech firms, like k12itc and Rhythm Engineering. K12itc, which in January made Startland’s 2016 top 10 startups to watch, delivers cloud-based IT services to…
Backstitch wants to fix a billion-dollar communication dilemma
With the cost of poor business communication climbing as high as $37 billion a year, Backstitch founders Jordan and Stefanie Warzecha saw an opportunity to clear the air. The married couple — who say communication has never been a problem for them — founded their corporate communications platform in 2012. Backstitch aims to mitigate the…
Google Fiber names local duo as digital inclusion leaders
After a successful first year, Google Fiber — in partnership with the Nonprofit Technology Network — has announced its second round of Digital Inclusion Fellows. As part of the program, fellows will create and lead digital literacy efforts in the 11 metro areas with Google Fiber, including Kansas City. Initiatives include assisting adults with high…
Can downtowners ditch the Dodge? Zipcar expands in Kansas City
Downtown Kansas City residents have another compelling reason to become car-less converts. The on-demand car rental service Zipcar is expanding its area presence to Kansas City’s downtown, providing its growing population another flexible transportation option. The international car-sharing service is beefing up local offerings — which already includes two cars at Kansas City International Airport…
