Economic Development Archives - Startup Economist

New York Isn’t a Startup Ecosystem, It’s a Set of Sector Machines

Friday, 30 January 2026 by Paul O'Brien

With such a substantial and dense population, it’s difficult to say that New York City has a startup ecosystem as though a monolithic slice of the economy and yet, it’s precisely because of New York’s urban density that it’s a leading example of an advanced startup community. New York is a rotating set of sector-specific

Published in Regional Development

10 Comments

Government Doesn’t Create Wealth, It Decides Whether Entrepreneurs Can

Monday, 26 January 2026 by Paul O'Brien

From the freezing tundra of Austin, Texas, this weekend I was asked, “Is it true that the U.S. became a leading industrial power through entrepreneurship, innovation, and mass production, creating immense wealth?” and it struck me that this city being quiet on a Monday when the northern part of the United States is at work,

entrepreneurship government growth policy public policy

Published in Economic Development

17 Comments

Only 10% of State and National Governments Distinguish Startups from New Businesses

Tuesday, 20 January 2026 by Paul O'Brien

A practical startup economic policy framework for governments that want venture-scale companies Governments around the world love the word entrepreneurship. They put it in press releases, name departments after it, fund “innovation hubs,” and cut ribbons in front of coworking spaces that end up being networking clubs for service providers seeking customers. What almost none

economic development entrepreneurship government policy public policy startups

Published in Startup Ecosystems

15 Comments

What Sinks Startups AND Democracies: The One Thing Founders and Voters Are Starting to See Might Save Us

Monday, 19 January 2026 by Paul O'Brien

We trained a generation to build tools, not understand consequences. Technology keeps revealing just how dangerous that gap has become. American courts have been undergoing an experiment by way of a study that might (should) heavily influence everyone in appreciating how important it is that decision makers are well informed. Finally seeing more light with

entrepreneurship government policy public policy

Published in Economic Development, Insights / Research

17 Comments

The California Tech Tax Is a Kill Switch. Texas Keeps Innovation Compounding.

Wednesday, 14 January 2026 by Paul O'Brien

California is flirting with a policy idea so aggressively stupid it reads like parody, except it isn’t. It’s drafted law; it’s real. And even if it never passes, the damage is already done. The proposed “Billionaire Wealth Tax” ballot measure is not merely a tax and it’s far more than California’s tech tax; it is

california policy tax tech texas

Published in Economic Development

6 Comments

Universities Aren’t Commercializing Innovation, They’re Taxing It

Friday, 19 December 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Everywhere I go lately experiences at some point, the same conversation. Different city, different state, different accents and startup hype, but the same whisper once the doors close and University administration is out of the room. I was just in Phoenix, sitting with startup operators and ecosystem builders, and within minutes we were right back

commercialization innovation ip patents reseach tech transfer universities

Published in Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems

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Why Riyadh and Saudi Arabia Are Rapidly Becoming a Global Startup Powerhouse

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Riyadh didn’t become a startup ecosystem overnight. It’s rooted in a long history of adaptation and reinvention; a story about shifting from desert trade routes and tribal politics to oil wealth and now trying to crack the code on innovation-led diversification. To understand why Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh startups in particular, is increasingly attractive to

economic development ecosystem middle east riyadh saudi arabia startups

Published in Regional Development

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