This policy brief presents evidence on the access to finance challenges faced by entrepreneurs from under-represented and disadvantaged groups and social entrepreneurs, and discusses how public policy and better regulation could harness the potential of fintech to address these challenges.

Australia’s social enterprises can make a significant contribution toward a more equitable society, but are constrained by limited financial, public policy and other ‘ecosystem’ supports, according to the authors of this paper.

This policy paper aims to improve understanding on how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) responded to the COVID-19 crisis and adapted to the new environment, and how different players in their ecosystems are contributing to their digital transition.

This research report focuses on Australia’s social venture ecosystem – the entrepreneurial ecosystem that grows and sustains social ventures across Australia.

This paper calls for an overhaul of the current approach to Indigenous economic participation through business creation. It outlines a practical model for remote Indigenous communities that harnesses the fundamental principle of supply and demand, and what the authors identify as the three foundations of...

Conceding that while the Canadian regional dynamic will never be fully immunised from economic inequities, the authors of this report believe that the proposals they outline will provide a workable, place-responsive, and efficient means of leveraging the post-COVID recovery as a catalyst for a stronger...

This report outlines the factors that limit the ability of Indigenous businesses and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs to access the financial products and services they need across the business lifecycle, with the objective of contributing to the ongoing discourse around supporting Indigenous businesses.

Growing new ventures to a global scale is vitally important for the development of Australia’s entrepreneurial ecosystems. Australia has a very high proportion of small businesses, but both entrepreneurial activity and attitudes lag the United States.

Social networks are an integral component of entrepreneurial ecosystems. This study builds on an academic body of research into social networks between centres of innovation capital and geographically distant entrepreneurial ecosystems seeking funding.

This report contains two thematic policy chapters on the potential of digital entrepreneurship for making entrepreneurship more inclusive and increasing the scale-up potential of start-ups by entrepreneurs from disadvantaged groups. These thematic chapters discuss current policy issues and present the range of policy actions currently...

Despite the huge challenges they face, refugees are the most entrepreneurial migrants in Australia and they are nearly twice as likely to be entrepreneurs as Australian taxpayers in general. Yet refugee entrepreneurship hardly features in public debate and receives little policy support.

The primary aim of this project was to determine how online distribution is changing the environment for operating a creative micro-enterprise, and with it, the larger relationship between public and private spheres. A key research question was - what are the ‘self-making’ skills required to...

Greater migrant business ownership in regional Australia is desirable as they contribute to the vibrancy of the region and often have a strong desire to ‘give back’ to their communities.

This paper explores some of the key factors that are impacting on Indigenous business development, including issues about the economics of discrimination and remoteness. The paper also outlines policy implications that arise from the analysis.

This paper addresses two questions: what characteristics are associated with entrepreneurship (starting a self-employed business); and which sorts of entrepreneurs are more successful (create jobs)?

Small business and entrepreneurship is the life blood of a dynamic and growing economy. Newer, smaller businesses can inject innovative ideas and challenge outdated methods. This report investigates the impact of Australia’s falling rate of entrepreneurship on the business structure.

Drawing on insights from the United States' experience, this paper assesses the cultural challenge of embracing failure constructively.

This working paper explores the experiences of refugee entrepreneurs in Australia and reviews the policies and programs designed to assist refugee entrepreneurs in Australia and other countries.

Using a large firm-level dataset covering the years 2002 to 2015, this paper explores the dynamics of entrepreneurship in Australia and their evolution over time.

This report is a data-led guide to the state of small business in the UK, examining local-authority level characteristics of SME growth, productivity and other factors.