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Welcome to Issue 8

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Canadian universities receive near-failing grade for campus entrepreneurship support

By Stephen Daze

It’s no surprise that global leaders are increasingly looking at entrepreneurship as a way to grow jobs and stimulate economies.  In Canada, approximately 68% of net new jobs are created by small and medium sized enterprises (Statistics Canada) and from 1980 to 2008 all net new job growth in the USA came from firms five years or younger (Kauffman). The reality is that large firms shed jobs and new firms (young firms run by entrepreneurs) drive job growth.  Complimenting this is the growing interest in entrepreneurship as a career choice. A Kauffman-funded study of youth aged 8-21 cites 40% of respondents interested in entrepreneurship as a career option. The question becomes: What are we doing to stimulate interest in entrepreneurship and provide support to young entrepreneurs? Some would see this as an opportunity not to be missed.

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LinkedIn Groups For Economic Development: Top 4 Key Observations

By Ian Smith

he idea behind establishing and maintaining a LinkedIn Group for economic development sounds very attractive in theory. Where else can you create your agency’s mini network to engage with current and potential stakeholders online. It sure beats organizing costly networking cocktails. Putting the idea into action is an entirely different story.

Once the group is set up on the business social network, agencies need to overcome challenges that can stand in the way of having a high level of engagement amongst members.

 

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The Urban Agenda and Charter Cities

By Kadie Ward

A few weeks ago I started a discussion on the growing urban agenda.  I continue that discussion in “Charter Cities” a look at reorganizing urban governance.

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Review: Startup Communities

By Lauren Millier

Much has been written about the impact of entrepreneurship on local and global economies. In fact, when many traditional and well established jobs began to disappear as a result of the recent financial crisis, start-ups were being created, growing and adding jobs at a record rate. It seemed that overnight governments, universities and investors became interested in initiatives that would foster and support an entrepreneurial culture.

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