Entrepreneurs Abound

New Zealand has begun 2011 as one of the most entrepreneurial countries on the planet — “an entrepreneurial powerhouse,” according to The Economist. With a recent study by The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation finding that net job growth in the US is now driven primarily by start-ups, many are taking a closer look at why New Zealand has been so successful in fostering an entrepreneurial culture. “Entrepreneurs are the life blood of New Zealand’s economy. We have more than 47, small businesses run by smart, inspired Kiwis with mindsets that operate without boundaries,” New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Americas regional director, Americas Marta Mager said. As a far-flung Pacific island nation, New Zealand spawned generations of entrepreneurs and natural-born engineers whose problem-solving “tinkering” has evolved into world-class innovation. Case in point: Sealegs and B2P who were recently featured in Popular Science Magazine’s ‘Best of What’s New’. Sealegs makes an amphibious boat built for demanding all-terrain conditions and B2P offers a web-enabled, easy and fast bacteria detection system. Both innovations, applicable world-wide, were creative solutions to geographic challenges.