Tomorrow is World Entrepreneurs' Day. The global celebration takes place annually on 21 August to recognize the innovation, resilience, and economic impact of founders. The staff at Awareness Days explains that the day “honors the visionaries who transform ideas into enterprises, fueling innovation, creating jobs, and shaping economies. It’s a global celebration of the courage, creativity, and resilience that define entrepreneurship in all its forms.”

Many of America’s greatest entrepreneurs have been immigrants. Back in 2017, a study published by the Center for American Entrepreneurship found, “More than 40 percent (43 percent) of today’s Fortune 500 had a first- or second-generation immigrant among their founders, even though just 14 percent of the U.S. population is foreign-born. Nearly a fifth (18.4 percent) of these companies were founded by first-generation immigrants, and another quarter (24.8 percent) were founded by their children. All told, these 216 immigrant-founded companies accounted for $5.3 trillion in global revenue in 2016 and employ more than 12 million workers worldwide. Immigrant-founded companies make up more than half of the Fortune 25 (52 percent) and Fortune 35 (57 percent).”[2]

Entrepreneurs are Job Creators

Entrepreneurs in general are job creators. Professor Emeritus Robert Krol explains, “Economic growth in advanced economies is driven primarily by innovations that improve productivity. Entrepreneurs and researchers, who are motivated by economic incentives, generate new ideas that result in either new or expanded businesses. The resulting expansion of businesses generates new and better products and services. Entrepreneurs also change the way production is organized because they improve efficiency that lowers prices for consumers. Such actions produce economic growth, which manifests itself by increasing product variety, jobs, and wages. As a result, economic well-being increases.”[3] Immigrants play an outsized role in job creation.

In a 2020 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, researchers Pierre Azoulay, Benjamin Jones, J. Daniel Kim, and Javier Miranda, reported that their “findings suggest that immigrants appear to ‘create jobs’ (expand labor demand) more than they ‘take jobs’.”[4] They note, that “immigrants appear to be highly entrepreneurial.” The authors cite studies that have shown, “Immigrants start firms at higher rates than native-born individuals in several countries, with recent evidence suggesting that approximately 25% of recent start-ups in the U.S. are founded by immigrants.” They add, “Evidence also points to the substantial presence of immigrant founders in Silicon Valley), and examples such as Alexander Graham Bell and Sergey Brin suggest that immigrants have started firms that grow to employ large numbers of people, with large effects on the economy.” They admit, “Ultimately, the economic effects of immigration will depend not just on whether immigrants start firms, but on how successful these firms tend to be.”

Krol agrees with their findings. He writes, “Immigrant entrepreneurs play a role in the economic growth process. Higher levels of immigration increase economic growth through an immigrant’s productive skills and innovation-related activities. Immigrants also account for a large share of patents in the United States. In addition, immigrants contribute to new businesses and tend to be more entrepreneurial than the average U.S. citizen.”

Why Immigrant Entrepreneurs Thrive in America

Rohit Arora, CEO & Co-Founder at Biz2Credit, believes immigrants take advantage of various traits and circumstances that allow them to flourish in the United States.[5] Those reasons include:

1. Diverse cultural perspectives. Entrepreneurs often benefit from looking at challenges from a different perspective. Looking at American challenges with new eyes is one benefit immigrants have. Arora explains, “As newcomers to this country, immigrants bring with them diverse cultural perspectives that can lead to innovative ideas and solutions. This diversity often fosters creativity and unique approaches to business challenges. Further, their global mindset enables them to identify and capitalize on opportunities that others might overlook, both in local and international markets.

2. Resilience and Adaptability. Giving up an old life for a new one is never easy. It takes both resilience and adaptability. Arora observes, “Immigrants often face significant challenges when they arrive, including language barriers and cultural adaptation. Such experiences tend to build resilience and problem-solving skills that are crucial for entrepreneurship.”

3. Strong Work Ethic. Xenophobes would have you believe that all immigrants are lazy and come to America to take advantage of its welfare system. Arora believes the success of immigrant entrepreneurs proves otherwise. He explains, “America is a country that has long rewarded self-motivation. Many immigrants are driven by a strong desire to improve their circumstances and achieve better lives for themselves and their families. This motivation translates into a strong work ethic and determination to succeed and instills commitment to making their entrepreneurial ventures successful.”

4. Resourcefulness. The late Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand-born physicist and Nobel laureate allegedly once stated, “We have not got any money, so we have got to think.” His point was that when money is scarce, problem-solving and ingenuity become the primary tools. Arora observes that many immigrants find themselves in such circumstances. “Immigrants typically have limited financial resources when they arrive in the U.S.,” he writes. “Thus, they have to be resourceful to overcome their monetary constraints.”

5. Networking. Every business person understands the importance of networking — especially when they are starting a new business. According to Arora, immigrants often rely on networking when they arrive in America and they take advantage of those networks. He explains, “Immigrants often rely on strong community networks for support that can be extremely helpful in the early stages of business development. These networks provide relationships, collaborative spirit, and valuable resources, advice, and connections.”

6. Risk-taking propensity. Few, if any, entrepreneurs are risk averse. The same is generally true of immigrants. Arora explains, “The decision to leave one’s home country and start life anew in a totally different land and culture is not easy. It is a huge risk. However, countless immigrants have successfully navigated transition and survived and thrived. In fact, they are often more willing to take calculated risks in their entrepreneurial endeavors and, because of their life experience, are able to recognize and seize new business opportunities that others might overlook.” As Winston Churchill said, "Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."

Arora concludes, “By combining these traits and leveraging their unique experiences, immigrants often become successful entrepreneurs who contribute significantly to the economy, create jobs, and drive innovation. Their ability to see opportunities where others might not, coupled with their determination and resilience, makes them well-suited to the entrepreneurial path.”

Concluding Thoughts

The staff at Explurger asserts, “Entrepreneurship has never been more relevant. The world is shifting — digitally, culturally, and socially. Traditional business models are being redefined by startups that prioritize sustainability, experience, and human connection. In this context, World Entrepreneurs’ Day becomes more than just a celebration.”[6] They go on to note that World Entrepreneurs’ Day is a reminder of the following:

• Innovation is the future — From fintech to travel tech, today’s startups are solving tomorrow’s problems.

• Entrepreneurs have cultural impact — Entrepreneurs don’t just sell services; they shape trends, redefine lifestyles, and build communities.

• Entrepreneurs foster global connections — Entrepreneurship transcends borders, connecting travelers, consumers, and creators across the world. World Entrepreneurs’ Day is here to recognize that.

Tomorrow the world celebrates all entrepreneurs. In the midst of this celebration, people need to remember the contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs. They are too often vilified in today’s politically charged business environment.

Footnotes

[1] Staff, “World Entrepreneurs’ Day 2026,” Awareness Days.

[2] Richard Florida, “Without Immigrants, the Fortune 500 Would Be the Fortune 284,” Center for American Entrepreneurship, 6 December 2917.

[3] Robert Krol, “Effects of Immigration on Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” The CATO Journal, Fall 2021.

[4] Pierre Azoulay, Benjamin Jones, J. Daniel Kim, and Javier Miranda, “Immigration and Entrepreneurship in the United States,” National Bureau of Economic Research, September 2020.

[5] Rohit Arora, “Six Reasons Why Immigrant Entrepreneurs Thrive In The U.S., Forbes, 2 July 2024.

[6] Staff, “World Entrepreneurs Day 2026: Celebrating Visionaries Who Shape the Future of Travel and Culture,” Explurger.