Analysts and policymakers want to understand entrepreneurial activity and the process of job creation, especially at the sub-national level. While it’s generally accepted that entrepreneurial activity is crucial for innovation and growth, there are currently very few reliable data sources that permit comparison of different policy regimes across time and space on entrepreneurial success. One possible measure of entrepreneurial activity is the fraction of private sector, non-agricultural employment accounted for by young firms. This statistic can be measured across states in the BDS.