Working Papers

Immigrant Entrepreneurship: New Estimates & A Research Agenda
NBER Working Paper 32400 (2024), HBS Working Paper 24-068 (2024)
with Sari Pekkala Kerr, William Kerr, and Louis Maiden

Immigrants contribute disproportionately to entrepreneurship in many countries, accounting for a quarter of new employer businesses in the US. We review recent research on the measurement of immigrant entrepreneurship, the traits of immigrant founders, their economic impact, and policy levers. We provide updated statistics on the share of US entrepreneurs who are immigrants. We utilize the Annual Business Survey to quantify the greater rates of patenting and innovation in immigrant-founded firms. This higher propensity towards innovation is only partly explained by differences in education levels and fields of study. We conclude with avenues for future research.

Works in Progress

Who Benefits from Million Dollar Plants? The Missing Local Beneficiaries
with Rahul Gupta, William Kerr, and Stephen Ross

Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Rates

Start-Up Employee Business Expenses and Innovation

Networks, Social Perception, and Technology Adoption: Evidence From Nepal

Educational Resource Allocation in Equilibrium

Industrial Growth and Health: Disentangling Pollution and Development

Killing For Votes: Political Intimidation and Electoral Outcomes