Some characteristics of successful technical entrepreneurs in Canada

The findings of a study made of 39 successful entrepreneurs involved in the establishment of one or more technologically based enterprises in the secondary manufacturing sector in Canada are presented. Most of these enterprises are small, with a present annual sales volume of less than one million dollars. A major purpose of the study was to examine the social and economic background of the entrepreneurs, the nature of the companies they started or with which they were involved, and their perception of the environment for entrepreneurship in Canada. Special emphasis is given to comparing Canadian-born with non-Canadian-born entrepreneurs. Where feasible, the findings of this study are compared with comparable studies conducted in the United States.