A strong entrepreneurial ecosystem is essential to regional prosperity—fueling job growth, expanding opportunity and fostering long-term economic health. A new report, Entrepreneurial Climate in Northwest Arkansas: A Comparison Across Peer Regions, explores how the region’s business environment has changed over time and how it compares to peer metropolitan areas, the state of Arkansas and the nation.
Commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation, the report tracks key trends like business ownership, startup activity and the performance of young firms. The findings show promising momentum: business ownership rates are improving. The number of business establishments is growing—especially young firms—and startup survival rates are strong. Startups now represent 37.2% of the region’s economy, outpacing both national and state averages.
These trends underscore the region’s potential and highlight the importance of supporting entrepreneurship to ensure a vibrant, welcoming economy in Northwest Arkansas.
