“The Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) research program is designed to enhance the scientific understanding of how people start businesses. The objective is to provide valid and reliable data on the process of business formation based on nationally-representative samples of nascent entrepreneurs, those active in business creation.”

The first phase (PSED I) began in 1998-2000 where a cohort of 830 was selected with three follow-up interviews. A control group of those not involved in firm creation was used for comparisons.

Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics

The second phase (PSED II) began in 2005-2006 and was followed by six yearly interviews. The information obtained includes:

  • Data on the nature of active and nascent entrepreneurs
  • Activities undertaken during the start-up process
  • Characteristics of start-up efforts that become new firms.

Access to PSED Data

A public version of the PSED data is available but with direct and geographic identifiers removed. Access to the full data is only available to the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) member institutions.

The PSED II dataset was used in the following entrepreneurial research:

  • Davidsson, P., & Reynolds, P. D. (2009). PSED II and the Comprehensive Australian Study of Entrepreneurial Emergence [CAUSEE]. In New Firm Creation in the United States (pp. 263–278). Springer New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09523-3_13
  • Gartner, W. B., Frid, C. J., Alexander, J. C., & Carter, N. M. (2009). Financing the Emerging Firm: Comparisons Between PSED I and PSED II. In New Firm Creation in the United States (pp. 185–216). Springer New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09523-3_10
  • Reynolds, P. D. (2010). Informal and Early Formal Financial Support in the Business Creation Process: Exploration with PSED II Data Set. Journal of Small Business Management, 49(1), 27–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-627x.2010.00313
  • Reynolds, P. D., & Curtin, R. (2007). Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics Ii: Presentation. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1028256
  • Reynolds, P. D., & Curtin, R. T. (2008). Business Creation in the United States: Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics II Initial Assessment. Foundations and Trends® in Entrepreneurship, 4(3), 155–307. https://doi.org/10.1561/0300000022