The entrepreneurial activity rate or APR, for short, is part of a study carried out by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). This study, carried out in 49 countries, shows that the percentage of its adult population is involved in early-stage entrepreneurial activities.In the case of BCN, during 2018, the percentage of the entrepreneurial activity rate reached 8.63%, representing the highest figure in the last 12 years. This confirms the boom it has Barcelona as an entrepreneurial city and how attractive it is, both for companies and employees. According to the director of the study, Carlos Guallarte (professor at the UAB), 24% of entrepreneurs are starting to prefer companies in the industrial sector and that those most aimed at consumption are shrinking, which is causing the Catalan business fabric to change. Even so, he sees it difficult to reach 20-25% of the industrial sector in the Catalan economy, since a lot of effort would have to be spent, because it requires higher-qualified personnel with higher salaries.
What is the entrepreneur's profile?
The profile of today's entrepreneur is no longer as masculine as before. In Catalonia, gender equality is almost a reality with a male TEA (Total Entrepreneurship Activity) of 8.6% and a female of 7.7%. In relation to their age, the average is usually between 35 and 50 years.But what motivates the population the most when it comes to starting a business? The study points out that entrepreneurship is no longer so much because of unemployment, but that the main reason is that entrepreneurs find great business opportunities to exploit. However, in the data, we can see a drop in the perception of business opportunities. According to Guallarte, this is due to the political instability that is taking place in Catalonia and Spain, which somewhat diminished entrepreneurial optimism. However, in its entirety, this is good news for the business fabric of Barcelona, as it shows signs of economic recovery and promotion.
