The Kauffman Index, from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, measures entrepreneurship at the national, state and metropolitan levels across a three metrics: the rate of new entrepreneurs, the number of entrepreneurs who started their companies when unemployed, and the number of startups per capita.

According to the data, roughly 555 out of every 100,000 adults in the Austin region became entrepreneurs in a given month during the past five years, on average. Further, nearly eight out of 10 new entrepreneurs in the Austin area were employed at the time they created their startups, on average. Lastly, Austin claims about 180 startup businesses – defined as businesses less than a year old that employ at least one person besides the owner – per 100,000 residents. You can explore Austin's data in the chart embedded below this story.

In 2014, the Kauffman Index ranked Austin No. 2. San Jose, California, ranked No. 1 in the 2014 report, fell two spots to No. 3 in this year's edition.

The latest Kauffman Index ranked Miami as No. 2, with Los Angeles as No. 4, followed by Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. The full metro-area rankings from the report can be found here.

Elsewhere in Texas, Houston snagged the No. 8 spot, climbing one spot in the rankings from last year, while San Antonio ranked 10th. Dallas-Fort Worth fell two spots to No. 15.

We are honored to introduce you to our new honorary consul Mabrie Jackson. In joint collaboration with the NBSO-Texas, Mabrie will play an important role in the development of the Dallas-Forth Worth region for Dutch entrepreneurs. Her diverse background and strong network combined with the multiple opportunities of this booming region, will make it possible to give Dutch companies the best advice!

Mabrie Jackson joined H-E-B/Central Market as Director of Public Affairs in March 2016.  Jackson comes to the Texasbased retail grocer from the North Texas Commission, where she served as its President and CEO 2010-2016 and the 45 year-old organization’s first female leader. Jackson brings to H-E-B a varied background that includes public service through a seat on the Plano City Council, roles with Fortune 500 companies and serving as the interim President and CEO of the Plano Chamber of Commerce. After stepping down from the Plano City Council in 2009, Jackson ran for the Texas Legislature as the Republican primary and run-off election candidate for the Texas House District 66 seat. An advocate for global trade, Jackson currently serves as the Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dallas.
 
Accompanying her civic and political background, Jackson brings an extensive history of corporate experience. She worked at Microsoft Corporation for 13 years incubating award-winning, revenue-producing relationships with international, national and local technology companies. Prior to Microsoft, Jackson spent 10 years in financial services marketing for EDS. She worked in virtually every aspect of public relations, including media relations, marketing collateral, advertisements, promotions and special events.  
 
Jackson currently serves as Chair of the Advisory Council for the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, a member of the Energy Future Holdings Sustainable Energy Advisory Board, a director of the HCA Medical Center of Plano Board, and Prison Entrepreneur Program (PEP) Advisory Board.  She is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. Jackson previously served as President of the Collin County Child Protective Services Board, on the University of North Texas President Search Committee, a Governor’s Appointee to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council, on the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, Vision North Texas Management Committee, the North Central Texas Council of Governments Clean Air Steering Committee, AT&T Performing Arts Center Communications Committee, Texas Association of Business Board, H. Wayne Hendrick Scholarship Board, the Assistance Center of Collin County Board, and as a member of several National League of Cities and Texas Municipal League committees. 
 
Jackson is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at SMU in Global Studies and is a graduate of Plano Senior High School and The University of Texas at Austin. While attending the university, she served as a legislative assistant in the Texas House of Representatives. She is also a graduate of the Georgetown University Global Leadership Program. Mabrie is married to Marshall Jackson, and they have two sons.