Given the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation (E&I) for economic growth, the question of what stimulates them is imperative. Recent research has focused on business training programs as a main driving force. However, these programs have shown mixed effectiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to explore other potential drivers. This research uses the ABC reality show, Shark Tank, as a case study to test the media’s impact on E&I. The show is a business pitch competition where judges decide whether to support contestants’ ventures. The main empirical strategy involves regressing measures of E&I on viewership (proxied by Nielsen ratings) at the Designated Market Area level over time. My main tasks have been to (1) extract data from Census to control for potentially confounding factors and (2) convert latitude and longitude for inventor locations into zip codes and county level information based on data from the US Patent and Trademark Office. The latter is still in progress. Preliminary findings suggest that business activity is positively correlated with Shark Tank exposure. This effect may be different for minorities. This presentation will focus on preliminary results, lessons learned from this experience, and how it fits with my overall career goals.
