More than fifty years ago, the founder of Intel predicted that computers would double in affordability, power, and portability every two years. Remarkably, this prediction has proven to be correct decade after decade, and there is no sign of it slowing down anytime soon.

The exponential growth of technology has fueled innovation in practically every field around the world. Communication networks are more reliable and accessible than ever, and complex transportation networks make it easy for anything or anyone to seamlessly get around the globe. Tools that once cost thousands are now freely accessible to anyone with a smartphone.

The improvements in logistics and communication networks, along with the democratization of technology, have massively reduced the barrier to entry for new business owners. Anyone with an idea can instantly start sourcing their products from African suppliers, take online marketing courses from Australian experts, ship their product to European customers, and outsource customer support to Asian firms.

In spite of the equal access to tools and channels, it seems the experience of entrepreneurs varies greatly from country to country, because there are so many external factors that shape their experiences.

When we launched our e-commerce platform in 2016, we wanted to ensure we had a deep understanding of the experience of entrepreneurs around the world. We dug up some of the top reports on entrepreneurship and read hundreds of pages of research to understand the opportunities and struggles that small business owners around the world currently face. We’ve collected our seven favorite statistics from that research and created the presentation below. We hope these facts will surprise and inspire you!