A new LinkedIn report shows that, in the face of strong economic headwinds, small business creation is indeed booming.
According to LinkedInโs latest report (Dec 3, 2025), the number of U.S. members adding โ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟโ to their profiles jumped 69% year-over-year. This signals a powerful surge of new entrepreneurial energy heading into 2026.
And these arenโt hesitant operators – more than half of small business leaders say theyโre optimistic about the year ahead. Theyโre building with confidence and clarity, not caution.
The report cites three trends that are fueling the surge:
๐๐ + ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐:
โช๏ธ 54% of small business leaders say AI is essential to their growth
โช๏ธ 47% say AI made them more likely to start a business
โช๏ธ Generative AI could unlock $1.6 trillion in productivity for SMBs
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐
โช๏ธ 76% cite brand credibility as the key to hitting their 2026 goals
โช๏ธ 65% are becoming content creators to grow their audience
โช๏ธ Authenticity online is now as important as in-person presence
๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐
โช๏ธ 78% say professional networks are critical to growth
โช๏ธ 73% believe human connection matters even more in the age of AI
โช๏ธ 63% rely on their community for faster decision-making
This isnโt just survival. Itโs strategic reinvention powered by tech, trust, and tight-knit communities.
๐ Sแดแดสแดแด: Lษชษดแดแดแด Iษด Cแดสแดแดสแดแดแด Cแดแดแดแดษดษชแดแดแดษชแดษดs โ โBสแดแดแดษชษดษข แดสแด Tสแดษดแด ,โ Dแดแด 3, 2025
๐ก ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ:
This report confirms what weโve been tracking in the data: Entrepreneurship isnโt cooling, itโs shifting into a higher gear.
At Crosslists, weโre seeing a sustained rise in our ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ-๐๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฝ๐ช๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐ฟ๐๐ฉ๐ – and not just in volume, but in intent. These arenโt passive registrations. Theyโre purposeful launches, often AI-enabled, brand-forward, and digitally fluent from day one.
Weโre also seeing a rise in Business Trigger activity โ expansions, relocations, new markets, ownership changes. The signals of small businesses leaning into growth, not pulling back from it.
๐ฆ These signals are the new buying intent – and for those selling services, software, capital, supplies, raw materials, equipment and more – theyโre flashing green.
๐ค ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ?
Whatโs one signal youโre watching to track real small business momentum as we head into 2026?
Entrepreneurship research and business formation insights are frequently explored through the Kauffman Foundation: https://www.kauffman.org