This infographic shows why now is the time to commercialize your research idea

Startup is a daunting word. It’s one we hear a lot, and it comes with a whole set of Silicon Valley connotations: crazy hours spent hunched over MacBooks, a dictionary’s worth of buzzwords and acronyms, hoodies. But a startup, really, is just a small business. And the fact is, it’s a very good time to be a small business owner in Canada.

While big, multinational companies sputter and fail, small businesses are proliferating. And, seizing new opportunities in the market, they’re becoming increasingly profitable and productive. This infographic, released by Ryerson University last week, illustrates the point. Entrepreneurship is on the up-and-up. Small businesses have never been more valuable. If you have a viable, commercializable idea, now’s the time to act on it.