Start-ups are the single most important factor driving a state's economic success, according to a new study by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. The study, which was released Monday and examined U.S. Census data on small-business start-ups by state between 1988 and 2002, found their success or failure rates had a profound impact on gross state product, state personal income levels, and total state employment.

Corporate venture capitalists' investment in the first half of 2007 hit a six-year high, reflecting an effort by companies to cushion themselves against the credit crunch with long-term contributions and providing further evidence of a post dot-com resurgence of technology funding.