The persistence of entrepreneurship and innovative immigrants

•Among Stanford alumni, Asian Americans have a higher rate of entrepreneurship than white Americans.•Non-American Asians have a substantially lower, by about 12% points, start-up rate than Asian Americans.•Participation in Stanford University’s entrepreneurship program as a student does little to reduce this gap.•The high degree of intergenerational correlation in entrepreneurship results in a lower level of entrepreneurship among Asians.•Highlight the value of immigration in terms of promoting potential high-growth entrepreneurship in the United States.