This article reports on a study of a large, random sample of business start-ups identified before their commercial launch. The study aims to compare the prevalence of nascent entrepreneurs in Sweden with those in Norway and the USA, and to analyze the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs. The study found that 2.0% of the Swedish population were trying to start an independent business, which is significantly lower than in Norway and the USA. Nascent entrepreneurs were compared to a control group of people not trying to start a business, and the results confirmed the importance of role models, self-employment perception, employment status, age, education, and experience. Marital status, number of children, and length of employment experience were not related to the probability of becoming a nascent entrepreneur. The sex of the respondent was the strongest distinguishing factor, with men more likely to be nascent entrepreneurs than women. The study also found that the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs differ from those of business founders in theoretical accounts or retrospective studies. The study used a combination of bivariate and multivariate analyses to examine the relationships between variables and their predictive power. The results showed that sex, self-employment status, positive perception of self-employment, and education were significant predictors of becoming a nascent entrepreneur. However, the study found that the variables investigated had limited ability to predict nascent entrepreneur status for women. The study also found that the prevalence of nascent entrepreneurs was higher in the USA than in Sweden and Norway, with significant differences in business owner prevalence between the countries. The study concluded that economic theory suggests that institutional factors may explain country differences in start-up rates, but empirical evidence is limited. The study also found that the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs are influenced by a range of factors, including education, work experience, and psychological profile. The study highlights the importance of understanding the factors that influence the decision to start a business and the need for further research into the interactions between these factors.This article reports on a study of a large, random sample of business start-ups identified before their commercial launch. The study aims to compare the prevalence of nascent entrepreneurs in Sweden with those in Norway and the USA, and to analyze the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs. The study found that 2.0% of the Swedish population were trying to start an independent business, which is significantly lower than in Norway and the USA. Nascent entrepreneurs were compared to a control group of people not trying to start a business, and the results confirmed the importance of role models, self-employment perception, employment status, age, education, and experience. Marital status, number of children, and length of employment experience were not related to the probability of becoming a nascent entrepreneur. The sex of the respondent was the strongest distinguishing factor, with men more likely to be nascent entrepreneurs than women. The study also found that the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs differ from those of business founders in theoretical accounts or retrospective studies. The study used a combination of bivariate and multivariate analyses to examine the relationships between variables and their predictive power. The results showed that sex, self-employment status, positive perception of self-employment, and education were significant predictors of becoming a nascent entrepreneur. However, the study found that the variables investigated had limited ability to predict nascent entrepreneur status for women. The study also found that the prevalence of nascent entrepreneurs was higher in the USA than in Sweden and Norway, with significant differences in business owner prevalence between the countries. The study concluded that economic theory suggests that institutional factors may explain country differences in start-up rates, but empirical evidence is limited. The study also found that the characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs are influenced by a range of factors, including education, work experience, and psychological profile. The study highlights the importance of understanding the factors that influence the decision to start a business and the need for further research into the interactions between these factors.