Does public data availability matter for entrepreneurship? Evidence from China’s government data platform access

Abstract Data are the “oil” of the digital economy. Using 278 prefecture-level cities in China, this study examines the impact of public data availability on regional entrepreneurship based on a quasi-natural experiment of open government data (OGD). The study finds that OGD exerts a positive effect on entrepreneurship. The mechanism analysis reveals that OGD encourages entrepreneurial activities by improving the entrepreneurial elements, including the entrepreneurial intention, opportunity, and capital. Further analysis reveals that OGD significantly impacts opportunity-driven entrepreneurship, the service sector, and low administrative level cities. Moreover, there is a notable policy synergy between OGD and the innovative city pilot policy, which together stimulate increased entrepreneurial activities. This study provides empirical support for sharing government data and offers important insights into fostering market vitality in the digital era.