So anything at all, provided you work for yourself. In Other words, small business owners. I don’t see anything innovative about that, and if all those people are “entrepreneurs,” then the term is useless or redundant. — Mikie

Yet self employed have this thing that they don't have an employer. Or they are their own employer. Bit of a problem for the worker - employer

And it's not useless. If you have a totally new field of industry, obviously at first there isn't any "industry". Usually there are some innovators thinking about something, like well, flying. Only later, they might try to make an enterprise out of it, like the Wright brothers did. Did they end up owning the largest aircraft company? Obviously not. But many of them actually both built their aircraft and flew them. Present day Boeing is a perfect example of how little is there between the modern corporation and the pioneering days of aviation.

For huge corporation it's hard to pick up innovations. Apart from warfare, states and public sectors aren't very apt at looking from totally new ideas. Small companies and the self employed do have a historically important role here. As they have in ordinary stuff too.

For huge corporation it's hard to pick up innovations. Apart from warfare, states and public sectors aren't very apt at looking from totally new ideas. Small companies and the self employed do have a historically important role here. As they have in ordinary stuff too. — ssu

Huge corporations can be innovative, though. Apple, AT&T, IBM etc. But they were all in a social setting that fostered innovation because of growth.