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A ‘neo-endogenous approach’to rural development explores the interrelationships between entrepreneurship and its spatial context. Neoendogenous development is defined as ‘endogenous-based development in which extra-local factors are recognised and regarded as essential but which retains belief in the potential of local areas to shape their future’(Ray, 2001: 4). The key principle is harnessing local resources, including human and social capital, while also recognising the importance of extralocal influences. Results from a large-scale survey undertaken in January 2009 describe the characteristics of rural businesses in the North East region of England. Building on earlier work by Bosworth (2008, 2009a, 2009b) and Atterton (2005, 2007), the analysis draws out the importance of in-migrant business owners in establishing and running rural businesses and the ways in which they differ from locally-born …