A bold claim, perhaps. But new technology and opportunities make it easier than ever to start a lucrative business at home.

Gone are the days when a fledgling business required a large investment of start-up capital. With a phone, a computer, and a great idea, it’s possible to join the legion of people who have started businesses from home.

Home-based businesses now comprise almost half of the estimated 26 million small businesses nationwide, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data. New technologies have made it possible for a solo entrepreneur to begin a business that once would have required the resources of a much larger organization. Thanks to new tools, the range of home-based industries stretches far beyond consulting or even eBay businesses.

Many solo entrepreneurs are finding success with service businesses, particularly those that cater to specific demographics, such as overworked professionals, children, or the elderly.

“Service businesses can be more fluid and flexible than retail businesses because they do not have the challenge of sustaining inventory,” says Terri Lonier, author of Working Solo and founder of workingsolo.com. “Because they are not tied down with manufacturing or inventory costs, service businesses can be more responsive to the market.”

Low-cost, Internet-based tools are currently driving the home-based business boom, says Bruce Judson, senior faculty fellow at Yale School of Management and author of Go It Alone: The Secret to Building a Successful Business on Your Own. “It is literally now possible for an independent businessperson to rent, for $20 a month, software capabilities that were only available to Fortune 500 companies a few years ago.”

Solo entrepreneurs can now create databases, manage e-mail lists, or do sequenced mailings at reasonable costs. Communication technologies, like VoIP phone service and online conferencing make it easy to create a home-based office with full-service functionality.

Such technologies are also making it possible for entrepreneurs to do business anywhere — even remote, rural locations. In one example, a recent study found that eight of the top 10 most active eBay communities for buying and selling were small towns, not major cities.

Inc.