Guidant Financial Group Blog

As part of a renewed focus on jobs and economic growth, the White House recently announced the “Startup America” initiative, a public-private partnership designed to give entrepreneurs the tools to establish successful businesses. The Obama administration plans to bring the federal government and the private sector together to accomplish four key objectives for entrepreneurs:

• Access to capital – The federal government is committing $2 billion of matching funds to venture capital and other private investors putting money in new startups
• Regulation reform – The president recently announced an order to identify and remove unnecessary barriers and regulations to high-growth startups
• Mentoring programs – Private organizations like the Kaufman Foundation and the Case Foundation, as well as government agencies, are creating new mentor programs to provide entrepreneurs with business knowledge and advice to achieve success
• Research and development – Increased access to the $147 billion in annual federally-funded research and development aid

Many private firms and organizations have already joined in on the Startup America Partnership. Among the companies contributing:

• Intel Capital has committed $200 million of new investment in U.S. companies
• IBM will invest $150 million into the HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE)
• Facebook is launching a new series of events called “Startup Days” to provide entrepreneurs with resources and expertise to grow their businesses

This is great news for entrepreneurs who are taking control of their own futures and starting the economic engines that will lead us on the road to recovery.

Here at Guidant, we have a similar vision for helping more people create the life they want. In addition to traditional forms of Small Business Financing, individuals can invest their IRA or 401(k) into a business or franchise without penalties. This is a great way to launch a small business or franchise with minimal (if any) debt while securing significant tax benefits.

Guidant prides itself on being a champion for small business and an advocate for entrepreneurship. We applaud the administration’s new Startup America initiative, working with public and private organizations to focus on small business growth and success.