10,000 Small Businesses

10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million initiative that will unlock the growth and job-creation potential of 10,000 small businesses across the United States through greater access to business education, mentors and networks, and financial capital. It is based on the broadly held view of leading experts that a combination of education, capital and support services best addresses the barriers to growth for small businesses.

Small businesses have generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years. They represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms, hire 40 percent of high tech workers, and produce 13 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.*

* Small Business Administration, http://www.sba.gov/advo/stats/sbfaq.pdf