JOBS Act Architect Launches Think Tank to Fix US Economic Fault Lines

NEW YORK, NY – December 02, 2025 – David Weild IV, the former NASDAQ Vice Chairman widely credited as the “Father of the JOBS Act,” has launched a new nonpartisan think tank, The Weild Foundation for American Competitiveness. The organization aims to apply the same research-to-reform model that shaped one of the most significant capital markets reforms in decades to a new set of deep, structural challenges facing the U.S. economy.

The Foundation enters a crowded policy landscape with an ambitious mission: to develop “politically attractive, non-obvious solutions” to issues ranging from a shrinking small-company ecosystem and a $38 trillion national debt to lagging workforce participation and the looming insolvency of Social Security. It plans to operate across four pillars—People, Capital Access, Resources, and Entrepreneurship—backed by a goal of building a $25 million endowment to fund its research and education infrastructure permanently.

“America is facing deep structural challenges,” stated David Weild IV in the launch announcement. “But this is not inevitable. With better ideas, better incentives, and bipartisan support, we can rebuild the engines of growth and restore upward mobility for every American.”

A Proven Model for Legislative Reform

The credibility of the new foundation rests heavily on Weild’s past success. The Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act of 2012 was a landmark piece of bipartisan legislation that fundamentally altered the landscape for capital formation in the United States. Weild's research, which highlighted a long-term decline in small IPOs and its detrimental effect on job creation and innovation, was instrumental in shaping the act.

The impact of the JOBS Act was significant and measurable. It created a new category of “Emerging Growth Companies” (EGCs), offering them a gentler “on-ramp” to going public with reduced regulatory burdens. This provision is credited with boosting IPO activity by an estimated 25% annually in the years following its passage. The biotech and pharmaceutical sectors were standout beneficiaries, accounting for a staggering 85% of the post-JOBS increase in IPO activity and raising over $17 billion in the five years after the act’s passage—a dramatic increase from the $55 billion raised in the five years prior.

Beyond traditional IPOs, the JOBS Act laid the groundwork for a more democratized and digital-first approach to capital raising. It legalized equity crowdfunding and expanded Regulation A, creating the “Reg A+” or “mini-IPO” framework. These changes removed longstanding bans on general solicitation, allowing entrepreneurs to market their offerings to a broader pool of investors online, unlocking billions in private capital and fueling the growth of the fintech industry.

A New Set of Systemic Challenges

The Weild Foundation argues that the same kind of structural thinking is needed to address today's economic crises. Its focus areas target some of the most persistent and politically fraught issues. The “collapsing small-public-company ecosystem” remains a core concern for Weild, who argues that the market for underwritten IPOs is still inaccessible for the vast majority of companies that need it, stifling growth and innovation.

The foundation also points to the ballooning national debt, which has surpassed $38 trillion, and aims to find ways to improve tax revenues without raising tax rates or cutting spending—a politically ambitious goal that hinges on stimulating significant economic growth. Other objectives include boosting workforce participation, particularly among veterans, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers, and ensuring Social Security solvency through growth-driven reforms rather than politically unpopular measures like raising the retirement age.

These challenges are well-documented by government bodies like the Congressional Budget Office and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The foundation’s unique proposition is its belief that these seemingly intractable problems can be solved with innovative, nonpartisan solutions that create a bigger economic pie for everyone.

The Nexus of Capital, Inclusion, and Digital Identity

While the foundation’s mission is economic policy, its success is intrinsically linked to innovations in digital technology, particularly in fintech and secure digital identity. The legacy of the JOBS Act is not just legislative; it is the ecosystem of online investment platforms, crowdfunding portals, and digital brokerage services that it enabled. These platforms cannot function without robust identity verification (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) systems to ensure regulatory compliance and prevent fraud.

As the Weild Foundation seeks to further rebuild small-company capital markets, the security and efficiency of these digital financial systems will be paramount. Making it easier for entrepreneurs to access capital requires making it safer and more efficient for investors to participate. This means a continued push for innovations in digital identity that can streamline onboarding, secure transactions, and protect all participants in an increasingly digital capital market.

Furthermore, the foundation's focus on the “People” pillar—improving workforce readiness and expanding employment markets for vulnerable populations—highlights another critical role for digital identity. Enabling more caregivers, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to participate in the workforce often depends on access to remote work, online training, and digital government services. Secure, inclusive, and user-friendly digital identity solutions are the bedrock upon which these opportunities are built. Without a trusted way to verify who is who online, efforts to build a more inclusive and flexible workforce will face significant hurdles.

A $25 Million Bet on Bipartisan Ideas

The Weild Foundation is entering a field populated by numerous think tanks and advocacy groups, from the Small Business Administration to the Kauffman Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. Its differentiator is its founder's track record and its explicit commitment to finding politically viable, bipartisan solutions grounded in rigorous research. The plan to build a $25 million endowment signals a long-term commitment to creating a permanent institution capable of influencing national policy for years to come.

The foundation's promise of “non-obvious solutions” that can grow the economy without tax hikes or service cuts echoes the philosophy behind the JOBS Act: that smart regulatory and market structure reforms can unlock immense economic potential. By focusing on root causes rather than symptoms, the organization is making a bold bet that data-driven ideas can transcend political gridlock and forge a path toward renewed American competitiveness.