Our Mission

Small businesses, employing half of all private-sector workers and contributing nearly half of the US economic output, face challenges in formation and sustainability, posing risks to economic growth, job creation, and innovation over the past 25 years.

The Milken Institute Small Business Policy and Innovation Initiative conducts research and analysis on macroeconomic trends and policies impacting small businesses and start-ups. Our aim is to offer policy recommendations and program solutions for fostering an entrepreneurial environment that promotes inclusive prosperity across regions and demographics.

Our research and programming focus on understanding the factors and trends influencing the launch, competition, and success of small businesses and start-ups in the modern economy. We focus on the following key areas:

• Innovative Finance & Equitable Access to Capital

• Technology & the Internet

• Workforce Development

How We Implement Our Mission

• Conducting research and analysis to identify the key challenges small businesses face with a focus on driving change to benefit both traditional small businesses and start-ups

• Connecting programs, publications, and convenings to policy, regulatory changes, and economic trends that impact the entrepreneurial community

• Convening founders, investors, business leaders, academic experts, policymakers, government officials, and other key stakeholders to contribute ideas that drive action and benefit the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem

Overview

The Milken Institute’s Geo-Economics Initiative helps policy, business, and civil society leaders navigate the rapidly evolving global economic landscape. NGI focuses on three priority areas: harnessing innovation, catalyzing climate finance, and rewiring globalization. The Initiative leverages the Milken Institute’s expertise, global reach and networks of private investors and community partners to create pro-active strategies for the new era of disruptions and advance sustainable and equitable market-based solutions to pressing US and global challenges. 

Priority Areas

The Geo-Economics Initiative is uniquely positioned to help business, government, philanthropy, and community leaders navigate global transformations. The Initiative works with resilience-minded leaders to develop the insights, tools, and mechanisms required to make sound investment and policy decisions. It helps governments unlock private sector capital, investors navigate the emerging landscape, and communities attract investment to advance sustainable solutions.

Geo-Economics Initiative focus areas include:

Innovating the Future
Global prosperity is increasing through technology and globalization, but many communities have been left behind while some civic institutions have weakened. Emerging technologies like AI could either accelerate inequality and polarization or they could be a key tool to unlock societal advancement and individual opportunity. The Initiative is focused on necessary innovation for future growth and competitiveness that will help usher in a new era of human development that leads to breakthroughs in tailored education, gov-tech, and civic engagement.

Bolstering Climate Resilience
The race to decarbonize the global economy depends on the success of efforts to unlock and mobilize trillions of dollars to finance climate mitigation and adaptation, especially for the countries and populations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The Initiative is partnering with stakeholders at the local, national, and global levels to build innovative mechanisms to accelerate public, private and philanthropic climate investment at scale.

Rewiring Trade and Supply Chains
Geopolitics, technology, and climate change are among the forces rewiring globalization across regions and industries. These dynamics are disrupting established relationships and creating new opportunities for integration. The Initiative works with public and private sector leaders to understand these trends, build resilience and competitiveness in critical sectors, and advance reforms to the international economic system to meet contemporary challenges.