The same day that President Obama unveiled Startup America to boost entrepreneurship in the United States, Jumpstart Inc. came out with its own impressive launch: JumpStart America.

The operating structure for JumpStart America will be set up over the next few months, with Ray Leach, CEO of JumpStart Inc., also serving as the leader for this new entity. JumpStart America will be a 501c(3) nonprofit and will act independently of JumpStart Inc. New staff members are not likely to be added to JumpStart Inc. because of this new venture, according to Leach.

JumpStart America's work will be different than that of JumpStart Inc., Leach adds. "JumpStart's programmatic work in Northeast Ohio focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and investing in their companies, and collaborating with other organizations in the entrepreneurial ecosystem."

"JumpStart America will be raising and aggregating public, private and philanthropic dollars to fund the development and implementation of plans in regions across the country -- plans that will enable these regions to leverage their existing strengths and fill gaps in their ecosystems that help entrepreneurs grow their companies," Leach explains.

Nevertheless, the success of JumpStart Inc. in helping to grow local companies has cast a positive light on the organization and the region it serves, which in turn lends credibility to the JumpStart America program. "It's the successes of the companies and entrepreneurs with which JumpStart has worked that have helped Northeast Ohio earn national recognition as a growing entrepreneurial hotbed," Leach says.

"JumpStart America is credible in pursuing its mission because policy makers, foundations and investors across the country are learning that Northeast Ohio is one of the best entrepreneurial ecosystems in the country."

SOURCE: Ray Leach
WRITER: Diane DiPiero