CHICAGO, March 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The US public capital markets, as currently constructed, have left countless small and midsize companies out, throttling much needed economic growth and innovation within the United States. On March 10, 2026, this critical economic issue reaches the White House. Dream Exchange will join the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) to brief administration officials on an urgent legislative solution designed to reopen the public markets to everyday American businesses.
The briefing highlights a growing, systemic crisis in American finance:
- The Core Crisis: The number of publicly-traded companies in the United States has fallen by nearly half since 1996, effectively cutting off the primary engine for localized job creation.
- The Stakes for Business: Small businesses continue to secure major government and private sector contracts but are frequently forced to take on crippling debt to fulfill those orders, stifling their long-term success.
- The Proposed Solution: Leaders will present the Main Street Growth Act, a legislative framework to create venture exchanges. These specialized marketplaces are tailored specifically for the capital formation needs of small and midsize enterprises.
As it is presently envisioned, the Main Street Growth Act will foster a more robust and balanced economy by revitalizing the capital markets that serve as the lifeblood of American entrepreneurship. By expanding access to the small-cap IPO market and strengthening transparency, the proposed legislation empowers small businesses to scale, hire locally, and raise wages without relying on taxpayer-funded programs. These market-based solutions ensure that both innovative startups and everyday investors can participate in national economic growth. Ultimately, this effort, which has had bi-partisan support, drives job creation and domestic competitiveness, providing hardworking families with the expanded opportunity necessary to keep pace with rising costs and achieve long-term financial security.
This initiative advances the current administration’s focus on American industrial strength and the removal of barriers for domestic innovators to compete globally. Simultaneously, the measure addresses the priorities of policymakers across the aisle by expanding paths for capital to reach diverse communities and ensuring that oversight remains a cornerstone of a healthy investment environment.
The upcoming briefing marks the beginning of what both the NBCC and Dream Exchange hope to be continuing, fruitful conversations with the goal of benefiting small and midsize enterprises. While large corporations continue to access public funding with ease, smaller enterprises are largely shut out. This dynamic pushes growing businesses towards relying on high interest loans or restrictive private funding just to survive their own growth.
"We are taking this issue directly to the White House because the current structure of our financial markets overlooks too many capable American businesses," said Dwain Kyles, managing member of DX Capital Partners, LLC. "Dream Exchange and DX Capital Partners are builders. Our goal is to work collaboratively to modernize the system. Our country must pass the Main Street Growth Act to ensure that when a business earns a major contract or makes their breakthrough deal, they have the financial backing to deliver without hesitation. This is a matter of national economic strength."
The NBCC invited Dream Exchange to the briefing to provide information on the financial mechanics necessary to achieve their broader policy goals regarding government contracting and international trade.
"Capital is the absolute requirement for true business expansion," said Charles DeBow, President and Chief Executive Officer of the NBCC. "NBCC is building stronger commercial relationships through our Black Business Enterprise Certification, but these companies need a modernized financial ecosystem. A specialized exchange will provide the necessary infrastructure to help many of our members access resources to scale operations, fulfill contracts, and export American excellence globally."
Dream Exchange was founded to reverse the long-standing decline in small company public offerings by creating a new, regulated avenue for capital formation.
"The traditional path to raising significant funds has been throttled by our nation’s capital markets suffering from its own success," said Joe Cecala, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dream Exchange. "The Main Street Growth Act updates these markets for the 21st century. This briefing is a crucial step toward restoring equal opportunity for small and midsize businesses in our markets and expanding wealth creation for everyday retail investors."
About Dream Exchange
Dream Exchange will be re-filing its Form 1 application with the Securities and Exchange Commission, seeking registration as a national securities exchange and authority to be a marketplace that facilitates the trading of securities in the national market system. While it builds its registered stock exchange and develops the necessary infrastructure, it will also focus on providing an “on-ramp” for small to mid-sized companies (where minority entrepreneurs heavily populate the small business sector in the US) to access the public markets once legislation like the Main Street Growth Act is enacted into law and venture exchanges are created. Learn more at www.dreamex.com.
Media Contact Robert Todd, PR Manager, Dream Exchange 773-914-1182 rtodd@dreamex.com
