In June, I participated in a meeting sponsored by the Clinton Global Initiative, the giant philanthropy, that focused on creating more jobs in the United States — presumably a goal shared by most countries.
Our little group — made up of philanthropists, a few entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and "angel" investors — concentrated on startup companies, the source of so much commercial energy and of so many jobs. We spent a lot of time considering which short-term measures (specifically excluding government regulations and policy) could make a difference.
We came to the conclusion that what startups need most is greater access to mentors. Yes, they need money, contacts, customers and knowledge, but often the best way to get almost all of these is through help and advice from experienced mentors.