About Us

The Weild Foundation puts country first. 

We are nonpartisan. We are not performative. We connect dots. We are a think tank and educational foundation intent on equipping future generations with the knowledge and insights to lead this country to better outcomes for all of its people. We tackle intractable problems that people know need to be solved but are starving for a plan of action. We educate all peoples, rich and poor, left and right, no matter what the color of their skin or their religious beliefs – to see “A Better Way Forward.”  We believe that “Diversity is America’s Secret Weapon.”

As we say when we testify in Congress, “We put our red, white and blue epaulets on and speak to what is in our country’s best interest, never in our own self-interest.” We believe in the inherent goodness of the vast majority of elected officials. Our founder recounts a time when he testified in front of the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets (the “Subcommittee”).  He opened his remarks by saying, ‘I brought my son to see his Government in action to remind us that the reason we are doing this is to ensure that his generation, and the generations after him, will have as good or better future than we have enjoyed.’  When the Subcommittee got to the Q&A portion of the session, almost every Congressman, both Republican and Democrat, led off their remarks by reciting the names of their children and saying, “This is why I am here.” 

Our mission is simple: 

To bring Exceptional Solutions to Intractable Problems that face the United States of America, her people and can inform allies and partners of the United States.

To develop and deliver compelling thought leadership and educational content.  To deliver compelling and viable approaches that will advance American Competitiveness and Exceptionalism. 

US capital markets are underperforming their potential and are a major requirement for America’s success.  This is especially true in entrepreneurial access to equity capital.  In addition, US human capital markets (people) must perform at higher levels for America to succeed.  Only when America punches above her weight internally and with our allies, will we have the sustainable capacity to keep our adversaries in check.

The research, economic analysis, and solutions that The Weild Foundation for American Competitiveness devises will be turned into content to educate the media, entrepreneurs, capital providers, academics, policymakers, regulators and others so that we catalyze action that leads better outcomes for all Americans – Much in the same way that we did with the JOBS Act.

We aim to improve the future for future generations. Why?

People listen to us. 

We are innovative problem solvers with an abiding interest in the long-term success of this great nation and that of our allies. 

Our founder was Vice Chairman of NASDAQ and is credited with catalyzing the movement that led to “The JOBS Act” – the only major capital-access legislation to be passed into law since 1940; legislation that improved the US by economy by creating new toolkits to increase innovation and upward mobility.  He also chaired and was a director of the 9/11 charity for many years (Tuesday’s Children) that developed and delivered highly effective long-term recovery programs to the children and parents of 9/11.  As the youngest of these children were finally making their way to college, he led the charity to making its programs available to US Military families who have lost a loved one.  During 9/11, he worked with Secretary of Treasury Paul O’Neill, SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt, then Chairman & CEO of NASDAQ Wick Simmons, and current NASDAQ President & CEO Adena Friedman to reopen the markets.

If our elected officials care so much, why do they struggle to find solutions?

Solutions need to be compelling, politically viable and beneficial to everyone. For starters, there is enormous pressure on politicians to raise money to run for office and there are over 12,000 registered lobbyists in the United States arguing for someone’s self-interest.  Congress has 535 voting members (100 US Senators and 435 US Representatives).  That works out to be more than 22 lobbyists for every member of Congress. The hard part is to cut through the clutter.

To do that, it takes reputation and trust.

People have to see us as a place to go for new, easy to understand, solutions to complicated problems – A place to go to learn and be inspired. This takes hard work. Coalition building. Perseverance. An ability to listen. Respond. Educate. 

In the 2018 Congress we got close to a second larger bill.  It was the JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018 that first passed the House Financial Services Committee, led in a bipartisan fashion by Chairman Jeb Hensarling and Ranking Member Maxine Waters.  It then passed the House in a near-unanimous vote 406-4 but later became a casualty (collateral damage) of the fight over the Wall that shut down the Government.

A lightbulb went on:

“We have the ideas and analysis to lead these discussions…

but we lack the resources to mount and sustain an educational effort,” says David Weild.

“That’s where The Weild Foundation comes in.”