Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC); Early Stage Initiative

In this proposed rule, SBA is making changes to its Early Stage Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) initiative, which was launched in 2012 as a 5-year effort as part of President Obama's Startup America Initiative. The intent of the initiative was to license and provide SBA-guaranteed leverage to Early Stage SBICs that would focus on making investments in early stage small businesses. Although 62 investment funds applied to the program, few satisfied SBA's licensing criteria. To date, SBA has only licensed five Early Stage SBICs. In an attempt to attract more qualified early stage fund managers, this rule proposes changes to the initiative with respect to licensing, non-SBA borrowing, and leverage eligibility. These proposed changes are based in part on feedback SBA received on an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) that was published in March 2015. In addition, this rule reflects SBA's intention to continue licensing and providing SBA-guaranteed leverage to Early Stage SBICs beyond the 5- year term of the initiative, and proposes certain technical changes to SBA's Early Stage regulations.