The Edward Lowe Foundation [1] has announced a new partnership with The NASDAQ OMX Educational Foundation to establish a new research and education institute focusing on job growth and capital access for developing companies in the United States. The institute, known as the Institute for Exceptional Growth Companies (IEGC), will focus on the relationship between equity funding sources and fast-growing companies. Particular attention will be paid to high-growth companies in the second and third stage of business development, which include companies with 10-99 employees and 100-499 employees respectively.