Session reviews findings from "Breaking the Cycle of Structural Oppression in Capital Markets"
CHICAGO, Oct. 17, 2025 -- Dream Exchange CEO and Founder Joe Cecala will host a follow-up webinar on the organization's report, Breaking the Cycle of Structural Oppression in Capital Markets. The session will outline how documented barriers in capital formation affect entrepreneurs, investors, and local economies, and will provide practical next steps for stakeholders.
Webinar
Title: Breaking the Cycle of Structural Oppression in Capital Markets
Date and time: November 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Registration: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/281/0n8pnirq
View the report: www.dreamex.com/breakingthecycle
Key findings from the report
- Public listings have thinned. About 4,000 U.S. public companies remain in 2024, down roughly 50 percent from the peak of 8,090 in 1996. This reduces household access to growth opportunities and narrows the set of investable companies.
- Small businesses generate 43.5% of U.S. economic activity and create two-thirds of net new jobs, yet they face significant barriers in accessing growth capital. Addressing these barriers could unlock substantial economic potential within this critical sector.
- Biased decision-making limits innovation and wastes economic potential. Research shows that discrimination in lending, where women-led firms receive 39% lower loan amounts despite demonstrating 15% higher returns on capital, and venture capital investment, where female-founded companies receive only 2% of funding despite evidence that diverse leadership generates stronger innovation and financial performance, creates systemic inefficiencies that suppress new ideas and misallocate resources. Studies show bias problems can have a double-digit-percentage impact on profit, and for companies pursuing technological advances, bias can have an enduring impact.
"Our first webinar on this report drew strong engagement, so we are hosting the next session to meet demand," said Joe Cecala, CEO and Founder of Dream Exchange. "The material is useful to business, regulatory, and civic leaders who want practical ways to widen participation in capital markets and support company growth."
About Dream Exchange
Dream Exchange has filed a Form 1 application with the Securities and Exchange Commission seeking registration as a national securities exchange. If approved, it would be the first minority-controlled licensed stock exchange in U.S. history. The organization also supports a venture exchange model designed for smaller, early-stage companies that are often excluded from public markets. Learn more at www.dreamex.com.
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