Small businesses are the engines of the U.S. economy. They create two out of every three net new jobs and employ more than half of the country’s private-sector workforce. When we make it easier for new businesses to get started, we are ultimately making it easier for them to grow and hire.

That is why the Small Business Administration is proud to join the White House in announcing the launch of our Startup in a Day initiative, in alliance with the National League of Cities. This initiative calls on our colleagues at city halls across the country to make a powerful pledge to streamline and consolidate all of the processes required to start a business into one, easy-to-use online tool. Our goal is to enable America’s entrepreneurs to discover and apply for all city, county, state, and federal licenses and permits needed to start a business in 24 hours or less.

Success in this endeavor will enable entrepreneurs to spend their limited, valuable time developing their products, finding new customers, and growing their enterprises – rather than wading through red tape.

The process of starting a new business should not be overly tedious and time-consuming.

Eleven pioneering mayors have already taken the Startup in a Day pledge. They are using their leadership positions to digitize and consolidate local licensing and permitting requirements for their entrepreneurs. Let’s encourage more cities, large and small, as well as Native American communities to join this movement and take this pledge.

To enhance Startup in a Day, the SBA is also offering significant prize money to help local leaders create tools to make good on the pledge.

We are hosting two prize competitions open until July 13, to encourage municipalities to create or implement a Startup in a Day online tool. The first contest will award up to 25 prizes of $50,000 apiece to cities that create or implement a solution that will make it easier for entrepreneurs to apply in less than 24 hours for all licenses and permits needed to start a business. The second prize competition will award $250,000 to a winning applicant who creates an open-source solution that can be adopted by other jurisdictions.

So join the SBA in encouraging cities to join the Startup in a Day movement, take the pledge, and eliminate obstacles to small business job creation. Together, we can make the process of starting a business faster and easier.

For more information, please visit www.sba.gov/startup or e-mail the Startup in a Day team at startup@sba.gov.