Youth Business America's (YBA) mission is to Find, Fund and Mentor young entrepreneurs who need help to start-up or expand their own businesses, generating employment and promoting the economic health of low and moderate income communities. YBA is based in Oakland, California and presently focuses its programme on Alameda County, Contra Costa County, the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County, Solano County and Santa Clara County.
Youth Business America is based on the model of Youth Business International, which leads a global network of independent initiatives supporting young entrepreneurs around the world. In 2009, this global network helped over 8,500 young people start up their own business, and cumulatively the organisations belonging to the network have supported over 100,000 young entrepreneurs. As YBA develops, it will roll out its programme to other communities in California, with the goal of establishing a national network.