The Markets and Information Nexus (MAIN) launched in July 2008 as a merger between PERC's Information Policy Institute, originally launched in 2002, and the Brookings Institution's former Urban Markets Initiative at the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, founded in 2003. MAIN unifies the market-based approach of the former UMI and PERC's strong track record of applied research to optimize impact.

MAIN results and solutions will:

• REDEFINE ASSETS Uncover unrecognized assets improve small and micro-enterprise business quality;
• REDEFINE ACCESS Increase access to capital, for individuals and small businesses through new information and tools; and,
• REDEFINE METRICS Facilitate the development of  better economic development metrics harnessing private sector data.

Our theory of change to increase economic opportunity is squarely focused on overcoming the hurdles and market failures that prevent the private sector from performing efficiently.  We believe that market-based solutions are the primary vehicles to create outcomes that both cover a broad population and are implemented swiftly.   Further, we believe that the most effective tool to move the market is information.