Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the address was simply meant to give students a boost at the start of a new school year.

VOA: standard.2009.09.08

In the meantime, the integration of the two companies may offer a competitive boost to start-ups living in the shadow of Microsoft and Yahoo!

FORBES: YahooSoft Bid Shakes The Start-Ups

John Haltiwanger, an economist at the University of Maryland, says he's skeptical of the GEM report given that it claims such a dramatic boost in start-up activity.

WSJ: Rise in Start-Ups Draws Doubters

If an area like Orange County wants to boost up its Start-up Common, the lessons of Seattle come to mind.

FORBES: How Silicon Valley Helped Jed Yueh's Delphix Grow 225% in 2012