Innovation for All

Startup News Digest 03/22/24

Startup News Digest 03/22/24

Bipartisan tax legislation needed by startups remains in Senate limbo


Startup News Digest 07/14/23

Startup News Digest 07/14/23

The Big Story: EU, U.S. implement framework to restore transatlantic data transfers. The European Commission this week adopted a needed decision to implement the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, bringing certainty back to transatlantic data transfers and lowering barriers for startups. The long-awaited agreement ends years of uncertainty surrounding data flows needed for U.S. startups to serve EU customers thanks to the invalidation of an earlier transfer agreement called Privacy Shield. The new framework is a welcome step that will bolster the competitiveness of U.S. startups looking to serve the EU market. 

Startup News Digest 06/30/23

Startup News Digest 06/30/23

The Big Story: Supreme Court strikes down Biden student loan relief plan. The Supreme Court this week struck down President Biden’s student loan relief plan that would have canceled up to $20,000 in student debt for qualified borrowers. The decision, while not unexpected, is a blow to the millions of Americans riddled with student debt, and individuals whose debt acts as a barrier to pursuing entrepreneurship. 

Letter Urges PTO Leadership to Prioritize Startups, Engage Their Voices

Letter Urges PTO Leadership to Prioritize Startups, Engage Their Voices

Letter Urges PTO Leadership to Prioritize Startups, Engage Their Voices. Today, over fifty startups, entrepreneurs, innovation support organizations, and investors from across the country joined in a letter to the incoming Director of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), Kathi Vidal, urging her to engage with the needs and experiences of startups and small business innovators.

Startup News Digest 09/10/21

Startup News Digest 09/10/21

The Big Story: Global governments complicate content moderation. This week, governments across the globe zeroed in on how companies treat user content online, with several countries advancing policies that would make content hosting and moderation more difficult for Internet companies and hinder free expression online.

Startup News Digest 08/27/21

Startup News Digest 08/27/21

The Big Story: Startups should watch as Congress works on reconciliation bill. The House this week moved ahead with two major legislative packages that will have varying impacts on the U.S. startup ecosystem. On Tuesday, the House voted to approve a budget resolution creating a path for Congress to write its $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, which could include immigration, childcare, and tax provisions. It also set a deadline to vote on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill in late September, which includes billions of dollars for broadband expansion.

Startup News Digest 08/20/21

Startup News Digest 08/20/21

The Big Story: Congressional Startup Day brings policymakers and innovators together. This week, members of Congress and startups across the country celebrated Congressional Startup Day, the annual bipartisan, bicameral celebration giving startups a chance to connect with the members of Congress who represent them and identify the ways in which policymakers can encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

Startup News Digest 08/13/21

Startup News Digest 08/13/21

The Big Story: Senate passes infrastructure bill, but crypto problems remain. This week, the Senate approved the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which has several provisions aimed at making broadband more accessible and affordable across the country, increasing opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. While those provisions are a big win for the startup ecosystem, the bill also contains a contentious provision that would create compliance burdens and data collection requirements on a large part of the cryptocurrency community.

Startup News Digest 08/06/21

Startup News Digest 08/06/21

The Big Story: Senate setting up broadband boost as part of infrastructure package. As the Senate moves toward passing the $1 trillion infrastructure bill, startups stand to gain from provisions in the bill that would increase reliable, accessible, and affordable broadband across the country. Although the bill has faced hurdles as it is being considered on the Senate floor—including significant pushback from the cryptocurrency community—the bill overall is a win for startups and Internet users.

Startup News Digest 07/30/21

Startup News Digest 07/30/21

The Big Story: LIKE Act provides hope for startup visas

A new bill in Congress would create more opportunities for foreign-born innovators and strengthen our diverse startup ecosystem. This week, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chair of the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, introduced the Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act, legislation that would enable foreign-born innovators who meet certain investment benchmarks to embark on their entrepreneurial endeavors in the U.S., while also providing them with a pathway to permanent residency. A startup visa is more critical than ever, as other countries continue to attract founders through visas and investment in entrepreneurial infrastructure.

Startup News Digest 07/23/21

Startup News Digest 07/23/21

The Big Story: Patent Quality Week examines startups’ need for balance. Today we close out our inaugural Patent Quality Week where we partnered with numerous organizations to showcase the importance of patent quality from a variety of perspectives and industries.

Startup News Digest 07/16/21

Startup News Digest 07/16/21

The Big Story: As Congress pushes ahead on infrastructure, startups stand to gain. Congress has the chance to move the ball forward on an infrastructure package that if passed, would provide billions of dollars for several categories of infrastructure, including roads and bridges, electric vehicles, cybersecurity, and broadband—a major win for startups.

Reflecting on Diversity in Tech on MLK Day

Reflecting on Diversity in Tech on MLK Day

Today, as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most ardent advocates for the advancement and equality of African Americans in history, we should reflect on the continuing injustice in our socioeconomic system and contemplate how we can more effectively work to close the racial entrepreneurship gap.

2016 Year in Review: Talent + Diversity

2016 Year in Review: Talent + Diversity

Conversations about talent and diversity were once again at the forefront in 2016, with a heated Presidential election, bold actions by the Obama Administration around immigration and computer science education, and efforts by major tech players to diversify their workforces. The tech community and policymakers continued to search for solutions, and while 2016 didn’t unearth a silver bullet for fixing tech’s workforce and diversity issues, significant progress was made.  

Startup News Digest 12/23/16

Startup News Digest 12/23/16

A Big Year for Startup Policy in 2016. The Startup News Digest will be taking a hiatus over the holidays, but you can still get your startup policy fill on our blog. Yesterday, we began publishing Year in Review posts on some of 2016’s most notable debates in tech and entrepreneurship. Watch this space for reports on capital access, intellectual property, net neutrality, emerging technologies, and more over the coming days. Thanks for all of your support in 2016, and we’ll catch you in the new year!

Training the Next Generation of Tech Talent

Training the Next Generation of Tech Talent

Computer Science (CS) Education Week is an annual initiative that aims to get kids excited about computer science and inspire interest in technology careers—an effort that is more important now than ever. It’s no secret that demand for computer science professionals has skyrocketed in recent years. Virtually every industry has an increasing need for STEM workers, especially those with a background in computer science and coding. And yet, there is a growing gap in the availability of these skilled individuals. There are currently over 500,000 open computing jobs nationwide, but last year, only 42,969 computer science students graduated into the workforce. In fact, there are fewer students graduating with degrees in computer science today than there were ten years ago. Our workforce is woefully unprepared to meet the growing demand for IT professionals.

 

Veterans Sign Letter Supporting Greater Entrepreneur Training

Veterans Sign Letter Supporting Greater Entrepreneur Training

Over the past year, Engine has teamed up with veterans working in the tech industry and several Veterans Service Organizations to understand how government can better support transitioning servicemembers interested in careers in technology. Whether as entrepreneurs, managers, or engineers, it’s clear that given the proper training and support, veterans have the talent, resolve, and discipline to thrive in the tech workforce.