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NEWS FEED
Startup News Digest 04/08/22
As JOBS Act turns 10, capital access policies back in the spotlight. This week, policymakers are turning their attention to opening up avenues for capital access. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Senate Banking Committee Republicans unveiled a draft for the JOBS Act 4.0, focused on accelerating economic growth and spurring new business formation.
#StartupsEverywhere: Chicago, Ill.
Chicago:Blend is a non-profit ecosystem support organization founded by a group of venture capitalists. Its purpose is to bridge equity gaps for underrepresented funders and founders and ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion remain integral parts of Chicago’s VC industry. We had the chance to talk with Executive Director Joey Mak about why representation is essential to societal and economic progress, and how venture capitalists can help keep equitable access at the top of policymakers’ minds.
Startup News Digest 04/01/22
The Big Story: Potential privacy bill back on the table. Policymakers across the aisle and in both chambers are restarting conversations about creating a long-awaited, comprehensive privacy bill. Conversations about a federal privacy bill aren’t new for this Congress, and the issue has remained a top priority for the startup ecosystem for years.
#StartupsEverywhere: Omaha, Neb.
Job Share Connect is a digital platform that provides a way for employees and employers to explore the world of job sharing. Their software enables interested candidates to look for job share opportunities and to match with potential job share partners. Co-Founder and Co-CEO Jessica Charlsen told us about what led her to Job Share Connect, the benefits of job sharing, and how policymakers can better support entrepreneurs through public policies that support accessing capital outside traditional technology hubs.
Startup News Digest 03/25/22
Big story: New copyright bill would increase cost, risk for startups that host user content. Last week, Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced the Strengthening Measures to Advance Rights Technologies Copyright Act of 2022—legislation that would amend Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). While the bill is ostensibly aimed at large Internet platforms, it would tee up complex and costly frameworks for Internet startups that encounter user-generated content like comments, reviews, or original artwork.
The So-Called “SMART Copyright Act of 2022,” and What it Means for Startups
A new bill would make major changes to the way startups that encounter user content—from podcasts to reviews to direct messages—are expected to handle potential copyright infringement online. It would authorize new requirements for startups that encounter user-generated content to use filtering technologies.
Statement on The Strengthening Measures to Advance Rights Technologies Copyright Act of 2022
Statement on The Strengthening Measures to Advance Rights Technologies Copyright Act of 2022. The following statement is attributed to Kate Tummarello, Executive Director of Engine, regarding last week’s introduction The Strengthening Measures to Advance Rights Technologies Copyright Act of 2022.
Startup News Digest 03/18/22
Big story: FCC digs into digital discrimination. This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to kickstart proceedings to tackle digital discrimination—the lack of reliable, accessible, and affordable broadband in certain communities across the country—which creates barriers for would-be startup founders, especially underrepresented founders.
#StartupsEverywhere: Walnut Creek, Calif.
Neolth works to increase access to mental health support for students by offering technology solutions in schools, youth, and healthcare organizations. Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Katherine Grill spoke with us about her work within the intersection of education and healthcare, the challenges of navigating privacy laws and stigma, and what she hopes to achieve next.
Startup News Digest 03/11/22
The Big Story: Startups, tech groups, and more urge Congress to remove harmful trademark bill from innovation legislation. This week, Engine joined an expansive coalition of industry, civil society, and academic voices in urging Congress to remove a problematic bill that would dramatically shift the landscape for e-commerce startups and small, online businesses from must-pass legislative proposals.
#StartupsEverywhere: New York, NY.
shared and discovered through their proprietary music sharing platform. President and Co-Founder Rolf Locher told us about what led him to Cranberry Queues, the challenges he’s faced in building a technology startup, and how he’s navigating the complexities of things like privacy and content moderation given the platform’s unique features.
Policymakers should expand the pool of startup investors, not narrow it
Public policy shapes the rules of the game that startups and investors must play by as they begin and grow businesses. Sometimes, policy limits who is allowed to play the game at all. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) “accredited investor” definition—one of the primary measures that determines who can participate in private securities offerings—is one of those rules.
Startup News Digest 03/04/22
The Big Story: Biden touches on tech during the State of the Union. During the annual State of the Union Address this week, President Joe Biden touched on several of the administration’s policy goals that will impact startup founders, investors, and support organizations across the country.
#StartupsEverywhere: Chicago, Ill.
Fifth Star Funds is a venture philanthropy fund that seeks to create a more equitable start-up ecosystem in Chicago, Illinois through early-stage investment. We sat down with Samir Mirza, Co-Founder and Executive Director, and Francisco Martinez, Venture Associate and Head of Marketing Communications, to talk about their organization’s mission, the racial funding gap, and how policymakers can provide much-needed support to help underrepresented founders scale their businesses.
Ten Times Startups Spoke Out on Policy in the Last 10 Years
The startup ecosystem is not a monolith. Startup founders, investors, and support organizations all have different missions, priorities, and business models, and none of them have the time or resources to spend following policymakers’ every move. But when startups join together to speak with one voice, policymakers listen. As Engine turns 10, we’re celebrating a decade of work to #StandWithStartups and how we’ve raised the startup perspective for policymakers in D.C. Here are the 10 biggest ways that startups have influenced policy conversations in the last 10 years.
Startup News Digest 02/25/22
The Big Story: Celebrating Black founders, calling for a more equitable ecosystem. Black startup founders across the country are a crucial part of the startup ecosystem, despite the many barriers they face. As Black history month draws to a close, Engine wanted to recognize some of the important contributions of Black founders in our network and urge policymakers to advance policy solutions that create more opportunities for underrepresented founders, especially Black founders.
Startup News Digest 02/18/22
The Big Story: Over 100 startups, investors, organizations defend QSBS tax treatment. This week, more than 100 startups, startup investors, and startup support organizations sent a letter to Congress urging them to preserve the current tax treatment of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS), which helps startups attract early-stage investment and employees.
#StartupsEverywhere: Los Angeles, Calif.
Based in Los Angeles, Calif., Abstract is working to enable access to and understanding of California legislative and government data. Co-Founders Patrick Utz and Matthew Chang spoke to us about their vision for the Abstract platform, the need for policies that enable growing startups' ability to access new talent, and why lawmakers should support tax incentives that encourage innovation.
IP Recap - 02/17/22
Last month, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued his annual report on the Federal Judiciary, in part highlighting growing concerns about judicial assignment of patent cases—concerns connected to a rapidly growing number of lawsuits being filed by so-called “patent trolls” in one court in Waco, Texas. This year the Judicial Conference of the United States will study the issue of how judicial assignment policies in federal trial courts are enabling plaintiffs to pick judges in a way that is driving up the volume of litigation and undermining confidence in the system.
Startups Tell Congress to Keep Key Tax Policy
Today, more than 100 organizations from across the startup ecosystem—startups, startup investors, and startup support organizations—sent a letter to Congressional leadership highlighting the importance of the current tax treatment of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS).