The Engine Team 7/17/26 The Engine Team 7/17/26

Startup News Digest 07/17/26

Federal funding changes will harm innovation ecosystem

Jade Smith 7/17/26 Jade Smith 7/17/26

#StartupsEverywhere: Austin, Texas

Austin-based startup EcoPulse uses AI to help large manufacturers manage complex supply chain risks related to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” and compliance. We sat down with founder and CEO Jenny Yu to learn about her fundraising journey, the role of AI in environmental safety, and the regulatory challenges manufacturers face.

Jade Smith 7/10/26 Jade Smith 7/10/26

#StartupsEverywhere: New York, NY.

New York City-based startup ALCOVE designs productivity pods to help professionals find privacy and focus in high-traffic settings, such as hotels. We sat down with CEO and founder Helen Knight to discuss the complexities of scaling and multi-state hiring, the challenges of founder parenthood, and the need for accessible grant funding for diverse entrepreneurs.

The Engine Team 7/10/26 The Engine Team 7/10/26

Startup News Digest 07/10/26

Congress, courts, states push ahead on age verification

Natalia Estela-Velez 7/1/26 Natalia Estela-Velez 7/1/26

As policymakers debate U.S. territories, they should consider potential for their startup ecosystems

As policymakers return to the question of how best to support U.S. territories and their lagging economies, they should include a focus on a critical but often under-recognized engine for economic development: the local startup ecosystems.

The Engine Team 6/26/26 The Engine Team 6/26/26

Startup News Digest 06/26/26

California tees up AI data disclosure bill, adding to the state patchwork

Jade Smith 6/26/26 Jade Smith 6/26/26

#StartupsEverywhere: Raleigh, N.C.

Scale Social, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based startup, helps brands capture authentic user-generated content (UGC) by integrating technology into mobile apps or activating via on-site quick response (QR) codes, building a centralized library of real customer moments with full marketing rights. We sat down with Founder and CEO Runbin Dong to discuss his journey from IBM Watson and a family dumpling business to founding an AI-native startup, the challenges posed by the H-1B visa system, and how the R&D tax credit and Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exemption can shape a tech startup's journey.

Alexander Wall 6/25/26 Alexander Wall 6/25/26

As the state AI patchwork grows in 2026, chatbots, kids, and high-risk areas become the focus

As most state legislatures wrap up their work for the year, the focus on artificial intelligence across the country is unmistakable, creating new rules in several states for startups developing and deploying AI.

The Engine Team 6/12/26 The Engine Team 6/12/26

Startup News Digest 06/12/26

New report examines the necessary components of startup ecosystems

Alexander Wall 6/12/26 Alexander Wall 6/12/26

#StartupsEverywhere: New York, N.Y.

Based in New York, Brainify.AI is developing a brain data platform that combines portable Electroencephalography (EEG) hardware with AI to help create more effective treatments and diagnostics for neurological conditions. We sat down with Mariam Khayretdinova, founder and CEO, to discuss her experience navigating data privacy regulations, fundraising, and patents.

The Engine Team 6/12/26 The Engine Team 6/12/26

The Foundations of an Innovation Flywheel: How emerging startup ecosystems are building from scratch

Silicon Valley as an engine for innovation, wealth creation, and economic development is the envy of the world.

Guest User 6/11/26 Guest User 6/11/26

Startup innovation depends on acquisitions

I’ve spent my career starting businesses, taking risks on new ideas, and building innovative technologies

The Engine Team 6/5/26 The Engine Team 6/5/26

Startup News Digest 06/05/26

Sweeping review of federal programs threatens innovation ecosystem

Jade Smith 6/5/26 Jade Smith 6/5/26

#StartupsEverywhere: Marquette, Mich.

Marquette, Michigan-based startup Kall Morris Inc (KMI) provides a "tow truck" capability for space, designed to grab and secure unprepared, uncontrolled satellites or space debris. We sat down with CEO and co-founder Troy Morris to talk about KMI’s journey from Michigan to the International Space Station, the critical role of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and similar government grant programs, and the policy hurdles facing the next generation of aerospace innovators.

Alexander Wall 5/29/26 Alexander Wall 5/29/26

The FTC and DOJ Want to Rewrite Merger Filing Rules. Here’s What That Means for Startups.

Policymakers are looking at rewriting the rules around how companies get approval for mergers and acquisitions, which would impact the most common avenue for startups to exit.

The Engine Team 5/22/26 The Engine Team 5/22/26

Startup News Digest 05/22/26

Administration weighs making foreign-born talent more expensive

Mitchell Winter 5/22/26 Mitchell Winter 5/22/26

#StartupsEverywhere: Seattle, Wash.

Kunal Chopra is no stranger to the world of innovation. He founded Certivo, a supply chain compliance assistant, after more than two decades in the tech sector and serving as CEO for three separate companies. We sat down with Kunal to discuss his company, the role of public-private partnerships in innovation, and how startups engage with vague laws around the world involving their operations.

The Engine Team 5/21/26 The Engine Team 5/21/26

States Are the New QSBS Battleground

For years, Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) has been one of the most important federal policies supporting startup growth and early-stage investment.