Future Tech, Blog
Min Jung
AI Essentials: How do neural networks work?

Before policymakers regulate AI, they need to understand a fundamental technology: neural networks.

AI Essentials: How do neural networks work?
@Engine, Weekly Digest, Digest, Privacy & Data Security, Access to Capital, Talent, Future Tech, Tax & Trade, Open Internet, Telecom
The Engine Team
Startup News Digest 07/12/24

Congress needs to act on child care challenges

Startup News Digest 07/12/24
#StartupsEverywhere
Min Jun Jung
#StartupsEverywhere: Green Bay, Wis.

The video game industry is concentrated in a handful of locations, leaving incredible talent in underserved areas frequently overlooked. Ben Kvalo started Midwest Games to change that narrative, supporting underrepresented game developers because increasing diversity in game development leads to better products and bigger markets. Ben recently joined us to talk about Midwest Games, the challenges of raising capital in the Midwest, the importance of small developers in maintaining a healthy video game ecosystem, and the potential benefits of AI for the industry.

#StartupsEverywhere: Green Bay, Wis.
Filings, Statements & Releases, Intermediary Liability
The Engine Team
Engine statement on SCOTUS Decision in Moody v. ...

Engine statement on SCOTUS Decision in Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton

Engine statement on SCOTUS Decision in Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton
#StartupsEverywhere
Imani Webb
#StartupsEverywhere: San Diego, Calif.

Consumer weather models are too coarse for farms and conservancies that are large enough to occupy their own microclimates. Dr. Carlos Gaitan started Benchmark Labs to solve this problem, leveraging artificial intelligence to create custom weather models for farmers and conservators—helping them increase their crop yield and better manage their land. Carlos recently sat down with us to discuss Benchmark Labs, his experience as an immigrant founder, the value of government funding for startups, and how policymakers should approach AI policy. 

#StartupsEverywhere: San Diego, Calif.

#StartupsEverywhere

#StartupsEverywhere: Newark, N.J.

#StartupsEverywhere: Newark, N.J.

Based in Newark, N.J., MoCaFi is a fintech company that provides a platform and tools designed to make financial services more accessible for all communities. MoCaFi—and its Founder & CEO, Wole Coaxum—are particularly focused on developing tools and technology that can help close the racial wealth gap that persists within the U.S. We spoke with Mr. Coaxum about what led him to MoCaFi, the importance of access to modern banking tools, and how public-private partnerships can help reach underresourced communities.

#StartupsEverywhere: Pittsburgh, Pa.

#StartupsEverywhere: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rubitection is making skin health evaluation better, easier, and more reliable to prevent chronic conditions and improve quality of life through innovative, inclusive technology. We recently spoke to Rubitection’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Sanna Gaspard, about the importance of diversity in medtech, the need for more innovation in and investment for technology to support an aging population, and what the government can do to advance these goals.

#StartupsEverywhere: Cambridge, Mass.

#StartupsEverywhere: Cambridge, Mass.

E14 Fund is a venture capital firm working with MIT’s Media Lab to help deep tech startups with an MIT connection launch and scale their business—and donating a portion of its profits back into MIT. We spoke with E14’s co-founder and managing partner, Calvin Chin, to learn more about MIT’s startup community, trends in advanced manufacturing, and how the government might do a better job working with young companies.

#StartupsEverywhere: Alexandria, Va.

#StartupsEverywhere: Alexandria, Va.

Hacking the Workforce is a mentoring and support organization dedicated to helping Black, LGBTQ+ individuals develop successful careers in the field of cybersecurity. We spoke with Safi Mojidi—Founder of Hacking the Workforce—to learn about his work, the importance of diversity to cybersecurity, and how policymakers can develop better technology policy through partnership with diverse practitioners and academia in the cyber industry.

#StartupsEverywhere: Mountain View, Calif.

#StartupsEverywhere: Mountain View, Calif.

Rishi Ranjan is a co-founder and the CEO of GridRaster, a startup providing the underlying infrastructure needed to support immersive augmented, virtual, and mixed-reality experiences on mobile devices and in the enterprise market. We spoke with Rishi to learn about his path to launching this cloud-based XR platform, his experience navigating the patent and immigration systems, and his goals for GridRaster going forward.

#StartupsEverywhere: New York City, N.Y.

#StartupsEverywhere: New York City, N.Y.

Dr. Leonardo Bonanni—Founder and CEO of Sourcemap—was conducting product research at MIT when he came across the challenges companies were facing in developing a concrete understanding of their entire supply chain. This led him to develop Sourcemap—a platform that enables companies to network with their suppliers and understand vulnerabilities. We sat down with Bonanni to discuss how Sourcemap works, the impact of COVID-19 on their business and supply chains, and how the government can better partner with startups that are innovating supply chain technologies.

#StartupsEverywhere: Washington, D.C.

#StartupsEverywhere: Washington, D.C.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Markup LLC is reinventing the way lawmakers draft, record, and analyze public policy. We spoke with the Co-Founder of Markup LLC, Andrew Baluch, to learn about his startup’s work in the public policy space, how the pandemic has shifted Congress’s processes, and some of the ways that lawmakers can be more efficient through the use of technology.

#StartupsEverywhere: Medford, Mass.

#StartupsEverywhere: Medford, Mass.

OPT Industries is an additive manufacturing and 3D printing company that is working to take innovative technologies to scale for mass production of an array of products. We spoke with Jifei Ou—Founder and CEO of OPT Industries—to learn about the technology OPT has developed, his experiences navigating the immigration system as a startup founder, and how the U.S. can better incentivize entrepreneurship in the manufacturing industry.

#StartupsEverywhere: Cambridge, Mass.

#StartupsEverywhere: Cambridge, Mass.

Anne Kim—Co-Founder and CEO of Secure AI Labs (SAIL)—is a researcher at heart. While working through her graduate studies, Kim discovered a significant obstacle to her research in her efforts to obtain patient data from hospitals. This led her to the concept of SAIL, a data management platform that focuses on the need for accessible yet secure medical data. We sat down with Kim to hear what brought her to develop the platform, her thoughts on how startups and policymakers can be more forward thinking about privacy policy, and how she thinks the government can provide startups a boost as a partner and customer.

#StartupsEverywhere: Portland, Ore.

#StartupsEverywhere: Portland, Ore.

Nombolo is a social media platform that enables users to engage with one another in real time, to answer questions and share experiences through geo-positioned videos and requests. We spoke with Prince Mlaudzi—Founder and CEO of Nombolo—to learn how he developed the idea for the platform from his love of basketball, the challenges he faces as a small platform developing systems for responsible content moderation, and how the government can do more to support underrepresented founders.

#StartupsEverywhere: San Francisco, Calif.

#StartupsEverywhere: San Francisco, Calif.

Onfleet is a tech startup that uses logistics management software and route optimization to power last mile delivery services for thousands of companies across a wide range of industries. We recently spoke with Mikel Carmenes Cavia—Onfleet’s Co-Founder and VP of Engineering—to learn more about his company’s work optimizing last mile delivery operations, policy concerns related to the legal delivery of cannabis, and how a European court decision last year invalidating the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield has impacted their business.

#StartupsEverywhere: Austin, Texas

#StartupsEverywhere: Austin, Texas

Jean Anne Booth is a serial entrepreneur who came out of retirement when she and her mother realized an unmet need for technology to promote both safety and independence in aging populations. Based in Austin, Texas, Booth founded UnaliWear and developed the Kanega Watch to provide vulnerable individuals and their families better alternatives to live with the dignity and support they deserve. We spoke with Booth to learn more about her company, the prospects for funding medtech development, and her experience with the U.S. patent system.

#StartupsEverywhere: Kansas City, Mo.

#StartupsEverywhere: Kansas City, Mo.

Mycroft AI offers open-source voice assistant technology that can be integrated into all types of third-party hardware, from desktop computers to automobiles. We recently spoke with Joshua Montgomery, the Founder of Mycroft AI, to learn more about the need for patent reforms to reduce abusive litigation, the intersection between user privacy and open-source AI development, and how Mycroft AI will contribute to the growing voice assistant market.

#StartupsEverywhere: Holland, Mich.

#StartupsEverywhere: Holland, Mich.

Headquartered in Zeeland, Michigan, Lakeshore Advantage is a nonprofit economic development organization that’s working to support startups, entrepreneurs, and businesses in West Michigan. We recently spoke with Amanda Chocko, the Director of Entrepreneurship at Lakeshore Advantage, to learn more about the organization’s work supporting local startups, the importance of reliable broadband services, and what the future holds for West Michigan’s startup community.

#StartupsEverywhere: Rochester, N.Y.

#StartupsEverywhere: Rochester, N.Y.

Arkatecht is a startup that creates professional development tools to help working parents advance and succeed in their careers. The company’s Atlast learning platform is specifically designed for parents working in human services fields—such as mental health and social work—to help them maintain a sound work-life balance. We recently spoke with Arkatecht’s Founder and CEO, Yasmin Mattox, to learn more about the startup’s focus on supporting working parents, what it’s like to be a woman founder, and why it’s important for policymakers to engage with the startup community.

#StartupsEverywhere: Philadelphia, Pa.

#StartupsEverywhere: Philadelphia, Pa.

flipMD is a Philadelphia-based health care startup that lets physicians find consulting opportunities and allows companies to source medical talent for their projects. We recently spoke with the Founder and CEO of flipMD, Lauren Hanson, to learn more about her startup’s work, her experiences as a woman founder, and her thoughts on why it’s important for health care-focused startups to connect with physician consultants.

 

Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used.


Careers

CONTACT US

700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003
info@engine.is
comms@engine.is