Internet affordability funding to run out, reversing progress on digital divide
Broadband, the ACP, and an equitable startup ecosystem
Startup News Digest 2/09/24
Startup News Digest 2/02/24
Startup News Digest 1/26/24
Startup News Digest 1/19/24
Startup News Digest 1/12/24
Startup News Digest 1/05/24
Startup News Digest 12/15/23
Startup News Digest 12/08/23
Startup News Digest 12/01/23
Startup News Digest 11/17/23
Startup News Digest 10/20/23
Startup News Digest 08/18/23
Startup News Digest 07/21/23
The Big Story: Policymakers threaten successful startup exits, investment. This week, federal agencies released new draft guidelines for merger enforcement that could reduce the number of acquisitions and negatively impact the ability of startups to successfully exit. The new draft guidelines come amid a parallel effort to revise the filing process for larger transactions, adding costs and new burdens to those acquisitions. Taken together, the agencies’ actions are designed to limit acquisitions, which are critical to investment and successful exits in the startup ecosystem.
Paying twice? The persistent proposal that could upend the Internet and increase startup costs
Last month, a majority of the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution contemplating a policy framework that could diminish startup competitiveness and endanger the open Internet. The vote is the latest in a long-running effort by telecom companies to force websites and apps to pay them based on the traffic they generate. That model, sometimes called “sender pays,” is gaining popularity with policymakers throughout the world—including in the U.S.—threatening net neutrality principles and the competitiveness of U.S. startups.
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
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.
Startup News Digest 06/02/23
The Big Story: House passes capital formation bills. The House passed several bills this week to improve capital access for startups, including by providing educational resources on capital raising options for underrepresented small businesses and another to broaden the pool of potential startup investors.