Court hears arguments on net neutrality
Executive coaching should be accessible to anyone who is interested, but oftentimes scaling the education is not practical. With her company Zella Life, co-founder Remy Meraz is democratizing professional development using AI. We sat down with her to discuss AI, independent contractors, and more.
After working in the financial sector for over 20 years, Mical Jeanlys-White founded her own company, WealthMore, a wealth tech with a focus on tackling a key financial barrier—wealth building and management. Her company leverages technology to connect everyday Americans with accessible wealth management services, aiming to provide wealth creation for all. We sat down with her to discuss her journey in raising capital, navigating tax policy, the evolving role of AI, and more.
Vance Reavie is no stranger to entrepreneurship. Using his knowledge from previous ventures, he created an AI platform that intelligently automates manual marketing and merchandising workflows and content generation processes for brands and retailers. We sat down with Vance to discuss the startup ecosystem in Arkansas, AI policy and regulation, grant opportunities, and more.
Founded in 2017, 60Hertz set out to tackle critical challenges in maintaining microgrids and renewable energy systems, particularly in remote regions like Alaska. Now active in eight countries, the company provides advanced maintenance technology through its SaaS platform. In this blog post, we dive into 60Hertz’s journey, from early capital-raising hurdles to success with government grants, and explore the future goals of this innovative company.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought change to every facet of life and government. While Congress’ focus has largely been on providing direct relief for workers and business owners struggling with the financial impact of the outbreak, recent actions taken by the Trump administration on immigration issues stand to impact the talent needs of American businesses.
Based in El Paso, Pioneers 21 is a nonprofit incubator working to unleash the creative and economic potential of the U.S.-Mexico border by supporting startups and small businesses. We recently spoke with Pioneers 21’s Executive Director, Carlos Martínez-Vela, to learn more about the organization’s work supporting local entrepreneurs, the El Paso startup ecosystem, and the importance of attracting talented workers.
On both the domestic and global scale, startups need balanced, certain IP frameworks and policies which allow the free flow of data in order to grow and succeed. While efforts currently underway in China signal some potential progress on those fronts, there are indications that China’s evolving policy landscape may continue to present impediments to startups hoping to grow across the world.
The Big Story: The importance of balanced copyright rules for startups. Startups need balanced, commonsense copyright rules in order to effectively operate at home and abroad. And several ongoing, international discussions about copyright policy are putting this issue in the spotlight. Especially given the outsized role startups play in innovation and economic growth, it is critical to ensure that the startup voice is heard when it comes to crafting policies dictating whether and when platforms can be liable when their users are accused of copyright infringement.
TLDR: Congress is back in session following the August recess, and Senate Republicans plan to vote as soon as tomorrow on a “skinny” coronavirus relief package. It is widely recognized, however, that the legislation is unlikely to advance through the House. That’s why it’s important for lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to work together to craft a legislative package that strengthens small business loan programs and provides long-term support for the nation’s startup community.
The Big Story: FCC review of Section 230 draws hundreds of comments. The Federal Communications Commission this week received hundreds of public comments in response to a petition from the Trump administration that asks the FCC to rewrite existing law in order to expose Internet companies that host and moderate user-generated content to new legal liability for user posts. Engine submitted comments explaining that the proposed changes are based on unsupported claims and would actually harm innovation and competition in the Internet ecosystem by making it more risky and costly to host and moderate user-generated content.
With an entrepreneurial background and experience with influencer-based marketing, Monica Merrill—the Founder and CEO of FlipperSplash—created a platform where small businesses can partner with large or small influencers to effectively market their products and services to a wider audience. We recently spoke with Monica to learn more about FlipperSplash, how brands have been affected by the pandemic, and the goals of the startup moving forward.
TLDR: A lawsuit filed yesterday against the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by four tech companies seeks to restore review procedures that enhance patent quality and combat abusive litigation brought by so-called “patent trolls.” If successful, the case would restore inter partes review (IPR), a process that makes it easier for startups to push back against frivolous lawsuits brought by patent trolls.
The Big Story: SEC’s accredited investor update a good first step for startups. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week updated its “accredited investor” rules—which govern who can invest in early-stage, privately held firms—to allow individuals who do not meet the existing wealth threshold to participate in private capital markets. The previous rules only allowed individuals who earned more than $200,000 per year, or had a net worth of over $1 million, to qualify as accredited investors. The updated rule expands the definition so that potential investors are not judged only by their wealth, but by other features—such as having relevant knowledge and expertise—that can make it easier for qualified individuals to invest in startups.
MyAgData is an agricultural-focused data analytics startup that allows farmers to utilize acreage reporting software to simplify their reports for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and for crop insurance as well as giving lenders and insurers unique insights into their customer’s acreage productivity and health. We recently spoke with MyAgData’s CEO and Co-Founder, Deb Casurella, to learn more about the firm, their access to funding opportunities, and how policymakers can work to encourage young talent to stay in rural communities.
TLDR: The Trump administration is pressuring federal agencies to comply with an executive order that would change a bedrock Internet law in order to address supposed bias from major Internet platforms. President Donald Trump has been pushing agency officials in recent months to weaken the framework—known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act—that lets companies host and moderate users’ content without the fear of being sued into bankruptcy. While much of the attention around Section 230 focuses on major Internet companies, the law is especially critical for startups, which would be disproportionately impacted by policy changes in this space.
The Big Story: Privacy Shield rollback leads to new complaints over U.S. websites. The recent court decision striking down a transatlantic data transfer deal is already having adverse effects for websites of all sizes. This week, a European privacy group founded by Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems filed complaints with European Union data regulators against 101 websites that use tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Connect.
H20 Connected manufactures wireless-enabled products like LeakAlertor to help property management and hospitality businesses deal with leaking, overflowing, and running toilets. The startup was incubated in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, to utilize the city’s Qualified Opportunity Zone program to help scale their growth moving forward. We recently spoke with Susan Springsteen, the president of H20 Connected, to learn more about Opportunity Zones, her startup’s work, and the steps that she believes lawmakers should take to strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses affected by the ongoing pandemic.
TLDR: Uber and Lyft may have to suspend their services in California after a San Francisco judge ruled last week that the firms must comply with a state law—Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5)—that requires California companies, including “gig economy” platforms, to reclassify many independent contractors as employees. Although the law is ostensibly targeted at larger platforms like Uber and Lyft, it is likely to be an existential threat for smaller startups.
The Big Story: EU, U.S. negotiating on “enhanced” data transfer pact. The United States and the European Union are discussing the formation of a new transatlantic data transfer pact to replace the Privacy Shield framework struck down by Europe’s top court last month. In a joint press statement released on Monday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said that they “have initiated discussions to evaluate the potential for an enhanced EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework to comply with the July 16 judgment.”
During the second week of August, more than 40 members of Congress met with over 100 entrepreneurs across the United States as part of Congressional Startup Day. This annual, bipartisan celebration of startups brings together founders and policymakers to discuss the challenges and successes of entrepreneurship in America. Although the COVID-19 outbreak forced many of the meetings this year to be held virtually, lawmakers still spent the week around Congressional Startup Day conversing with entrepreneurs in their states and districts about the policy needs of startups—particularly about the ways in which Congress can better support the country’s startup community amidst the pandemic.
Studies have repeatedly shown that women founders face greater obstacles to funding and investment opportunities than male business owners. Tired of the lack of opportunities for women entrepreneurs, Cindy Foy-Uhlir—a former consultant based in Raleigh, North Carolina—decided to do something about it.
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