Before policymakers regulate AI, they need to understand a fundamental technology: neural networks.
Congress needs to act on child care challenges
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.
Engine statement on SCOTUS Decision in Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton
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.
The Big Story: Patent Quality Week examines startups’ need for balance. Today we close out our inaugural Patent Quality Week where we partnered with numerous organizations to showcase the importance of patent quality from a variety of perspectives and industries.
This week, during the inaugural Patent Quality Week, Engine, the Consumer Technology Association, and ACT | The App Association hosted a webinar to allow more of you to hear directly from these startup leaders across the country about the exciting work they are doing, and about how patents and abusive patent assertion affect their ability to grow and succeed.
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.
Engine has released a new report that outlines why it is so important for the government to prioritize quality and balance when it comes to patent policy.
The Internet has transformed the modern economy, led to new technological developments, and given rise to digital trade. Internet-enabled companies are able to reach users and customers across the globe without a brick-and-mortar place of business, but non-tariff barriers — such as forced data localization, imbalanced copyright law, and various restrictions on user speech — can prevent startups from competing abroad.
A ruling from a federal judge last week is disrupting an immigration program for individuals brought to the U.S. as minors, that entrepreneurs — among many others — have relied on in recent years. The ruling from a Texas district court found the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) unlawful and blocks the administration from approving new applications. It is essential that policymakers implement a permanent solution, which includes a pathway to citizenship, for this community, because failing to do so can mean abandoning a critical source of U.S.-educated talent.
Countries around the world are attracting innovators and entrepreneurs with pro-startup immigration policies, and Congress is beginning to take notice. This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on international talent loss to U.S. competitors, including Canada. Though the U.S. is a target destination for immigrant entrepreneurs looking to launch startups, other nations with more favorable immigration policies — including startup visas and considerable investments in entrepreneurial infrastructure and R&D — are quickly becoming hotspots for international talent. If we are to remain competitive and at the forefront of innovation, it is essential that policymakers reform immigration law so entrepreneurs can have access to the opportunities and talent they need to launch and grow their businesses in the U.S. instead.
The Big Story: As Congress pushes ahead on infrastructure, startups stand to gain. Congress has the chance to move the ball forward on an infrastructure package that if passed, would provide billions of dollars for several categories of infrastructure, including roads and bridges, electric vehicles, cybersecurity, and broadband—a major win for startups.
Avocademy is a Miami-based education and mentoring program that prepares students to start a career in user experience and user interface (UX/UI) design. We spoke with founder, Maca Baigorria, to learn more about the organization’s work, the importance of workforce diversity, and what role accessibility plays in designing technology.
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.
Lawmakers and borrowers are pushing for further student loan relief, as the October 1 date approaches for the resumption of loan payments. Borrowers continue to assert that they are not yet in a place to make payments, which were paused interest free throughout the pandemic. And while the Biden administration has repeatedly argued for student debt forgiveness and fixes to the system, little progress has been made since he took office.
The Big Story: Global leaders land on tax deal that would create certainty for tech. Negotiations on a global tax regime came to a close on Thursday, with 130 countries and jurisdictions—including India, China, and Switzerland—agreeing to a deal supported by U.S. policymakers and technology companies that targets the world’s largest companies.
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.
The Big Story: After marathon markup, House panel advances tech bills. Following a multi-day, contentious markup, the House Judiciary Committee advanced several bills aimed at large tech companies despite concerns from companies, industry groups, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle that the bills will have unintended consequences—including making it harder for startups to get acquired.
Sam Caucci is the founder and CEO of 1Huddle, a Newark-based software company creating mobile games for workforce development, corporate employee training, and upskilling. We sat down with him to discuss how he developed his business, the challenges of navigating complex privacy frameworks, and the need to rethink how technology will impact the future of work.
The following statement can be attributed to Engine’s Executive Director, Kate Tummarello: “Engine applauds Rep. Phillips for reintroducing the IGNITE American Innovation Act, which will help to provide startups with the liquidity they need to continue to see the nation through pandemic recovery and accelerate R&D efforts for America's high-tech startups and innovators.”
The Big Story: Recognizing the contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs. Throughout the month of June, we celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month and recognize the impact of the immigrant community in the U. S., including on the country’s startup ecosystem. As the nation reflects on the significant contributions of this community as a whole, it is important to acknowledge and uplift the stories of immigrant entrepreneurs and recognize the challenges these founders face.
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.
