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.
Based in Washington, D.C., Pruve Systems is leveraging a variety of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, to develop workflow systems that are easy, inclusive, and completely secure. Co-Founder and CEO Thomas Dawson, spoke to us about what led to the founding of Pruve, how it’s important to be inclusive in the development of new technologies, and why policymakers should reframe how we think about the development of tech talent.
The Big Story: Changes to copyright rules would hurt news, commentary startups, and free expression. As a few countries adopt or consider laws that would require websites to pay whenever they—or their users—link to or quote a news article, the U.S. Copyright Office is studying what those sorts of laws would mean here. In comments this week, Engine emphasized the substantial unintended consequences of such policies, which would not just alter how information is shared and communicated online, but cause problems for startups and innovation.
The Engine team is grateful for the startups in our network and the opportunities we have had this year to raise their voices in the policy conversations with lawmakers. As we wrap up the holiday season and enter 2022, we want to highlight the incredible startups in our network whose work has contributed to a better and brighter startup ecosystem. We celebrate the startups in our network who have continued to build innovative solutions, bridged inequitable gaps, and have contributed to a vibrant startup ecosystem across the U.S.
The Big Story: Congress talks online content, but startups are sidelined. As Congress continues the drumbeat of complaints about user-generated content on the Internet, the conversation misses the realities of content moderation and the role content moderation plays for startups.
Maurice Ng is the Co-founder and General Partner of Tings Capital, a minority-owned venture capital fund based in New York City, N.Y. looking to invest in underrepresented founders, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, first generation immigrants, and people with disabilities. Ng took the time to share his immigrant experience, his unique mission behind the firm, and some of the barriers marginalized communities face in the startup space.
Debates about the intermediary liability framework provided by Section 230 have animated policy conversations as lawmakers grapple with harmful online content, including around election integrity, health information, and children’s safety. But those debates are almost exclusively focused on the largest Internet companies. Section 230, however, applies to all services of all sizes that host all types of user-generated content, including startups.
The Big Story: Startups watch as Congress considers tech nominees. This week, Senate committees weighed in on several individuals President Joe Biden nominated to key tech leadership roles, shedding some light on the direction the nominees might take to support startup innovators. In a series of hearings, Senators considered acting Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel and FCC nominee Gigi Sohn, as well as Alan Davidson, who was nominated to lead the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Federal Trade Commission nominee Alvaro Bedoya, and Kathi Vidal, who was nominated to lead the Patent and Trademark Office.
Based in Superior, Colo., hobbyDB is an online collectibles database that aims to catalogue every collectible in existence. Founder and CEO, Christian Braun, spoke to us about the origins behind the company, how platforms like hobbyDB have responded to market facilitator laws, and the barriers imposed by the U.S. immigration system to the entry of new entrepreneurs.
The Big Story: Making the startup ecosystem more equitable. Startup founders with innovative ideas should have the chance to succeed, no matter where they’re located or what they look like. But too often, underrepresented founders—including women and founders of color—are denied the opportunity to get investments, launch, and grow. This week, Engine released an assessment of barriers that underrepresented founders face as well as policy proposals to alleviate those barriers.
SparkFun, headquartered in Niwot, Colo., designs and manufactures electronic development tools used to build new technological innovations and enable research. We sat down with Nathan Seidle, CEO and Co-Founder, to learn why he launched the company, the challenges for a small business of navigating the U.S. intellectual property landscape, and how startups looking to support educational communities can face significant structural barriers.
With his nomination of Winston & Strawn LLP litigator Kathi Vidal as the new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director, President Joe Biden has an opportunity to fix the problems in our patent system that have stifled innovation and entrepreneurs over the past few years. It was just a decade ago that Republicans and Democrats came together and passed the America Invents Act, the most sweeping reform to our country's patent system in more than a half century.
This booklet will examine the barriers many underrepresented founders face across the startup ecosystem, identify the specific roadblocks that stifle their success, and make recommendations for policy changes that could lead to more equity for founders, investors, and employees. Having an inclusive framework is critical for the fabric of our nation and imperative for the U.S. to remain competitive as a global leader at the forefront of innovation.
The Big Story: Immigration in play in reconciliation bill, but path unclear. As the House eyes a path forward on the reconciliation bill, newly-added language would create temporary protections for millions of undocumented immigrants, which could make it easier for foreign-born innovators, founders, and STEM talent to stay and work in the U.S.
Authentise is a software company headquartered in Philadelphia, Penn. that is working to enable 3D printing systems to operate more efficiently by using artificial intelligence and other digital tools. We sat down with Andre Wegner, CEO and Founder, to learn about what led him to start the company, the barriers the U.S. immigration system creates to hiring the talent he needs, and how policymakers can look to additive manufacturing to fill gaps in existing supply chains.
Today in Lisbon, Portugal, a collection of European nations launched the European Startup Nations Alliance, a formal body to support the implementation of the Startup Nations Standard. The standards, originally announced in March, are eight best practices designed to accelerate startup growth on the European continent and “make the European Union the most attractive” place to launch and grow a startup.
The Big Story: Biden puts up key tech, telecom nominees. This week, President Biden announced several long-awaited nominations that, if confirmed, will serve key roles in setting technology and telecom policies that impact the startup ecosystem.
Event Vesta is an event discovery and promotion platform founded in Omaha, Neb. working to improve the connectivity between event organizers and attendees. Andrew Prystai, CEO and co-founder, shared with us the origins of the platform, his experience as a tech entrepreneur in the Midwest, and the ways in which existing tech policy frameworks have enabled their team to build a successful platform.
“Engine congratulates Kathi Vidal on her nomination as the next Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. She would have an undeniable role to play in supporting the nation’s startups and stands to make important contributions that advance diversity in innovation and ensure the patent system works for all stakeholders. It is likewise critical the PTO prevent imbalanced policies that block progress, because we have seen how recent policy decisions have contributed to rapidly increasing rates of abusive patent assertion, growing litigation costs, and a drop in patent quality. We look forward to working with Ms. Vidal toward an inclusive, diverse, and equitable patent system that prioritizes quality and allows everyone across the country to innovate and contribute.”
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