By Kate Tummarello, Executive Director, Engine Advocacy & Foundation
The tech ecosystem looks a lot different than it did when Engine launched 10 years ago. There has been an explosion of innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup growth across the country.
As the startup ecosystem grows, so does the need for the startup perspective in ongoing policy debates. But in their early stages, startup founders and employees are busy launching businesses and building products; they don’t have the time or resources to fly to D.C. every time their company or the startup ecosystem would be impacted by a proposed policy change.
That’s why Engine exists. As a non-profit, we’ve spent the last decade working with and listening to thousands of startups across the country and advocating for policies to promote a thriving startup ecosystem. From policy governing who can invest in early-stage startups, to efforts to fill the STEM talent pipeline, to critical intermediary liability frameworks that let startups host user-generated content, and much, much more, so many of the policy debates happening in D.C. and in state legislatures across the country need to take into account the impact policymaking has on startups. Every policymaker says they want to support startups, but it takes actually engaging with the entrepreneurs and innovators they represent to do it well.
That’s why we’re incredibly grateful for the investment our startups have made in us over the last decade: their time. Whether it’s participating in our #StartupsEverywhere series, attending one of our policy seminars, signing onto letters and comments, or meeting with their lawmakers as part of Congressional Startup Day, startups take the time to make their voice heard loud and clear. At Engine, we’re honored that we get to amplify that voice.
Throughout 2022, we’ll be celebrating the milestone of our 10th anniversary by highlighting the biggest wins we achieved with the startup ecosystem and inviting our network to support our efforts through our Engine@10 initiative. From our deep dive on making the startup ecosystem more equitable to our campaign on the importance of net neutrality for startups, we remain focused on lifting up the voices of our network. And the financial support we receive from companies and foundations allows us to continue that work.
The startup ecosystem and the need for pro-startup policy has only grown over the last 10 years. We’re excited to spend the next 10 years being the voice of startups. We hope you’ll join us in the celebration and stand with startups.
Engine is a non-profit technology policy, research, and advocacy organization that bridges the gap between policymakers and startups. Engine works with government and a community of thousands of high-technology, growth-oriented startups across the nation to support the development of technology entrepreneurship through economic research, policy analysis, and advocacy on local and national issues.
