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.
Student loan program heads to court, impacting future entrepreneurs
f you wanted to haul large amounts of water from a well, you would (at one point in history) need a resource, like a horse, to pull the load. You would measure how much weight the horse can pull per minute in terms of “horsepower.” In the world of AI, the resource required to make models work is compute, and it’s measured in FLOPS.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Big Story: As broadband subsidy program ramps up, lawmakers eye next steps. The need for universal broadband was back in the spotlight this week as lawmakers discussed the impacts of the digital divide, especially during the pandemic. At a hearing Tuesday, the House Appropriations subcommittee on financial services and general government examined the impact a lack of affordable, reliable broadband has, especially on rural communities and communities of color.
The Big Story: Endless Frontier Act advances through key Senate Committee with changes. The Senate Commerce Committee voted this week to advance a pared down version of the Endless Frontier Act, clearing it’s path for a floor vote. The bill would invest funds to prioritize research into advanced technologies and would authorize $10 billion to create at least ten regional technology hubs. While the original iteration of the legislation directed $100 billion over five years to the bill’s newly created tech directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF), after amendment, much of this funding would be directed to other NSF activities, with a portion of funds marked toward the directorate to be diverted to the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories.
“The White House’s decision to formally withdraw the previous administration’s proposed removal of the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) is a victory for foreign-born entrepreneurs looking to launch high-growth, job-creating companies in America. The IER signals to entrepreneurs across the world that our country is a place where their innovative ideas are welcome, allowing the U.S. to remain a global hub of innovation and competitiveness.”
The Big Story: Spotlight back on content moderation as Facebook upholds Trump ban. Internet companies' content moderation decisions are back in the spotlight this week as Facebook’s oversight board—a panel of journalists, activists, and lawyers that reviews the company’s content decisions—announced that former President Donald Trump should remain suspended from the platform, prompting criticism and threats of legislation from Republicans in Congress. Facebook banned Trump in January after the insurrection attempt on January 6th, citing the ongoing risk of political violence. The board also said that Facebook was wrong to impose an indefinite ban and called for the company to decide in the next six months whether to restore Trump’s account, permanently remove him from the platform, or suspend him for a specific timeframe.
The Big Story: Biden unveils plan to invest billions in education, child care. President Joe Biden unveiled an ambitious $1.8 trillion proposal—known as the American Families Plan—that would, in part, give Americans expanded access to education, create a federal paid family and medical leave program, and extend the expanded child tax credit included in last month’s stimulus package. In a speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Biden said the plan—along with his proposed $2 trillion infrastructure package—would help keep the U.S. at the forefront of global competitiveness.
The Big Story: Bipartisan bill would boost U.S. tech investments, R&D funding. A key Senate panel held a hearing this week to discuss bipartisan legislation meant to bolster the U.S. technology sector against the growing threat of competition from China. Members of the Senate Commerce Committee used Wednesday’s hearing to discuss how the bill, known as the Endless Frontier Act, would provide long-term investments in research and development, entrepreneurship, and technological advancements in order to solidify America’s leadership in the global innovation economy.
TLDR: Hiring full-time talent is costly and difficult when a startup is in its early stages, but recent federal efforts have created even more uncertainty for nascent companies that rely upon independent contractors to help them innovate and grow. As Congress and the Biden administration take steps that could narrow the definition of an independent contractor, policymakers must be careful to examine how this push would impact workers, startups, and small businesses across the country.
The Big Story: Boosting legal immigration will benefit startups, U.S. global leadership. As federal policymakers continue to debate much-needed updates to the nation's immigration system, a report released this week found that the U.S. risks losing its status as the world’s largest economy by 2030 if policymakers do not take steps to expand and increase legal immigration. The study, conducted by FWD.us in collaboration with George Mason University, highlighted how U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) could double by 2050 if the level of permanent and temporary immigrants was increased to more than two million each year.
The Big Story: Removing barriers to entry for women entrepreneurs. Although the number of women-founded companies across the globe has doubled over the past decade—from 10 percent in 2009 to 20 percent in 2019—women entrepreneurs still face significant roadblocks when competing in the largely male-dominated technology sector. The gender disparity in the technology sector, driven in part by systemic sexism and responsibilities like child care and family caregiving, makes it more difficult for women entrepreneurs to break into the space with their own unique ideas and visions. Women represent just 11 percent of venture capital investment partners across the U.S., and women-led companies raise an average of 13 percent less in funding than their male counterparts. Women-led startups received only 2.8 percent of VC funding in 2019, while Black and Latino women founders combined to receive just 0.64 percent of total VC investments. That’s why it’s so critical for the startup community and policymakers to confront the challenges women entrepreneurs face and ensure that a diverse range of individuals are able to pursue entrepreneurship.
The Big Story: House passes legislation extending pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. House lawmakers voted yesterday to approve legislation that would give approximately 2.3 million Dreamers—undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors—certain protections from deportation and would provide a pathway to citizenship if they meet certain criteria. The bill’s passage is a critical step for millions of talented immigrants who help drive innovation and job creation across the tech sector.
Today’s House vote in support of the American Dream and Promise Act is a victory for the millions of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children in search of a better life. Dreamers help drive U.S. innovation by launching startups, creating new jobs, and serving as critical sources of talent for the tech sector. By protecting Dreamers and providing them with a pathway to citizenship, the bill gives these talented individuals the legal certainty they need to pursue their ambitions—in the tech sector or otherwise—without the threat of deportation.
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