Did you know that the Austin Technology Council is part of a national lobbying effort through the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA)? TECNA represents over 60 tech trade associations that, in turn, represent more than 22,000 innovative technology-related companies in North America. TECNA serves as the collective voice of these regional organizations to federal policymakers in helping to grow the tech economy.
To this end, TECNA seeks to promote:
- Developing, attracting, and retaining a divers and highly qualified workforce.
- Policies that promote a pro-business and pro-growth tax, regulatory, and trade environment.
- Policies the promote investment in innovation and technology related economic development.
- Investing in infrastructure to support on ecosystem where the technology industry can thrive.
This is just one reason that the Austin Technology Council needs your support…. While there are many amazing groups in our region that serve our tech ecosystem, ATC is one of the few that are directly tied to a policy agenda that is focused on small and mid-sized tech companies. The majority of laws passed (or stopped from passing) that impact the tech industry are done so by lobbying efforts by the largest companies in technology. And while many (most) of those have an impact down the line to growth oriented tech companies, this is not always the case. TECNA has their ear to what is being discussed in Washington DC, and they need your support (both by being part of ATC and to reach out to your elected officials when key legislation is being discussed.
This April several ATC Board Members and Staff flew to Washington, with 15 other tech councils, to hear from elected officials and agencies, and to meet with the staffs of our local senate and house offices. We want to get more engaged in this annual “Fly-In” next year, and that is where we need our civic-minded tech leaders to be involved.
National public policy directly impacts our local companies. Stay tuned as ATC will be brining you more updates and asking for your input.
Please help support the Austin Technology Council. We cannot do this without the local tech leaders and civic minded entrepreneurs.