

HN, it is time to lobby the government for tech entrepreneurs - ekpyrotic

Tech. entrepreneurs are essential to the modern economy.<p>Yet, you are under-represented in global politics. Governments are stuffed with old-fashioned, technophobic politicians who lack a grasp of new technologies. Often they implement regressive Internet policies---such an SOPA---that stall economic growth.<p>It is ripe time to organise a well-funded tech. lobby?<p>An Internet enterprise think tank would lobby on behalf on Internet entrepreneurs and investors, representing their interests to national governments and transnational organisations to promote favourable policy change.<p>The mission group would:<p>(1) Campaign for productive policy change. This would include lobbying for: a larger funding pot for tech. entrepreneurs and investors, net neutrality, tax breaks for tech. entrepreneurs and investors, introducing a more rigorous computer science education syllabus in primary and secondary schools, extending Internet provision in the developing world.<p>(2) Summarise current (and prospective) relevant policy for clients. This would include: briefing stakeholders on relevant taxation and budgetary changes (alongside flagging up tax breaks), net neutrality developments, Government funding opportunities, relevant IP law changes, entrepreneur visa changes, etc.<p>(3) Build awareness of the sector's interests through traditional media, i.e., editorials in national broadsheets.<p>Is there scope? Is there real interest in a narrowly-defined think tank serving the tech. enterprise sector?<p>What are the sector’s priorities? What policy briefings would stakeholders be interested in?<p>email: ekpyrotic [at] gmail [dot] com<p>location: London, UK
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ig1
Why not get involved with groups that already exist such as
<http://www.openrightsgroup.org/> ?

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ekpyrotic
ig1, while there are established forums for narrow technology policy hot
points---IP, net neutrality, piracy---there is no contingent representing the
tech. enterprise sector. Most current groups are motivated more by libertarian
philosophical values than by the need to represent the business interests of
the sector.

I believe there is space---and need---for a business lobby that represents our
interests.

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ig1
I'm not sure there's strong enough alignment among tech enterprise for a
generic group to make sense.

For example when it comes to funding incumbent players may want the exact
opposite from startups.

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ekpyrotic
ig1, I think that's a reasonable concern. While the organisation would lobby
on general tech. policy issues, it's focus would be on start-up tech.
entrepreneurs. Other, larger, companies have a voice through the general
business lobby, i.e., the CBI in the UK.

Unfortunately, this has meant that start-ups---through a combination of lack
of time and lack of funds---are not properly represented in the political
discourse.

At the moment the voice of tech. comes from the likes of Apple and Google, but
this is---like you hinted---economically disadvantageous to the start-up
crowd. The big companies have an incentive to clampdown on small-time tech.
funding and implement regressive licensing policies.

Here's my main worry: While the tech. start-up community is essential to
ongoing economic growth, esp. as international competition intensifies, time
and funding commitments mean that they are sidelined in national and
transnational policy/funding settlements.

I believe that the community needs to coalesce around an experienced and
informed mission group in order to secure our interests.

NOTE: Thanks for engaging ig1. The original post made my ambitions in this
direction sound too broad. Our discussion has helped me narrow-in on the type
of organisation I believe the sector needs.

