ACT | The App Association

?? Post-Election Focus: A Win for Small Business Innovation in the UK Small businesses are the backbone of the economy, but resource limitations often create barriers to growth. That’s why we joined over 200 organizations to advocate for permanent full expensing in the UK—and it’s now a reality! With permanent full expensing, small businesses can deduct investments in IT equipment and machinery from profits, reducing tax bills and freeing up resources to: ?? Invest in innovation and growth ?? Access the latest technologies ?? Create new employment opportunities Sound tax policy like this is a win for small businesses and the UK economy. Policymakers worldwide should take note: reducing barriers to innovation is key to empowering entrepreneurs. ?? Read more about why full expensing matters for small businesses: https://loom.ly/C8YF2A4

Excited to announce I'll be speaking at Smart City Conference 2024 on the panel: "Building Greener Tech Hubs: Harnessing IoT, AI, and SEP Licensing for a Sustainable Future." ?? When: December 4, 2024 ?? Time: 1:15 PM - 2:05 PM ?? Where: Lone Star G Join us to explore how smart cities are leveraging IoT, AI, and sustainable innovation to create greener urban spaces while tackling critical challenges like SEP licensing and regulatory frameworks. Let's envision smarter, greener cities together! ????Thanks to ACT | The App Association for organizing! #SCC24 #SmartCities #IoT #Sustainability

?? Small Businesses in the App Economy: Facing a New Landscape Post-Election With elections behind us, now is the time for policymakers to focus on the challenges holding small businesses back. For independent developers and startups in the app economy, it’s not just one issue—it’s a thousand cuts. Conflicting state privacy laws, digital ad taxes, and restrictions on mergers and acquisitions are creating mounting barriers to entry. These burdens drain resources and stifle the innovation that powers future technologies. ?? What’s at stake: ?? Privacy laws: A patchwork of state regulations is costly and confusing—policymakers need to prioritize a unified federal standard. ?? Digital ad taxes: Proposals like California’s Digital Advertising Services Tax open new privacy concerns while raising costs for small businesses. ?? M&A limits: Restricting acquisitions takes away a critical path for startups to grow or exit. Read our blog, "Death by a Thousand Cuts," to understand how we can create a more supportive ecosystem for small businesses to thrive. ?? https://loom.ly/8_Cvw_0

Superset is harnessing the power of AI to help teams with compliance ?? Whether you’re using that extra time on a more strategic project or able to free up your schedule to finally start taking that walk at lunch, member companies like Superset give me a LOT to look forward to as we use AI as a tool to improve our quality of life!

??? LATER TODAY: Join us for a webinar @ 12:30 PM to explore how wearables can make healthcare more accessible and reduce emergency costs for underserved Americans. We'll discuss how legislation like the WEAR IT Act has the potential to remove financial barriers to wearable health devices, empowering those with HSAs and FSAs to invest in their health. ?? Register to learn how we can support health equity through wearables: https://loom.ly/LRWkJlo #HealthEquity #WearableTech #WEARITAct

?? “When we built Mori, the conversation was very robust. We’re using health data to help people. That data and how we use it is so important in this conversation because we are a global app. One drop creates a ripple, especially when you talk about tech policy on a global level.” - Jocelyn Campbell We’re so proud to see Jocelyn Campbell, CEO of member company Health ComplyAI, shine at the Innovators Network Foundation’s first-ever Hill Briefing: The Roadmap for Antitrust Policy: Navigating the Regulatory Landscape for the Tech Ecosystem. This panel explored the shifting dynamics of antitrust enforcement in the wake of recent U.S. and European elections. Focusing on the tech ecosystem and curated online marketplaces (COMs), the discussion offered policymakers critical insights into how antitrust policies can shape the digital age, influence the U.S. tech sector, and affect American competitiveness globally. Jocelyn shared her expertise on the compliance challenges posed by conflicting global data privacy laws and the importance of balanced AI and antitrust policies that foster innovation in digital health. Thank you to The GW Competition & Innovation Lab and Innovators Network Foundation for hosting this event and to the amazing lineup of speakers, including Jocelyn Campbell, Graham Dufault, Aurelien Portuese, Elyse Dorsey, and Christine Wilson. #TechEcosystem #Antitrust #DigitalHealth #Innovation #PolicyLeadership #AI

It was a pleasure representing ACT | The App Association at the annual SAS NPE Forum. I had the pleasure of sitting down and exchanging insights with the patent community on an ever-developing patent landscape. Thank you to John Sieman and Dwight Thompson for putting on a great conference; special thank you to my fellow panelists: David W. Jones and Chris Mohr for an engaging discussion on policy priorities! #PatentCommunity #IntellectualProperty #Innovation #PatentLaw #TechPolicy #IPLaw #PatentStrategy #SASNPEForum #PolicyPriorities #PatentConference #LegalInnovation #TechInnovation #PatentExperts #ThoughtLeadership #FutureOfIP

Last week, when I was at Web Summit, I was at a panel that included a voice from the European Commission where they asked the audience how they felt about the AI Act. I was unsurprised to hear the majority of the feedback was negative as I know SMEs and Startups always have more challenges when it comes to complex regulatory requirements. What I found more interesting was that in defense of the AI Act, the representative from the EC shared they believe that these tech regulations should actually be thought of as economic stimulus for startups! This is why I feel so passionate about the work ACT | The App Association does, it is imperative that governments actually hear from startups and SMEs so they understand the true impact their decisions have.

This past week, I had the privilege of attending AfroTech for the first time, representing ACT | The App Association. It was an inspiring gathering of leaders, innovators, and creatives from across the tech industry. Some highlights from my week: ? #ACTivationLounge – The App Association’s inaugural event where we celebrated and connected with brilliant founders, developers, VCs, and policy leaders in tech! Special shoutout to Shawna Young, MBA of Camelback Ventures, and Alexus Hall and David C. Hughes, PhD of Give Black for your continued support to further increase accessibility and success of diverse entrepreneurs and founders. ? AfroTech’s Inaugural Cohort of Founders – The founders building groundbreaking solutions that are simplifying lives and revolutionizing the digital world. A huge shoutout to Muscle Up Mommy, The Dev Difference, Roam, InovCares, WriteSea, ELROI and Trustedcopy! ? Gov. Wes Moore – It was a privilege to hear from Maryland’s Governor as he shared his vision for the state in front of thousands at the Innovation Mainstage. ? Black Legislative Leaders Network’s Inaugural AfroTech Policy Roundtable – In partnership with Fund II Foundation, Qualtrics, and Texas Southern University, BLLN hosted a dynamic policy roundtable at #AfroTech 2024 in Houston, TX. It brought together some of the most innovative minds in #tech and #policy to explore solutions to health disparities and equity in our communities. I had the honor of joining 12 state legislative leaders to discuss trends in AI, healthcare, and tech policy. A critical discussion focused on the intersection of AI and technology to reduce and eliminate Black maternal and infant mortality. I’m deeply grateful to the state legislators who joined us – Karen Camper, Tonya P. Anderson, MBA, MDiv, Amos O'Neal, Jamila E. Taylor, Marcus C. Evans, Jr., Clyde Vanel, Cherrish S. Pryor, Willie Preston, Toni Rose, Daryl Porter, and Jolanda Jones – for their commitment to advancing equitable policies. Your leadership and vision are essential in bridging the gap between innovation and real-world impact. A special thank you to Jasper Hendricks, III, William G. Hudson, students like Kailen B., and founders like Ijeoma Uche, MPH and Mercy Oladipo of Birth By Us, and Kimberly Seals Allers of #IrthApp for your tireless work to combat maternal and infant mortality. This past week, while busy, gives me hope for the future of innovation. Our future remains bright and we need to ensure policy promotes innovation, not stifles it. #AfroTech #TechForGood #Innovation #Founders #TechPolicy #HealthEquity #BlackLeadership #AI #DigitalTransformation #DiversityInTech #Entrepreneurship #StartupCommunity #PublicPolicy #MaternalHealth #TechInclusion

? It’s #MemberMonday! ? This week, we’re featuring Superset, an AI-powered platform simplifying privacy and compliance so teams can focus on strategy. See how Superset turns data privacy into a strategic advantage ?? https://loom.ly/PCdy1Yg #PrivacyTech #ComplianceMadeEasy #AIforGood