The 463: Inside Tech Policy

Right Brain Innovation

Stephanie Tackach -- We’ve been hearing a lot about innovation in the news these days with the current economic situation. However, the Consumer Electronics Association decided to put a fun spin on it by partnering with Threadless, an online community for t-shirt designers, for a contest for the Innovation Movement.
 
Designers were asked to give their interpretations of innovation in the past, present or future for a chance to win a trip to CES along with many other prizes.
 
170 designs were submitted but David Fleck of Edinburgh, Scotland, won with his “Innovation Revolution” design. Fleck will join the winner of CEA’s “Apps for Innovation” contest, which is still accepting submissions through December 14. For more details on the contest, click here.

 
See all designs here.

Mr. Chopra Goes to Silicon Valley

Katie Hallen -- Aneesh Chopra received a rock star’s welcome Tuesday night at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif., in an event hosted by TechNet, the Center for Democracy and Technology and the Churchill Club.  For America’s first federal CTO, it was his first visit – and public appearance – in Silicon Valley since President Obama appointed him to office in April.

Chopra, who previously was Virginia’s secretary of technology, had initially been perceived by some in the room as a Silicon Valley outsider, but last night they embraced him as a visionary with big ideas and specific objectives to help the government translate technology to boost U.S. global competitiveness and better engage the citizenry.

Among those in the packed room of 350 attendees was Tim O’Reilly, an early Chopra supporter.  O’Reilly wrote back in April when news of the CTO appointment hit that: “Chopra has been one of those who have taught me the most about how we can build a better government with the help of technology.” 

Chopra revealed his near-term (next 90 days, by September 22) versus long-term priorities, looking at how government can invest in the building blocks of innovation, promote innovation to achieve national policy goals, and instill a culture of openness and transparency.  In particular, he cited his huge support for health care IT, education technology and government R&D investment.

 “We need to embrace this spirit of commonwealth – the idea that we can bring the power of entrepreneurship to deliver game-changing innovation in our public services,” said Chopra who peppered his remarks with stories of social entrepreneurs who have inspired him to help technology and the government work better for the American people.

Watch the YouTube video from the talk and Q&A on the Churchill Club’s YouTube Channel.

Read the Twitter chatter here.

See more coverage from TechCrunch, PC Magazine and the New York Times.

TechNet and the Center for Democracy and Technology are 463 clients.





 














 

Data: The New Black?

(By Jim Hock) Much has been said and written in recent months about the Obama Administration's move to try to make sense of all the reams of data in its possession. CIO Vivek Kundra, Deputy CIO Beth Noveck and CTO Aneesh Chopra deserve great credit for visionary leadership with data.gov and taking the first and important steps to put all this government information to use. And unlocking this information can help create the next great innovations, companies and most importantly, jobs.  Think of the data from the National Weather Service and satellite data and how much that has created -- we are just at the surface.

One of those cool companies we have the pleasure to work with is called Socrata, a dynamic new startup based in Seattle that is unlocking data in a three dimensional and social way.  Check out this great interview by Kevin Merritt, Socrata's CEO, talking about data as the "new black" on ABC News.