Senate R&D Bill Will Boost U.S. Innovations and Startups

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2021

Contact: Sabrina Fang
Phone: 703-283-2091
Email: sfang@nvca.org

WASHINGTON, DC – National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) President and CEO Bobby Franklin applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which will renew federal commitment to R&D investment and support technology commercialization and new company formation in regions and communities across the country.

“In an increasingly competitive race for leadership in innovation America must continue to lead the world in emerging ingenuity,” said Franklin. “This bold bipartisan legislation will harness innovation to make our country stronger and create more economic opportunity. The bill’s emphasis on new company formation and growth will encourage the participation of venture capital investors and entrepreneurs to build new companies and put Americans across the country to work in developing the technologies of tomorrow.

“New innovative companies backed by venture capital drive innovation in the modern economy, commercializing new technologies such as mRNA. We look forward to continuing to work with congressional leaders to ensure that new company formation and growth remain a key priority as the bill continues to move through the legislative process.”

Global competition for innovation continues to become more fierce: the share of global VC investment into U.S. companies stood around 51 percent last year, dropping from 83 percent in 2004, when this competition was just beginning to heat up.

NVCA thanks Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Young (R-IN) for recognizing the venture capital industry’s importance in achieving our shared goals of prioritizing the nexus between technological progress and new company formation to advance economic opportunity. We look forward to working with policymakers to move this important legislation through Congress and to the president’s desk.

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About National Venture Capital Association

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) empowers the next generation of American companies that will fuel the economy of tomorrow. As the voice of the U.S. venture capital and startup community, NVCA advocates for public policy that supports the American entrepreneurial ecosystem. Serving the venture community as the preeminent trade association, NVCA arms the venture community for success, serving as the leading resource for venture capital data, practical education, peer-led initiatives, and networking. For more information about NVCA, please visit www.nvca.org.