Engine | Advocacy & Foundation

Based in Durham, North Carolina, Ver Coaching utilizes virtual reality to help athletes refine their visual skills and enhance their mental performance. We sat down with founder Mike Halpert and discussed grants that helped launch the platform, patents, accessibility and educational barriers, and the future of Ver Coaching. Link to read more: https://lnkd.in/egpN3V9E

For Black History Month, we’re not only celebrating Black founders and their innovations, we’re also highlighting what policymakers can do to better support them. Here are six policy actions that would make a meaningful difference. For more resources check out: https://lnkd.in/e-kVX4BQ

Co-founded by Ani Ramesh and Joshua Waite, asters specializes in next-generation AI-based simulation products. We sat down with Ani and Joshua to discuss what led them to found asters, the work they do, the impacts of the closing federally funded projects and programs, hurdles related to federal and state funding, and what the future of asters will entail. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ez_mGNRA

For Black History Month, we’re not just celebrating Black founders and their innovations, we’re also focusing on what policymakers can do to better support them. Here are six policy actions that would actually make a real difference. #blackhistorymonth #bhm #policy #startups #entrepreneur

Despite decades of technological innovation, filing an insurance claim today remains as unnerving, unclear, and unpleasant for the policyholder as it was 30 years ago. Regina Jaslow decided there needed to be a way to improve the insurance claims process for all stakeholders involved, from the policyholder to the insurance carrier, and everyone along the way that is involved in the claims process. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Regina about her company Innocuous AI, her product, and why it’s important to engage with regulators about the realities of AI in the insurance sector. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dsP25XbA

Instinct is a wildlife-surveying tech company based in Oregon. Founded by Ashwin Datta, the company focuses on conservation natural resource management by providing data on species inhabiting the forests using an automated real-time, edge-computing, satellite-enabled bioacoustic monitoring device. We sat down with Ashwin to discuss his journey, the current challenges with trade, their experience with patents, and broadband accessibility. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/efNmmW4k

Atlas CEO and co-founder Michael Hoy 👨🚀 is no stranger to the entrepreneurship ecosystem. After founding two companies and joining an early-stage startup, he developed a deep passion for the startup journey. Using his lived experience, he launched Atlas to help SaaS and AI companies find their product-market-price fit. We had the opportunity to chat with him about his journey, regulatory obstacles, their intellectual property strategy, and more. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eiN7Sc96

Professor Alejandro Mieses Castellanos is the founder and CEO of TerraFirma.SW, a Puerto Rico-based startup that utilizes satellite data to provide localized geographic information for academic research, land management, and development purposes. We sat down with Professor Mieses, to talk about his approach to intellectual property, the state of grant funding, and more. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ewBifsiq

Thank you all for a great year of policy work, founder stories and advocacy wins! 🧡 Stay connected with us in 2026: www.engine.is

Autumn Labs provides software that makes it easy to monitor factory stations, and its process through a single platform helps organizations reduce production stoppages while enhancing product quality. We interviewed Prathik Muppidi, co-founder of Autumn Labs, to understand their software capabilities and the various challenges they encounter, such as broadband access, the H-1B visa lottery, and the limited definition of an accredited investor. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ePiduGaZ