regulation Archives - Startup Economist

Startups Are Getting Crushed by Politics, Not Product; Here’s the Hire That Can Save You

Thursday, 05 June 2025 by Paul O'Brien

You’ve probably heard it in every startup pitch deck since the dawn of Lean: “We’re hiring a killer PM to build the roadmap.” Or worse, “Our Head of Product will drive user adoption and retention.” Bless their hearts. That mindset is the startup equivalent of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, blind to the reality

Published in Startups

9 Comments

AI Runs on Yesterday’s Hardware — Quantum Writes Tomorrow’s Policy; The Quantum Playbook

Monday, 02 June 2025 by Paul O'Brien

If artificial intelligence is the engine of the future, then quantum computing is the fuel. In the United States, Washington is waking up to that fact. While the headlines are still dominated by chatbots impersonating therapists and AI models hallucinating their way through customer service, the grownups in this room (policymakers, scientists, and defense analysts)

economic development government legislation public policy quantum computing regulation security

Published in Economic Development, Quantum

6 Comments

What Startups Can Learn from Utility Regulation: How Northwestern’s Five Prisms Reveal the Blueprint for Disruption

Thursday, 15 May 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Having recently discovered Lynne Kiesling, my attention was drawn to Northwestern University’s Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics‘ Five Prisms, which she shared online and which I’ve included here (granted, without asking, I hope they don’t mind). Economic regulation in our rapidly changing world faces challenges I find legislators and local leaders ill equipped to

economics government public affairs public policy regulation

Published in Economic Development, Startups

4 Comments

Founders and Policymakers Need Us at the Table— Before They Decide the Future for Us

Monday, 21 April 2025 by Paul O'Brien

With my work increasingly entrenched in Washington, D.C., state capitols, and the public policy battles shaping entrepreneurship and venture capital, I’ve found myself staring down a familiar name in tech: Google. Again. For many of us, the latest antitrust accusations is déjà vu, about privacy, about data, and control – whether it’s Apple, Microsoft, X,

competition Google government innovation public policy regulation

Published in AI, Economic Development, Search

3 Comments

The End of Illusions: Why the Future of Freedom Lies in Innovation, Not Government Control

Saturday, 15 February 2025 by Paul O'Brien

U.S. Vice President Vance Signals that Politicians are Finally Understanding the Internet In an era where governments are increasingly positioning themselves as the guardians of truth, security, and economic stability, a stark reality is becoming impossible to ignore: they can’t actually do any of it. The illusion that central authorities can safeguard speech, protect intellectual

education europe germany innovation privacy public policy regulation security

Published in Economic Development, Startups

17 Comments

The Government is Being Run Like a Startup — And Maybe it Should Be

Friday, 31 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

For decades, we’ve spent an obscene amount of time arguing about whether the U.S. Constitution is a living document or set in stone. Whether the Amendments should be revisited, rewritten, or left alone. Whether the rules written by men in powdered wigs should still govern a nation where you can generate artificial intelligence in your

efficiency government public policy regulation united states

Published in Economic Development

30 Comments