From the Vegas Strip to Capitol Hill, ACT | The App Association has spent the past several weeks doing what we do best: creating space for small tech companies to connect, be heard, and shape the future of the digital economy. As AI, privacy and safety, and platform policies evolve faster than ever, especially at the state level, our members are leading conversations with fellow startup founders and small business owners.

This May and June, we activated our U.S. community in three big ways:

    1. Bringing practical insight to Mobile Apps Unlocked (MAU) in Las Vegas
    2. Connecting with the developer community at WWDC in San Jose
    3. Hosting back-to-back AI events on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC

Our members are committed to maintaining small tech’s leadership amid fast-moving shifts in innovation and policy.

MAU Vegas

At Mobile Apps Unlocked (MAU) in Las Vegas (May 20-22), members brought their insights to the main stage during our panel “Algorithm Alchemy: Turning AI, SEO & Policy Shifts into Marketing Gold.” The discussion featured Alex Cadet of The Cadet Affect and Jeff Hadfieldof 1564B, with Caitlin Irr of the App Association moderating, and explored how indie developers can adapt to algorithm changes, AI-driven search strategies, and shifting global policy landscapes. Alex and Jeff shared actionable strategies for discoverability, user engagement, and staying competitive as AI reshapes the rules of app marketing.

As a sponsor of MAU, we worked with the team to host a Founders Happy Hour for attendees to build connections beyond the conference sessions and spark new partnerships across the mobile ecosystem!

 

 

 

 

Dr. Funk’s Tech House @ WWDC

On June 8 in San Jose, we brought back Dr. Funk’s Tech House @ WWDC, our annual pre-WWDC developer meetup. This year’s event featured custom swag bags, original sticker designs, and raffles for dev-ready gear! But more importantly, it provided an opportunity for developers to connect face-to-face and talk shop before a big week of announcements.

One of the highlights of the night was getting a chance to see and reconnect with last year’s attendees like Justin Allen, and our Vision Pro raffle winner, Dezmond Blair. Dezmond’s been using his Vision Pro to continue building XR tools for accessibility, education, and art, and we’re excited to see what he and other independent developers innovate and build with AR/VR/XR tools!

AI in DC

On June 11, we brought several of our member companies back to Washington, DC, to build on the momentum from GAEC: U.S. They joined Capitol Hill staff and leading AI policy experts for a salon dinner focused on how small businesses are putting AI to work and what they need from policymakers to keep building in a competitive environment.

The conversation featured Dr. Lucianne Ide of Rimidi, who shared how her team uses AI to support proactive, electronic health record (EHR)-integrated chronic disease management; Taylor Peake of Occupi, who described using AI to streamline rent payments and tenant screening while expanding access for tenants with alternative IDs and payment methods; Musa Hakim Jr. of Lazy Moose, who spoke to the potential of AI and blockchain to improve systems like supply chains and expand community access to digital ownership; and Scott Weiner of NeuEon, who emphasized how small firms are leveraging lean, focused models to deliver meaningful results, diving into both the technical architecture of AI and consumer-facing concepts like prompt engineering.

The salon dinner set the stage for our June 12 panel, “AI & Antitrust: How to Keep Innovation Competitive,” where Scott took the conversation to the halls of the U.S. Capitol, highlighting how small firms are already deploying lightweight, targeted AI models to solve complex problems.

“We have very small (even free) models solving problems. And that’s why I can see competition in the United States. It’s not just about having data; it’s about how the data is organized. Organized in a way that matches how the model processes and sees patterns.”

Scott’s remarks underscored the importance of crafting policy that reflects how innovation truly occurs, not just in billion-dollar labs, but in startups and small firms that build smarter, faster, and more accessible AI solutions.

Moving Forward

Independent developers and small businesses are not only harnessing AI tools; they’re also creating their own, building real-world solutions, pushing boundaries, and bringing practical insights to the table. As AI innovation continues to accelerate, the pace of policy is trying to keep up, and the urgency to include small tech voices in these conversations is more important than ever.

Events like our WWDC meetup, MAU panel and happy hour, and D.C. salon and briefing ensure that small tech is central to shaping the future of tech policy. We’ll continue to show up with and for our members so that small tech has community, a seat, and a say at the table.