ACT | The App Association gives a voice to small technology companies. Our mission is to help members promote an environment that inspires and rewards innovation while providing resources to help them raise capital, create jobs, and continue creating incredible technology.
About us
Our members are innovators who develop mobile technology products that power the growth of the internet of things (IoT) across multiple sectors of the economy. As a global organisation for small-to-medium technology enterprises (SMEs), we work with industry leaders and entrepreneurial innovators who develop products and services that improve productivity, accelerate learning, deliver entertainment, and promote healthier lifestyles. Together, we represent the growing diversity of the global technology ecosystem.
Our mission in the United Kingdom (UK)
- Provide valuable guidance, events, and insight to our growing community of UK tech innovators, including app developers and IoT manufacturers
- To act as a leading industry voice on the app economy to policymakers and the global business community
- Create an environment where innovative internet of things (IoT) businesses can thrive, driving UK prosperity
- Promote awareness amongst tech SMEs about how the use of patented and standardised technologies aid innovation
- Champion transparent access to standard-essential patents (SEPs) for SMEs under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms
What we can do for you
Our team of experts advocate on your behalf and ensure that policymakers hear and understand your concerns, shaping government decisions that affect your company. We arrange face-to-face meetings between members and policymakers to ensure your voice is heard.
Our advocacy work spans the UK, European Union (EU), and United States (U.S.), where we regularly meet with policymakers, helping them understand the needs of our members. This gives us a truly global perspective, helping our members who trade across borders.
We regularly publish analyses to increase your knowledge of regulation, policy developments, and best practices that may influence how you design your products or grow your business.
Our tools and best practices are designed to make compliance easier for you, which helps to increase your current and potential customers’ confidence in your company.
Our policy priorities reflect the opportunities and challenges today’s small IoT innovators and app developers face in the mobile economy. This includes protecting your intellectual property, addressing the digital skills gap, and ensuring continued economic growth.
Recent Posts
Understanding the CRA: An update
Earlier this summer, we outlined the ins and outs of Europe’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), including our four main concerns, particularly in relation to [...]
Balancing big tech and SMEs: the DMCC’s role in the UK
The UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (DMCC) was introduced earlier this year in an effort to regulate digital markets and safeguard consumers. [...]
Lost in the Consumer Protection Forest: The Case for Cracking One Nut at a Time
ACT | The App Association has been calling for “The Year of Privacy” since at least 2017, with the hopes that lawmakers in the [...]
Understanding the UK’s Online Safety Bill
In an attempt to crack down on illegal content and minimise the likelihood that users will encounter harmful or age-inappropriate online posts, the UK [...]
Ecodesigning a Better Future: Part Two
Earlier this summer, the European Parliament (EP) voted to roll back some concerning amendments that had been included in the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products [...]
Bridging the Atlantic: A Small Business Guide to Self-Certify under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework
On July 10, 2023, the European Commission implemented an adequacy decision regarding the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), which is a self-certification program that [...]
