The EU’s Revised TTBER and Technology Transfer Guidelines: A Step Forward, but SMEs Still Need More
On 16 April 2026, the European Commission adopted its revised Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBER) and Technology Transfer Guidelines (Guidelines). For ACT’s members, these Guidelines could determine the ability to license some of the patented components at the heart of technical standards like 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. Without that, Europe’s small technology businesses simply cannot compete. We appreciate the Commission’s open and collaborative process to update these guidelines. ACT and our [...]
Health and Tech Startups Join Forces in Vancouver
ACT and CABHI jointly sponsoring the largest gathering of developers and innovators in North America VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – At Web Summit Vancouver this week May 11-14, the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) and the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI, powered by Baycrest) will kick off a new partnership to support North American-based startups and small health technology companies to access necessary capital, drive forward innovation, and create jobs in AI and emerging tech. “Canadian innovators [...]
Pre-Market Review of AI Is Concerning
The New York Times Reporting of the White House’s Interest Raises Red Flags for Startups and Small Tech Companies WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commenting on today’s reporting by The New York Times, Morgan Reed, president of the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT): "Appropriate oversight is reasonable, and the White House struck the balance between accountability and flexibility in its National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence. We should be relying on existing law, like the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Unfair or Deceptive [...]
Building for Tomorrow, Today
This week we're starting a return to our official name, Association for Competitive Technology (ACT), and moving away from the unofficial moniker “the App Association” that we’ve used as shorthand to describe our membership and our work. The world is experiencing a transformative surge in technological innovation from artificial intelligence to internet of things to quantum computing. And our members have always been on the leading edge of innovation, recognizing and building for the next great field of [...]
Digital Markets Act Report is Missed Opportunity
Commission’s Review Focuses on Cosmetics Rather Than Substance BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - The Digital Markets Act (DMA) Review Report represents a missed opportunity to take stock of the DMA's broader impact on the EU digital economy. The Commission's report focuses on surface issues rather than conducting a thorough analysis of the impact, especially for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). Commenting on the review, Mike Sax, founder and chairperson of the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) said: [...]
ACTivists for Change: Small Tech’s 2026 Policy Priorities
Right now, policymakers around the world are setting their 2026 agendas on the same core questions: how to protect consumers online, how to govern AI responsibly without stifling innovation, how to strengthen privacy and security, and how to drive economic growth. From Brussels to London to Washington, across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region, and through booming tech hubs in Latin America (LATAM), Africa, and the Middle East, the policy goals often align, even when compliance requirements do not. [...]