June is Immigrant Heritage Month. Throughout our nation’s history, immigrant innovators, entrepreneurs, and workers have come to the U.S. and started businesses, created jobs, fueled innovation, and helped grow our economy. A recent study found that 44 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or the children of immigrants with these companies employing almost 14 million people. Immigrants have also started more than half of America’s startups valued at $1 billion or more. In this week’s Tech At Work, learn how immigration is fueling the innovation economy.
FWD.us Report Finds Granting Citizenship to DACA Recipients Will Strengthen our Economy and Country
A new report from FWD.us highlights the urgent need for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform and create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. The report estimates that Dreamers would contribute an additional $14 billion to the U.S. economy each year if they were granted citizenship.
Steve Case, Chairman and CEO of Revolution and a TechNet Executive Council member, spoke with Forbes about how the U.S. immigration system is hurting foreign-born entrepreneurs. “We want the best people with the best ideas who want to come to the U.S. and stay in the U.S. and start and build their companies in the U.S. Otherwise, we risk losing our lead as the most innovative, entrepreneurial nation in the world.”
Google is Rallying Support for Immigrant Rights
Immigrants have pioneered many of the breakthrough technologies and innovations that fuel our economy and make the U.S. a technological leader. Google is rallying support for policies that provide opportunities to foreign-born workers and their families and cements citizenship for Dreamers.
Zoom Founder and CEO Named a 2021 Top CEO by Glassdoor
Eric Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom, was named a 2021 top CEO by Glassdoor. Yuan was born in China, came to the U.S., and worked in tech for more than a decade before starting Zoom. Also included on the list was Google’s Sundar Pichai, who was born in India and immigrated to the U.S., as well as leaders from fellow TechNet member companies Salesforce and Apple
Soul of the City, a film created in partnership with DoorDash, documents six NYC restaurants that struggled through the pandemic, reopened, and reconnected with their communities. Several of the featured restaurants are owned by immigrants. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Amazon Recognizes the 9th Anniversary of DACA
Cisco, Amazon, and Apple Support Immigration Reform and Champion a Path to Citizenship for Dreamers
What’s New in Tech
Silicon Valley Bank Helps Fund First Autonomous Mower
The autonomous vehicle industry is rapidly growing and expanding beyond automobiles. Scythe Robotics, through an investment from Silicon Valley Bank, announced its launch of a zero-emission, fully autonomous mower. Scythe spent three years working with landscaping companies to design the mower with the specific needs of landscapers in mind. Read more here.
What We’re Saying
TechNet Celebrates Juneteenth Becoming a Federal Holiday
Before You Start Your Weekend
Uber is offering free rides for emergency COVID-19 relief efforts in India. This initiative has helped NGOs, like Go Dharmic, scale its response across the country to provide life-saving oxygen concentrators, critical medical equipment to care facilities, personal protective equipment for frontline workers, and fresh meals and ration kits to help fight India’s second wave.
