Tech Swamp

ACT | The App Association
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  • POLITICS
  • MONTHLY

Listen to monthly episodes of Tech Swamp for global tech policy and business headlines, tidbits of tech history, and topical policy deep-dives on legislation and regulation in the U.S., EU, UK, and around the globe!

  1. 26 JAN

    Connected Health 2026: A Global Update

    • We’re going global on connected health with a deep dive on how policy decisions in the U.S., EU, and UK shape whether innovators can build, deploy, and scale the tools patients rely on. We’re joined by Taylor Downs, ACT senior policy manager, for a focused conversation on the WEAR IT Act and what expanded HSA/FSA eligibility could mean for access to wearable-enabled health tech in the United States. Later on, your regular Tech Swamp hosts give a roundup of key global developments tied to standards, interoperability, and the tech policy shifts that determine whether connected health startups can actually scale at home and across borders.

    30 min

  2. 18/12/2025

    2026 Tech Policy Forecast

    We’re delivering a 2026 Tech Policy Forecast for small tech innovators around the globe. We break down what to expect from 2025 into 2026, the policy debates emerging across the EU, UK, and U.S., and how and why legislation drafted without startups and SMEs becomes a real barrier to building, scaling, and raising capital. From online safety and encryption to age verification, curated online marketplaces and competition proposals, AI governance, and the standards and SEP landscape, we map what to watch and what it means for the digital economy in the year ahead.

    1h 4m

  3. 25/11/2025

    2025 Tech Policy Year in Review: Regulation, Innovation, and the Future of Small Tech

    In this month’s episode, we’re taking you through our 2025 Tech Policy Year in Review. From encryption and age verification to competition rules, AI implementation, and the fast-moving standard-essential patent (SEP) landscape, we break down the global policy shifts that shaped the year for small developers. We’re zooming in on what changed across the EU, UK, and U.S., how these rules impacted innovation and access to capital, and what it all means for the digital economy heading into 2026.

    22 min

  4. 31/10/2025

    Digital Safety Depends on Encryption

    Encryption isn’t just a privacy tool; it’s the thing standing between your personal life and the people who would exploit it. And right now, governments around the world are debating whether to weaken it. This episode breaks down why that matters. We’re joined by developer and ACT | The App Association founder Mike Sax to talk about what encryption actually does, why it’s essential for protecting kids and families online, and how current proposals in the EU, UK, and U.S. could reshape the safety of the internet itself. If encryption is the lock on your digital front door, the question today is: Why are so many people arguing to take that lock off?

    33 min

  5. 18/09/2025

    Talk Like A(I) Pirate Day

    Ahoy, mateys! We’re celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day with a special mini-episode. But instead of eye patches and parrots, we’re talking about real piracy...the kind that steals music, apps, and code. We’re joined by ACT | The App Association's president, (Captain) Morgan Reed, to dig into the history of Talk Like a Pirate Day and why piracy and intellectual property protections matter now more than ever, especially in the age of AI.

    18 min

  6. 05/09/2025

    SEPstember: Standards, Global Innovation, and What’s at Stake

    In the evolving age of artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), and emerging technologies, the standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing process can significantly impact whether startups have a fair shot or face new barriers. In this episode, we explore how the global SEP licensing landscape affects small innovators, from their ability to launch new products and attract investment, to the risks of regulatory approaches that drive up compliance costs instead of lowering barriers. You’ll hear what’s at stake for startups and small tech in the SEP licensing space, and why getting it right is critical for the future of innovation.

    42 min

  7. 30/07/2025

    The Digital Decade: How SMEs are Powering Europe’s Innovation Potential

    How are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and scaleups driving progress toward the EU’s Digital Decade goals? Hear directly from the startups and businesses behind the wheel as ACT | The App Association’s Maria Goikoetxea moderates a discussion with member company representatives examining how targeted, innovation-friendly policies can help amplify their impact and boost European competitiveness. Representatives of member companies will include Jonas Almeling, Ecosystem Entrepreneur and ACT EU Ambassador, Jason Culloty, CEO of Skillsvista, and Federico Roviglioni, COO of Bufaga. Note on Audio Quality: We experienced some unexpected microphone issues toward the end of the live panel discussion, resulting in lower volume levels, especially during the final few minutes. We recommend checking out the full transcript in our show notes for anything you may have missed. Thanks for tuning in, and we appreciate your patience!

    40 min

  8. 02/07/2025

    From Policy to Payroll: How AI Is Reshaping the Future of Work

    In this Deep Dive episode of Tech Swamp, we’re putting the spotlight on artificial intelligence and what it actually looks like in the hands of innovators building the future of work. As the EU launches the world’s first AI law, the UK fine-tunes its light-touch approach, and the U.S. walks away from national guardrails, startups are left navigating a maze of global rules with no clear map. We’re joined by Faizan Alam, founder of member company Remodid, a remote-first platform using AI to make hiring smarter, faster, and more inclusive. From balancing bots and human talent to what founders need from policymakers, this episode unpacks what it means to build responsibly in a moment of global regulatory flux.

    27 min
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About

Listen to monthly episodes of Tech Swamp for global tech policy and business headlines, tidbits of tech history, and topical policy deep-dives on legislation and regulation in the U.S., EU, UK, and around the globe!

Information

  • Creator
    ACT | The App Association
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright ACT | The App Association