OCC: Virtual Innovation Office Hours Scheduled for December 14th and 15th
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today announced that it will host virtual Innovation Office Hours on December 14-15, 2022, to promote responsible innovation in the federal banking system. Office Hours are one-on-one meetings with representatives from the OCC Office of Innovation to discuss financial technology (fintech), new products or services, partnering…
OCC: Agency Announces Office of Financial Technology
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency today announced it will establish an Office of Financial Technology early next year to bolster the agency’s expertise and ability to adapt to a rapidly changing banking landscape. The Office of Financial Technology will build on and incorporate the Office of Innovation, which the OCC established in…
Census Bureau: First-of-its-Kind Venture Fund Launched to Improve Data Collection
StatVentures, an initiative of Census Open Innovation Labs(COIL), will scout technology through collaborations with nongovernment innovators to ensure the U.S. Census Bureau continues to provide quality data effectively and efficiently. Through multiphase competitions, StatVentures will invite participants to propose new ways the Census Bureau can collect and improve the nation’s supply chain data. With the advent…
ABA: National Survey Finds U.S. Consumers Are Overwhelmingly Happy with Their Bank and Financial Industry “Highly Competitive”
Survey also found consumers highly value credit card rewards programs and don’t want the federal government to put them at risk Nine in 10 Americans with a bank account (86%) say they are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their primary bank, and 95% rate their bank’s customer service as “excellent,” “very good” or “good,” according…
SBA: Over $5.4 Million in Grants Awarded to Strengthen Research Funding Opportunities Across the U.S.
Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced over $5.4 million in funding to 44 awardees through the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. FAST provides small businesses and startups, particularly those in underserved communities, with specialized training, mentoring, and…
EDA: Over $85 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds Invested Last Week
The following grants were made under the American Rescue Plan Funds program: September 21, 2022 – U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.5 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Boost High Speed Internet Connectivity in Southwest Louisiana September 20, 2022 – U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $5.3 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds for Wastewater Infrastructure to…
EDA: $604,114 Invested to Spur Collaboration and Innovation and Create Jobs in the Life Sciences and Healthcare Industries in the Greater Washington Metropolitan Region
Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $604,114 grant to Connected DMV, Arlington, Virginia, to develop the Life Sciences & Healthcare Quantum Innovation Hub, a 12-month pilot program to accelerate those industries in the in the Greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. This project will spur collaboration and innovation across…
EDA: Kathi Vidal Appointed to Serve as Third Federal Co-Chair of National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), has been appointed as the third Federal Co-Chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (NACIE). NACIE is a federal advisory committee managed by the U.S. Economic…
Federal Reserve: FedNow Service Release Timing Updated to Mid-2023, Marking the Beginning of Full-Scale Pilot Testing
The Federal Reserve Banks have narrowed the timing of the FedNow Service launch to mid-year 2023, specifically targeting a production rollout of the service in the May to July timeframe. This further defines the previously communicated 2023 launch window for the anticipated instant payments service and comes as the FedNow Pilot Program prepares to enter…
Census Bureau: The Opportunity Project Innovation Expands Its Focus to Puerto Rico
Each year, the U.S. Census Bureau brings together cross-sector collaborators to solve some of the nation’s biggest challenges with data and technology through The Opportunity Project (TOP) product development sprints. TOP is an innovation program led by the Census Open Innovation Labs at the Census Bureau. TOP engages government, technologists and communities to co-create digital products that serve…