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APR 03, 2017 | GLOBAL

Software.org Connects the Dots Between Software and Society

BSA launches international foundation to examine the intersection of software and society for policymakers and the public

WASHINGTON — April 4, 2017 — Today, BSA | The Software Alliance launched Software.org: the BSA Foundation to help policymakers and the public better understand software’s impact on our lives, our economy, and our society.

The foundation is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) international research organization, and it will strive to inform policies that stay ahead of cutting-edge technologies, empower the workforce of the future by supporting STEM education efforts, and help policymakers, stakeholders, and the industry prepare for tomorrow.

"Software is everywhere, and it's indispensable to a thriving economy and essential to our modern lives," Software.org: the BSA Foundation Executive Director Chris Hopfensperger said. "It's also so seamlessly woven through our lives that it can be easy to take for granted. The foundation aims to bridge that gap – to connect the dots between software and society so that we can continue to grow the economy and positively impact people’s lives.”

Software.org will focus its efforts on three pillars of work:

  • Think Deeply: Publishing reports and studies, and engaging with governments and stakeholders in a dialogue about innovation-enabling policies and groundbreaking technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things.
  • Give Back: Collaborating with leading organizations to enable and expand the software workforce of tomorrow by increasing opportunities for cutting-edge training and skills.
  • Look Forward: Preparing for the future by supporting diversity, inclusion, and economic opportunity for all.

“Software isn’t just transforming the phone in your pocket and the TV on your wall. It is powering the US economy,” said Victoria Espinel, President of Software.org: the BSA Foundation and President and CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance. “To make sure that continues, we need to focus on two things: having conversations about how evolving technologies enable growth and fostering the right educational environment in our schools to build the tech workforce of the future. Software.org will be focused on both.”

Software.org plans to release several reports in 2017 focused on the intersection of software and policy. The first report will highlight the benefits software brings to critical infrastructure. Primers on the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence will explain these new and complex technologies in plain language to help policymakers and other stakeholders in their discussions. The foundation also will publish the updated Economic Impact of Software in the United States study to underscore the sector’s important role in the US economy.

Software.org will partner with Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology, to sponsor the 2017 Summer Immersion Program in Washington, DC. The program includes seven weeks of intensive instruction in computing skills, ranging from mobile app development to web design to robotics, as well as interactive experiences with leaders in technology and government. BSA sponsored the summer program for 2015 and 2016.

The foundation’s Board of Directors includes:

  • Jason Albert, associate general counsel for policy, Workday, Inc.
  • David Crane, vice president, government affairs and senior corporate counsel, Autodesk, Inc.
  • Jim Green, senior vice president, government affairs & public policy, Salesforce.com
  • Fred Humphries, corporate vice president, US government affairs, Microsoft Corporation
  • Jace Johnson, vice president, government affairs & public policy, Adobe Systems, Inc.
  • Allen Lineberry, associate general counsel, intellectual property & licensing, Siemens PLM Software
  • Christopher Padilla, vice president, government & regulatory affairs, IBM Corporation

Software.org relies on an Advisory Committee for input and expertise, including:

  • Sylvia Acevedo, interim CEO, Girl Scouts of the United States
  • Jeremy Allaire, CEO and co-founder, Circle
  • Michael Chertoff, founder and chairman, Chertoff Group
  • Raj De, partner, Mayer Brown
  • Lizzie Francis, co-founder and managing partner, Brilliant Ventures
  • Vijay Gurbaxani, founding director, Center for Digital Transformation; professor of business and computer science, University of California, Irvine
  • Maurice Jackson, associate professor, Georgetown University
  • Dr. Stefan Jockusch, vice president, strategy, Siemens PLM Software
  • Jeff Kowalski, senior vice president and CTO, Autodesk
  • Leighanne Levensaler, senior vice president, corporate strategy, Workday
  • Greg Morrisett, dean of computing and information sciences, Cornell University
  • Christina Sass, co-founder and COO, Andela
  • Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO, Girls Who Code
  • Anne-Marie Slaughter, president and CEO, New America Foundation
  • Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer, Microsoft Corporation
  • Julie Sweet, CEO – North America, Accenture
  • Daniel Weitzner, director and co-founder, MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) Decentralized Information Group

Follow Software.org on Twitter at @BSA_Foundation and on Facebook at @BSAFoundation.  

About Software.orgSoftware.org: the BSA Foundation is an independent and nonpartisan international research organization established to help people better understand the impact software has on our lives, our economy, and our society. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the foundation publishes studies that examine the intersection of software and society, and it engages with policymakers and the public to inform policies that can stay ahead of cutting-edge technologies. The foundation also works directly to empower the workforce of tomorrow by encouraging a diverse community of young coders and working to increase opportunities for training and skills. Follow Software.org at @BSA_Foundation.

ABOUT BSA

BSA | The Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the leading advocate for the global software industry before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members are among the world’s most innovative companies, creating software solutions that help businesses of all sizes in every part of the economy to modernize and grow.

With headquarters in Washington, DC, and operations in more than 30 countries, BSA pioneers compliance programs that promote legal software use and advocates for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive growth in the digital economy.

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