BSA launches Software.org for policy makers

BSA | The Software Alliance on Thursday launched Software.org

The foundation is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) international research organization that strives 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 the future.

"Software is everywhere, and it's indispensable to a thriving economy and essential to our modern lives. 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," said Chris Hopfensperger, Executive Director, Software.org: the BSA Foundation.

Software.org plans to release several reports in 2017 focussed 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 partnered 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.