Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Name	Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Formation	2006
Type	Public policy think tank
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	President
Leader name	Robert D. Atkinson

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based public policy think tank focused on technology policy and innovation policy. Founded in 2006, it engages with policymakers, industry groups, and research institutions to shape debates on intellectual property, trade policy, antitrust law, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. The organization publishes reports, organizes conferences, and provides testimony before legislative bodies and regulatory agencies.

History

The organization was established in 2006 by Robert D. Atkinson and allies from Information Technology Industry Council, Business Roundtable, and academic centers including Brookings Institution and American Enterprise Institute. Early activities connected it with debates following the passage of the America COMPETES Act and during discussions around the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s it engaged with landmark moments such as the European Union–United States Trade and Technology Council discussions, the response to the Great Recession (2007–2009), and policy responses to the rise of cloud computing, smartphones, and the expansion of broadband networks. The group expanded its profile during controversies over net neutrality, SOPA, and debates over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and later weighed in on regulatory frameworks emerging from the European Union such as the General Data Protection Regulation and the Artificial Intelligence Act (EU). It has maintained connections with think tanks like Heritage Foundation, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, RAND Corporation, and universities including Harvard University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mission and Policy Priorities

The foundation emphasizes technology-led growth and competitive innovation in sectors affected by semiconductor supply chains, telecommunications, and biotechnology. Its policy priorities have included strengthening intellectual property law for inventors and creators, reforming antitrust enforcement in technology markets, promoting trade agreements that address digital services, and advocating for research and development incentives such as tax credits linked to the CHIPS and Science Act and other science funding initiatives. It has advocated positions relating to regulatory approaches to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity standards coordinated with agencies like National Institute of Standards and Technology and Federal Communications Commission, and industrial policies tied to organizations such as World Trade Organization and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Research and Publications

The organization produces policy briefs, white papers, and empirical studies addressing topics from 5G deployment to patent reform and workforce development. Notable report themes include analyses of patent trolls and non-practicing entities, cost-benefit studies on net neutrality regulation, and economic impact assessments of digital trade provisions in agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Publications have cited data sources such as the United States Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, International Monetary Fund, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development statistics, and have been disseminated at venues including the World Economic Forum, Milken Institute Global Conference, and congressional hearings before committees such as the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The foundation collaborates with scholars affiliated with institutions like Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and London School of Economics.

Advocacy and Influence

Staff and fellows provide testimony and commentary to bodies including the Federal Communications Commission, United States Trade Representative, Department of Commerce, and members of the United States Congress. The organization has engaged in coalitions with industry groups such as Consumer Technology Association, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Software & Information Industry Association, and Information Systems Audit and Control Association to lobby on issues including export controls, subsidies, and procurement policy. It has influenced debates around antitrust enforcement involving firms like Google, Apple Inc., Microsoft, Amazon (company), and Meta Platforms by submitting amicus briefs and expert analyses, and has participated in proceedings before courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and agencies including the Federal Trade Commission.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The organization is led by a president and governed by a board of directors comprising executives from technology firms, venture capital firms, and academic leaders. Staff include policy analysts, fellows, and communications professionals with backgrounds at organizations like Intel, IBM, Cisco Systems, Oracle Corporation, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments. Funding sources have included corporate donations, foundation grants from entities such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York, and support from venture capital firms including Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. The group has filed tax forms with oversight by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization and publishes annual reports summarizing contributors and expenditures.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have highlighted potential conflicts of interest stemming from industry funding, linking the organization to lobbying efforts favoring corporations like AT&T, Verizon Communications, Comcast, and Fox Corporation. Scholars and advocacy groups such as Public Citizen, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Open Markets Institute, and Center for Digital Democracy have questioned the objectivity of some analyses, particularly on issues of antitrust and net neutrality. Investigations and reporting by outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal have scrutinized the foundation's role in shaping regulatory debates and its relationships with corporate donors. Debates have also emerged over its positions on privacy regulation compared with consumer advocates and legislative proposals introduced in the United States Congress that would alter online liability regimes and competition policy.

Category:Think tanks based in the United States