At Long Last, SEC Provides Final Equity Crowdfunding Rules

Xconomy | Alex Lash | October 30
http://www.xconomy.com/national/2015/10/30/at-long-last-sec-provides-final-equity-crowdfunding-rules/

“The new crowdfunding rules, approved today by SEC commissioners 3 to 1, now make clear what has been somewhat murky: How tiny startups will be able to offer, not just small thank-you gifts to contributors like seeds or T-shirts, but equity to crowdsourced investors. It was the final piece of the law known as the JOBS Act—Jumpstart Our Business Startups—to fall into place. President Obama signed the JOBS Act into law in 2012, and it is widely considered a major catalyst for the three-year IPO boom that followed, thanks to its looser restrictions on taking companies public—the ‘IPO on-ramp’ part of the bill.”

 

Men on Women in Tech: Apply for That Gig, Ask for More Money and Break up Those ‘Brogrammer’ Tribes

GeekWire | Molly Brown | October 30
http://www.geekwire.com/2015/men-on-women-in-tech-apply-for-that-gig-ask-for-more-money-and-break-up-those-brogrammer-tribes/

“Women’s mentoring group ARA and tech recruiting company Harvey Nash hosted an event in Seattle this week called ‘Women in Technology: The Male Perspective.’ While the idea of an all-male panel talking to women in tech was seen as controversial by some, the evening delivered some data (good and bad) and some solid advice about how we can all move ahead — together.”

 

Department of Education Gives $3 Million to Expand Minorities in STEM Education

Engineering.com | Shawn Wasserman | October 28
http://www.engineering.com/Education/EducationArticles/ArticleID/10888/Department-of-Education-Gives-3-Million-to-Expand-Minorities-in-STEM-Education.aspx

“The Department of Education has awarded over 13 American universities and colleges awards totaling $3 million dollars for their efforts to improve diversity in STEM fields. ‘Strengthening these institutions that serve large minority populations in STEM is vital to building a strong economy and competitive workforce, while helping ensure that all students have the opportunity to be successful in college, careers and life,’ said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.”

 

Seattle Startup Leaders: The War for Talent with Silicon Valley Is on

Puget Sound Business Journal | Jeanine Stewart | October 28
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2015/10/seattle-startup-leaders-the-war-for-talent-with.html

“‘The No. 1 question now (in Seattle’s tech industry) is how can I create an unfair competitive advantage in the global war for talent,’ said Chris DeVore, the managing director at the Seattle division of startup incubator TechStars. The organization held its Techstars Demo Night on Thursday with the aim of showcasing all that Seattle’s tech scene has to offer.”

 

Tech Diversity: Coding Boot Camps Bringing Higher Percentages of Women, Minorities into Tech, Study Finds

International Business Times | Salvador Rodriguez | October 26
http://www.ibtimes.com/tech-diversity-coding-boot-camps-bringing-higher-percentages-women-minorities-tech-2155530

“Women represent more than 36 percent of the students at the dozens of new coding schools and boot camps that have opened across the country over the past few years, according to a study released Monday. That’s more than twice the number of women who earn computer science bachelor’s degrees at traditional universities.”