Guest columnist Adam Rak shares his views on getting involved. Adam Rak is Executive Vice President of Bond and Associates, a strategic government affairs firm headquartered in Washington, DC.

Having worked with technology companies either directly or through industry associations for the better part of 15 years, I was surprised that we did not have a state-wide tech association in California to support issues, help with business development and promote growth of the industry.

The Tech Council was represented this week at SOCAP 2014, a conference focused on social impact investing. This year's conference included very strong threads of technology propelling social ventures. We were pleased to develop ties to entrepreneurs at companies like Ruly and StartGrid, and to renew friendships and partnerships with the likes of Santa Clara University and Indiegogo.

The California Technology Council formally launched its Ambassadors Program on Monday, August 18th with a meeting at General Assembly in Santa Monica. On-boarding in the first class of new Ambassadors in Southern California...

The California Technology Council is pleased to announce its new initiative on building technologies and issues in technology-oriented real estate. This initiative is called Clean Acres, and will bring together stakeholders from a variety of industries.

With all the hype of K12 EdTech venture investments in the last couple of years, why have we not seen any crazy, billion-dollar venture valuations of young startup companies or acquisitions by major technology behemoths?

"The industry has exploded since the JOBS Act was signed, and we are excited about this new wave of funders motivated by equity," Indiegogo Founder and CEO Slava Rubin told the California Technology Council.

Beneath the familiar buildings what we teach, who works on campus, how we are funded and how knowledge is developed, stored and distributed have all shifted profoundly. Relentless curiosity is essential; when you are tired of keeping up, it is time to hand over your role to someone else...

If you've ever been around startup incubators and accelerators, you're familiar with the operational decisions every such facility makes with regard to BYOD, or bring-your-own-device. Cybersecurity professionals have gone past viewing a BYOD facility as a nightmare.

The State of Minnesota re-authorized its angel investment tax credit in mid-March. The good news for those facing the proverbial "valley of death" is that the credit can help attract investment from anywhere.

The California Technology Council asked its sister organization, the Minnesota High Tech Association...

The Great Recession eliminated nearly nine million American jobs. The damage to U.S. labor markets was the most extensive, in both absolute and percentage terms, since the Great Depression, destroying all employment growth over the prior decade. Just as alarming, nearly five years later, more than 20 million Americans remain jobless, underemployed, or have left the workforce discouraged.

The law firm Morrison Foerster posted its quarterly BioMeter update this week. The BioMeter is a sort of index of biopartnering transactions in the biotech industry. The good news for the innovation climate in California is that the Bay Area and San Diego rated first and fourth for 2013, ahead of Seattle, Boston, the UK, Switzerland and other hot spots.

As reported by Jon Xavier in the Silicon Valley Business Journal, the NSA's general counsel conveyed in an address that tech companies knew all along about their data collection.

Tech executives have long found the public sector to be a key market for technology products and services, even in a difficult economy.

The CTC applauds those who sit at the intersection of innovation and public service. These top leaders exemplify both service and the spirit of the early adopter.

The Chinese technology giant is in the initial stages of a U.S. stock offering.

Tesla Motors Chairman & CEO Elon Musk blogged on being forced out of direct sales in New Jersey. Despite all the technical aspects of selling cars through dealerships around the country, this issue boils down to one thing...