National Partnerships
TechAmerica
TechAmerica is the largest and strongest voice for technology industries in the nation, driving innovation worldwide. MHTA works with TechAmerica on federal and state policy issues to improve Minnesota's tech-based economy. TechAmerica also provides access to additional services and business opportunities to our members.
TECNA
AeA and the Information Technology Association of America have merged to form the Technology Association of America. TechAmerica is the largest and strongest voice for technology industries in the nation, driving innovation worldwide. MHTA has a longstanding affiliation with both AeA and ITAA, and will work with the new association on federal and state policy issues, as well as bring access to additional services and business opportunities to our members.
MHTA is an active member of TECNA (Technology Councils of North America), an association of regional technology associations. Kate Rubin, MHTA President, serves on the Executive Committee and is Vice Chair of TECNA, responsible for STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Mathmatics) workforce development.
While there are many technology clusters across North America, just a few have been sufficiently supported by entrepreneurial infrastructure and government programs to achieve the true potential of innovations under development. TECNA is in the business of supporting and thereby strengthening all clusters through:
o Peer-to-peer information exchange,
o Networking, and
o Collaboration on key issues.
While peer-to-peer information exchange and networking have always been part of the TECNA mandate, in recent years they have become more specifically targeted at building the capacity of regional technology associations that support and strengthen the clusters that define success of the industry overall. Collaboration on key issues may be defined by informed rallying. This rapidly growing component of the mandate allows us to leverage regional power to influence public policy issues that impact the technology industry.
There is strength in numbers, and TECNA believes that a unified, cluster-by-cluster approach is what will help reach the goal of having a strong and sustainable technology industry in North America. Members include leaders of regionally based technology associations that share a commitment to that goal. According to TECNA, “we’re passionate about what we do, and we enjoy learning from each other to make our individual associations and regional clusters we support, stronger. We embrace different strategic and tactical pathways to the common goal. We share information, connections and best practices, and we use our collective strength to support issues and opportunities that strengthen the technology industry overall.”
