Budget Amendment ID: FY2022-S3-703

ECO 703

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the Tech Sector

Messrs. Lesser and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 7002-1503 the following item:

“7002-1508   For the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation established under section 3 of chapter 40J of the General Laws and doing business as the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, to establish programs that provide advice and training from successful, experienced entrepreneurs for startup enterprises and that create a talent pipeline to technology startups and innovation companies; provided, that an entrepreneur and startup mentoring program shall be established, in consultation with the Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation established under section 2 of chapter 40G and doing business as MassVentures, to provide assistance, mentoring and advice to startups and innovation companies by connecting early-stage entrepreneurs, technology startups and small businesses with successful, experienced business enterprises and capital financing; provided further, that said entrepreneur and startup mentoring program shall make every reasonable effort to encourage diversity among participants; provided further, that all funds shall be expended for paid internships for students seeking careers in technology and innovation industries to work with companies competing actively in those fields; provided further, that the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall seek private funds necessary to match contributions equal to $1 for every $1 contributed by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative through the internship program; provided further, that as a condition of such grants being awarded, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall reach an agreement with the grant recipient on performance measures and indicators that shall be used to evaluate the performance of the grant recipient in carrying out the activities described in the recipient’s application; provided further, that the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall file annual reports for the duration of the programs with the house and senate committees on ways and means and the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, not later than June 15, 2022; provided further, that the paid internship program report shall include the number of placements of students in paid internships during the academic year and an analysis of the impact of the program on the ability of its participants to enter the full-time job market in the technology and innovation industries after graduation; provided further, that the entrepreneurship program report shall include an overview of the activities of the programs, the number of participants in the programs and an analysis of the impact of the programs on the success of the participants’ startup business ventures; and provided further, that the funds appropriated in this item shall not revert but shall be made available for these purposes through June 30, 2023......................... $1,350,000”.