Tech lobbies join forces
Two tech industry powerhouses are joining forces.
CompTIA, which has traditionally done certification and represented small and medium-sized tech companies, announced on Monday that it was acquiring TechAmerica, which represents giants of the industry.
Executives said that the deal would join two complementary organizations so that the technology sector has a better perch in Washington.
“Joining forces consolidates disparate segments of the [information and communications technology] sector under one roof to enhance voice, reach and influence,” TechAmerica CEO Shawn Osborne wrote to members. “A single, unified organization for commercial and public sector interests allows us to advance business interests and opportunities as a whole.”
Details of the acquisition were not made public.
CompTIA will keep the TechAmerica brand name for lobbying efforts.
“The merging of CompTIA’s and TechAmerica’s membership bases enables our organization to pursue the best interests of the [information and communications technology] sector as a whole, eliminating an artificial barrier that has divided efforts in the past,” CompTIA chief Todd Thibodeaux said in a statement.
“The transaction clearly amplifies the industry’s already powerful voice in Washington, D.C., at a time when policies critical to continued innovation and economic growth are at stake,” he added.
Going forward, CompTIA pledged to focus on upgrading the country’s workforce, maintaining a safe and open Internet, ensuring governments have the technology they need and promoting innovation.
The merger was announced just days after TechAmerica revealed a legal settlement with a third industry trade group, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).
The two had been at odds since last year, when TechAmerica sued ITI over the behavior of lobbyists that moved from one shop to the other. They resolved the issue for undisclosed terms on Friday.
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