The New Advocate
Clarify your objectives
Map business goals to concrete policy objectives; separate company needs from industry-wide priorities.
IMPACTFUL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
Delivering comprehensive programs that span executive agencies, legislative bills, stakeholder engagement, and a willingness to take action.
Our Thesis
Government policies are significantly impacting emerging industries, including AI, robotics, crypto, semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy, and biotechnology. Decisions on how to regulate, approval processes and timelines, liability, industry subsidies and taxes, import restrictions, and others have massive implications for the heath and success of technology-driven companies, but to date most of them have stayed away from direct involvement in DC, content to be part of industry associations or nothing at all.
While that may have been the right path at the time, the old ethos of technology avoiding regulation is dead. Now failure to engage with legislative and regulatory bodies has seen tremendous negative repercussions for multiple industries, and conversely, active government participation has seen dramatic positive impacts in industry and company stove success. The new reality requires active government participation, and the New Advocate is here to help.
We're experienced entrepreneurs who care about operationalization and outcomes, not just opening doors. We started the New Advocate because we knew we wanted to make changes in how government influenced and regulated our technology. We found industry associations too diluted with disparate interests to challenge the status quo, and lobbying firms unable to answer questions like “What’s a realistic policy goal?”, “What else can be done outside of a new law that will make an impact?”, “how do we convert our advocacy to action?”. After months of fruitless searching for a group that would take bold policy positions and be able to answer directional and strategic questions, we decided to form our own, and the New Advocate was born.
How We Work
Government relations is a sustained process. Think of it as the most complicated enterprise sale you’ve ever seen, with dozens of stakeholders, all of whom have different incentives. Major decisions can happen in months, but typically require years of consistent, focused work. And even after a policy goal is met, there are always new opportunities and threats on the horizon, new people in positions of influence who aren’t familiar with your industry, concerns, and goals. Which is why we partner with you for the long term.
Assess policy levers
Identify regulations, earmarks, incentives, and risks that materially impact the business—positive and negative.
Survey the landscape
Determine what actions are already in motion to support or oppose, and define the gaps to initiate.
Stakeholder intelligence
Pinpoint key legislators and regulators, their priorities, and viable paths to reach them.
Set achievable goals
Formulate targeted, realistic milestones with timelines and measurable outcomes.
Craft the narrative
Align your mission to stakeholder priorities; deliver the story to regulators, legislators, and media.
Build relationships
Develop durable ties across the ecosystem to expand influence and accelerate progress.
Engage coalition partners
Work with aligned organizations to scale impact and sustain momentum.
Iterate & deliver
Refine messages, broaden reach, and execute until desired policies, earmarks, and regulations are underway.
Advise continuously
Provide ongoing insight on emerging opportunities, threats, and leadership changes.
About
Laura Wood
Founder & Public Policy Lead
Laura draws on over fifteen years of experience in nationwide government affairs and public policy. She specializes in strategic project management, legislative and regulatory advocacy, and education and outreach on Capitol Hill and through grassroots engagement, bridging rural and urban networks and finding common ground to benefit multiple constituencies. Her industry experience spans leadership roles in a multinational corporation, ag tech startup, and NGO. Laura attended Kansas State University and George Washington University Law School.
Matt Beckwith
President & Advocacy Lead
Matt is a founder, BD leader, and policy strategist with a track record shaping U.S. drone policy and scaling emerging tech businesses. He previously served as VP of Policy at Guardian Agriculture, where he spearheaded the company’s government relations, CEO of Rantizo, operator of the largest network of spray drones in the US, the founder of one of Vietnam’s leading seed companies, and a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company. He holds degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School and INSEAD, and is a former Fulbright Scholar. He frequently speaks on drone innovation and policy.
Jeff Sparks
Founder & Growth Lead
Jeff is a serial entrepreneur and technology executive. He previously served as COO/CRO of Guardian Agriculture, VP of BD of Formlabs, Director of Strategy and Business Development at Adobe, and at various roles in multiple acquired startups where lead strategies, training, and teams to grow revenues from nothing to millions. He has extensive speaking and presentation experience across conferences, corporate executives, and government officials. He holds a BS from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Case Study: U.S. Drone Manufacturer
Problem
A US based drone manufacturer faced multiple challenges with the government, but also saw opportunities. Their ability to operate domestically was significantly restricted due to US regulations, the FAA effectively prioritized competitive Chinese drones due to their ability to generate safety records overseas, and subsidized foreign competitors were offering products at market-distorting prices.
Solution
The New Advocate team developed and implemented a multi-pronged strategy to:
(1) Enable domestic flight and smooth the path toward FAA approvals;
(2) Foster legislative support for policies targeting Chinese drone imports;
(3) Drive executive-branch action to restrict unfair competition;
(4) Build an industry coalition to support all of the above.
Results
- Legislative action restricting future DJI licenses and operations in the US
- Regulatory approval, enabling the manufacturer to become the first eVTOL authorized for commercial activity in the US
- Commerce Department rules restricting the import of all connected drone components from adversarial nations (effectively blocking complete drone imports from China in a phased-in approach).
- An executive order, "Unleashing American Drone Dominance", focused on streamlining the regulatory process within the US
- Substantial increases in Federal budget allocations for domestically-produced drones