Nonprofit American Innovation Project backed by Coinbase, Uniswap, others launches to educate US lawmakers on crypto

A new nonprofit organization, supported by industry leaders including Coinbase, Uniswap Labs, and others, launched Tuesday with a shared mission — to educate U.S. policymakers on the rapidly evolving landscape of emerging technologies like crypto and artificial intelligence.

The American Innovation Project (AIP) debuted on Tuesday, committed to helping foster  "dialogue on the policy and technology issues shaping the future of the U.S. economy," according to a statement.

"Our mission is simple, but urgent: we must equip America’s leaders with the knowledge, context, and tools they need as they consider timely rules and regulations that meet the moment and account for a rapidly evolving technological landscape,” said Kristin Smith, AIP president and president of Solana Policy Institute, in the statement. “The American Innovation Project was established to foster dialogues regardless of partisan affiliation, so we can bridge divides and work together to move our country forward."

The launch comes amid significant regulatory momentum in Washington. Over the past year, lawmakers and regulators have been steadfast in drafting regulatory frameworks for crypto. Last month, President Donald signed into law a bill to create a federal framework for stablecoins, and the House of Representatives passed a bill to regulate the crypto industry at large. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also embarked on "Project Crypto" to update the agency's rules when it comes to crypto distributions, custody, and trading, among other areas.

AIP said it will host several events, from roundtables to workshops.

"These events will connect policymakers, industry innovators, and subject-matter experts, and be focused on translating complex, emerging technological trends — from artificial intelligence to blockchain infrastructure — into actionable understanding," the organization said.

Several crypto-focused entities are backing AIP, including Kraken, Coinbase, the National Cryptocurrency Association, Paradigm, the Solana Policy Institute, and the Digital Currency Group (DCG). The organization received seed funding from the Cedar Innovation Foundation as well as $1 million from Digital Currency Group, according to the statement.

“The future of the U.S. economy will be shaped by the choices we make today in developing emerging technologies,” said Mark Murphy, president of DCG, in a statement.