Philly entrepreneurs: Steve Tang is your man in Washington

If you’re an entrepreneur, Washington wants to hear from you.

Its lawmakers want to know, in terms of government economic development programs, incentives and subsidies, what’s working and what’s not, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams said Monday, at the kickoff for Global Entrepreneurship Week at the University City Science Center. (That’s one reason Washington officials came to Philly yesterday: to hear from four Philly entrepreneurs. The Small Business Administration did the same thing last year.)

That’s where Steve Tang comes in.

The Science Center CEO was recently appointed to a Commerce Department advisory board called the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE). He was one of 27 chosen out of the nearly 300 who applied, Williams said.

Think of him as your liaison to Washington, Williams said.

NACIE meets for the first time Dec. 5. The group will discuss what kinds of investments the federal government can make to support entrepreneurship.

The Science Center has benefited from federal support in recent years, like the $1 million grant from Williams’ office that is backing a new incubator and the $1 million grant to the tech transfer QED program. Tang is also no stranger to Washington, having previously served on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Innovation Advisory Board and testified before Congress.