Steve Case on innovation policy
From Silicon Heartland Series: AskAVC show with Steve Case · · Silicon Dragon Online
“The difference in America is much more bottoms up which is why what we're doing with the Rise of the Rest and what you're talking about with your book is so important. It's not just decisions made in a few places it's really lots of things that are done by lots of entrepreneurs in lots of places.”
On , Steve Case, CEO of Revolution at Revolution LLC, spoke about innovation policy during Silicon Heartland Series: AskAVC show with Steve Case on Silicon Dragon Online.
About Steve Case
Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and Chairman and CEO of Revolution, has been active in public discussions about the current state of AI, entrepreneurship, and regional economic development. In a March 2026 interview, Case described AI as a "transformative technology" that will "disrupt a lot of things and will destroy a lot of jobs," while emphasizing the importance of startups in creating new opportunities. He has also advocated for keeping AI platforms open so that startups can compete, and cautioned against overregulation, stating that Europe's approach "is too much regulation that will likely stifle innovation." Case has continued to promote his "Rise of the Rest" initiative, which focuses on investing in startups outside of traditional coastal tech hubs. He noted that "75% of venture capital investment capital to launch these companies was being invested in just three states," and argued that spreading investment more broadly is key to America's continued innovation leadership. He has also pointed to the Chips and Science Act as a potential catalyst for regional tech hubs. Case has reflected on his own entrepreneurial journey, noting that AOL took about a decade to become an "overnight sensation" and that revolutions often happen "in more evolutionary ways." He discussed the importance of balancing confidence with humility in leadership, and described the AOL-Time Warner merger as "basically a failure in people and culture." In policy discussions, Case has advocated for immigration reform to attract global talent, and has expressed optimism about the potential for AI and other technologies to drive job creation if paired with inclusive entrepreneurship. He has also commented on the presence of tech leaders at political events, calling it a "healthy process" for the industry to engage with policymakers.