Meghan Ostertag
Policy Analyst
Meghan Ostertag is a policy analyst for economic policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics from American University.
Recent Publications
Fact of the Week: The Chinese Yuan Is 25 Percent Undervalued
The International Monetary Fund found that the Chinese yuan is significantly undervalued, with Goldman Sachs estimating that the value of the currency is 25 percent below what is expected.
Venture Capital and Advanced Technologies Drive US Employment
New research from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that venture capital investment and advanced technology adoption are closely linked to higher employment and productivity. VC-backed, technology-adopting firms account for a disproportionately large share of U.S. jobs, even as venture investment has declined since 2021.
AI’s Job Impact: Gains Outpace Losses
AI isn’t destroying jobs; it’s creating them. At least in 2024, the surge in AI activity and data center construction generated more jobs than AI displaced.
Comments to OSTP Regarding Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise
The science community must move beyond the linear model of scientific research developed and encouraged by Vannevar Bush, and realign scientific exploration with national interests, especially in the face of the growing technological and economic threat posed by China.
Fact of the Week: China’s Trade Surplus in Goods Surpassed $1 Trillion in the First 11 Months of 2025
China’s trade surplus has grown from $993 billion in 2024 to $1.08 trillion in the first 11 months of 2025, making it the first country in recorded history to reach the $1 trillion milestone.
Fact of the Week: Public R&D Investment in Brazil Increased National Agricultural Productivity by 110 Percent
From 1970 to the present, agricultural research conducted by a public research foundation in Brazil has increased Brazilian agricultural productivity by 110 percent.
Reducing Trade Friction Can Strengthen the U.S.–India Technology Partnership
Lowering tariffs with India would reinforce one of America’s most important emerging technology partnerships. Completing negotiations and sustaining investment would strengthen supply chains and enhance U.S. economic and strategic competitiveness.
Fact of the Week: GDPR Reduced EU Venture Capital Investment in Technology by 26 Percent Relative to the United States
Between 2015 and 2024, the cumulative VC investment gap came to $1.21 trillion.
Fact of the Week: 72 Percent of the Per Capita GDP Gap Between the US and the EU Is Explained by Lower Productivity
In terms of purchasing power parity, U.S. per capita GDP has grown from 31 percent above the EU to 34 percent above it. About 72 percent of this gap can be attributed to differences in productivity, while just 28 percent is due to the difference in hours worked by Americans and Europeans.
Fact of the Week: Since the IRA’s Passage, the Number of Small-Molecule Cancer Treatments Entering Post-Approval Trials Has Fallen by 45.3 Percent
Since the Inflation Reduction Act's passage, the number of industry-supported small-molecule cancer treatments entering post-approval trials in the United States has fallen by 45.3 percent.
US National Power Industries Are at Risk
Instead of treating manufacturing as a monolith to be revived, policymakers must focus on national power industries. These industries protect U.S. national defense and economic security, and are eroding at an alarming rate.
USG Investment in Industrial Research Low Compared to OECD Peers
The United States is investing less in R&D for industrial production than its OECD peers. Congress should increase investment in this area to better compete with China.
