Center for Business and Public Policy

Georgetown's Hilltop campus with the Washington Monument in the distance

The Evolution of Innovation, Competition, and Regulation

The Center for Business and Public Policy is an academic research center within the McDonough School of Business. For the last 20 years, we have engaged with scholars, industry practitioners, and policymakers in inquiry and dialogue and to disseminate knowledge on issues at the nexus of business and public policy. Across diverse industries and economic sectors, we investigate the evolution of innovation, competition, and regulation. We conduct empirical economic analysis, keep abreast of relevant issues, and inform policies that promote economic welfare.

Events and Outreach

Each year the center convenes conferences, seminars, and panel discussions to foster collaboration and dialogue among prominent academics, industry leaders, and policymakers both at Georgetown and across Washington, D.C.

Someone writing in a notebook doing research

Thought Leadership

Our commitment to high-quality economic analysis and emphasis on competition, regulation, and innovation unite our major areas of focus: digital economy, international trade, infrastructure, antitrust, healthcare markets, and the future of work.

Students lined up in chairs ready to learn

Student Learning

The center offers unparalleled opportunities for student learning and engagement at the intersection of business, economics, and public policy in Washington, D.C., including the MBA Certificate in Nonmarket Strategy.

Promotional graphic for Georgetown on the Hill event titled “Rules in Flux: Trade Policy Uncertainty, the U.S. Economy and the Future of Global Value Chains.” The image features an aerial view of cargo ships with Georgetown on the Hill and Center for Business and Public Policy branding. Event details read: February 12, 2026, Rayburn 2075, 12:00–1:30 p.m.

Rules in Flux: Trade Policy Uncertainty and the U.S. Economy

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026
12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Rayburn House Office Building 2075

Join us for an evidence-based discussion of current conditions and future developments, including how policy uncertainty shapes business investment, how firms are reorienting value chains, and what policymakers can do to bolster competitiveness, reduce risk, and sustain a dynamic U.S. economy.

Making AI Work: What Firms and Workers Need

Monday, Jan. 26, 2026
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Center for Business and Public Policy at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business is pleased to invite you to the fourth annual AI in Action (AIA) Conference, Making AI Work: What Firms and Workers Need. On Monday, Jan. 26, we will convene global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders for a research-driven conference where we will explore the real-world adoption of AI, including what firms and workers need to succeed and the economic and policy challenges that remain. The program is research-driven and designed for practitioners, scholars, and policy experts.

The Spectrum Pipeline and Related Policy Reset – What’s Next?

Wednesday Jan. 28, 2026
12:00 – 12:45 p.m.

We invite you to join Carolyn Brandon and Jennifer Fritzsche on January 28th for an in-depth discussion featuring Professor Tom Hazlett, H.H. Macaulay Endowed Professor of Economics at Clemson University and the author of “The Political Spectrum: The Tumultuous Liberation of Wireless Technology, from Herbert Hoover to the Smartphone.”

This month, we will address the question “what’s next” when it comes to spectrum allocations, auctions and the path to 6G in the U.S. We will unpack the competing interests driving demand for access to spectrum and ways in which some of these dueling forces may play out for the U.S. mobile wireless industry, the U.S. economy and the digital innovation ecosystem.

Past Event Highlights

Georgetown on the Hill

MBA Lunch and Learn

How Talent, Firms, and Cities Evolve Together with Professor Rahul Gupta
Beyond the Headlines: How Tariffs Shape Global Markets with Marc Busch
U.S. Immigration: Understanding the Present, Charting the Future
AI Governance in New Zealand – Choices and Constraints for a Small Country with Sarah Box
Nawar Shara from MedStar Health Research Institute presented “Artificial Intelligence: The Game-Changer in Healthcare Economics”
Evan Starr, Professor at University of Maryland presented “Whither the Fine Print? A Primer on the Economics of Noncompetes and Other Restrictive Covenants”
Jin Paik, Senior Director, Lab Operations at the Digital, Data, and Design (D^3) Institute at Harvard: “Open Talent: Leveraging the Global Workforce to Solve Your Biggest Challenges”

Little Nuggets of Tech and Telecom

Academic Conferences

Recent News

New Issue Brief Highlights Progress and Gaps in Small Business Broadband Access
Small businesses across the United States have seen dramatic improvements in access to high-speed broadband internet over the past decade, according to a new issue brief by economist Robert Press, a former postdoctoral fellow with the Center for… Read more: New Issue Brief Highlights Progress and Gaps in Small Business Broadband Access
Georgetown on the Hill Panel Examines How Antitrust Shapes Innovation and Startups
Explore how antitrust shapes startups in this joint event hosted by CBPP and Georgetown Entreprenurship.
ICYMI – Setting the Stage for 2026: Insights from Roger Entner
During our November webinar, Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, shared his insights on the evolving U.S. broadband and wireless landscape, AI connectivity needs, and what 2026 may have in store for several market leaders. Key Takeaways: Entner… Read more: ICYMI – Setting the Stage for 2026: Insights from Roger Entner

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Center for Business & Public Policy