US tech task force gets backing from Coinbase and Robinhood

The United States government has launched a new Tech Force initiative to recruit private sector talent and address skills shortages across federal agencies.

Crypto exchange Coinbase and trading platform Robinhood are among the companies supporting the programme by lending expertise and personnel.

The Tech Force was announced on Monday and is designed to strengthen government capacity in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software engineering.

Private companies will second employees to serve one- to two-year placements within federal agencies under the scheme.

The government is seeking around 1,000 participants, including early-career professionals and experienced managers.

Coinbase and Robinhood were named among nearly 30 initial private sector partners backing the initiative.

Other participating firms include Apple, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia and OpenAI, signalling broad industry involvement.

Officials said the inclusion of crypto firms reflects the growing role of digital assets within the financial system.

The Office of Personnel Management said Tech Force workers will be deployed across agencies such as the Treasury, Commerce Department and Internal Revenue Service.

Agencies will hire and fund the workers directly, while private sector partners provide training and support.

“As we have people retiring from government, we’re not doing a great job of bringing in the next generation of leaders in government,” Scott Kupor said.

Kupor said only about 7% of the federal workforce is early in their career compared with nearly a quarter across the wider economy.

He said the programme aims to demonstrate that government roles can be complex, challenging and valuable for long-term careers.

Kupor added that participants will be supported in returning to the private sector if they choose after completing their service.

Crypto companies have increasingly assisted government agencies with blockchain analysis and digital asset expertise.