Yesterday the White House announced its second round of the Presidential Innovation Fellows. This new program started last year to pair some of the greatest innovators from the private sector, nonprofits, and academia with the best innovators in government. The goal is to make a change in government. This includes work such as the Open Data Initiatives, an innovative project trying to make government data more computer readable and easy to access; RFP EZ, making it easier for the government to do business with small, high-growth tech companies; or Disaster Response and Recovery, building and “pre-positioning” needed tech tools ahead of future emergencies or natural disasters to mitigate economic damage and save lives during disasters. Check out all of the new projects here.

One of the greatest needs in the world is to find, retain, and work with the best talent to make a difference. The Innovation Fellows program recognizes the importance of pairing talent (internally and externally) and rapidly working to create prototypes of solutions and iterating to make the product work better. The government is making a difference. The Fellows are making a difference, and together they are changing the way government operates for its citizens.

Started by U.S. Chief Technoogy Officer Todd Park, a well-known innovator and entrepreneur, the Innovation Fellows is one the many great ways the Administration is supporting entrepreneurship within government and affecting social change. The Office of Science and Technology Policy along with the Office of Social Innovation are changing the way we think about government and the way government does business. We need to support them.

I hope that talented women and men will apply for the Innovation Fellows program. It is an incredible way to make a real difference that will affect many lives. It is a great way to see how government operates and a real opportunity to meet some of the amazing talent that works in government. If you want to be more innovative and find collaborative ways to solve some big problems – why not work in government!