Letter from the Founders
In 2018, a few governments were successfully implementing new technologies supported by forward thinking leaders, well-resourced IT departments, industry partnerships, and more than a few local volunteer civic hackers. At the same time, far more local governments were experiencing technology stagnation, hampered by lack of access to appropriately scaled and priced technology, a dearth of vendors for local-scale digital transformation, cybersecurity, the internet of things, and other citizen centric innovation. These divergent realities inspired us to join together as co-founders for CivStart, bridging the gap between these two experiences. CivStart was born and our first program launched in 2019.
We saw that leaders across the govtech ecosystem wanted to share and support these innovations. We expanded our value proposition to provide a forum for leaders to share their work while supporting the growth of civic-minded entrepreneurs into the technology partners local governments needed. CivStart is how we put local government leaders in charge of charting the course of innovation: through selecting the startups that participate in the CivStart Accelerator program, mentoring entrepreneurs, and serving on our Task Force for Inclusive Innovation. As CivStart's community matured, we saw a need for more direct support for public sector leaders and launched a nine-month long Government Innovation Program, began hosting best-practice webinars, and launched our premiere annual event, The State of GovTech.
Today, CivStart is the premiere hub for govtech innovation made up of incredible, forward-thinking, civic-minded leaders from across the whole ecosystem. The entrepreneur in our Accelerator, the City Manager seeking advice on new technology, the CIO joining one of our Innovation Programs, the nonprofit expert sharing their knowledge on a webinar, or the industry leader mentoring our entrepreneurs — all of these partners come together and find a home as part of CivStart's Innovation Hub.
The work we are able to do is the product of the expertise and generosity of hundreds of people. Here we are, five years from when we began. Thank you to everyone who keeps CivStart going, relevant, and growing.
We are doubling down on our commitment to impact over the next five years by expanding our efforts on all fronts: rolling out new programs, hosting more inspiring events and webinars than ever before, growing the next generation of public sector technology, and helping local government leaders go from idea to on-the-ground implementation with the support they need along the way. We are thrilled and honored to continue creating the future of CivStart.
–
Sarah, Nick, and Anthony
2,800
Hours Government Leaders Invested in CivStart Innovation Training
12,630
Tech for Gov Newsletter Subscribers
75%
of CivStart Startups have BIPOC & Women Founders
56
Startups Growing into the Public Sector with CivStart Support
4
Years of Government Innovation Programs
50+
Unpaid Media Mentions
75
Mentor Network Participants
979
Attendees at CivStart Events
$152M
Venture Capital Raised for Startups in our Accelerator
Our Impact
To achieve our mission and realize our vision, CivStart provides local government leaders with deep-issue and technical industry knowledge, peer connections, and pilot program implementation to deliver practical results. At the same time, CivStart is growing a robust ecosystem of civic-minded entrepreneurs who are successfully navigating the pathway through the rewarding but challenging government market and bringing their innovative and affordable solutions to communities across the country. Across the ecosystem, we are creating a collaborative environment where innovative and affordable startup solutions intersect with government tech experts and public sector leaders. Through CivStart, local governments achieve positive change by leveraging innovation, embracing vendor diversity, and efficiently sourcing startups in the govtech marketplace.
Five Years of Sparking Innovation
2019 / CivStart is Founded
CivStart launches our Govtech Accelerator with our first cohort of civic-minded entrepreneurs.
2020 / CivStart-NLC Innovation Program
CivStart launches our first Government Innovation Program with the National League of Cities (NLC).
2021 / Accelerator Platform 1.0
CivStart builds out a comprehensive platform for serving our startups and our expansive Mentor Network.
2022 / State of GovTech Summit
After a year of online-only participation, CivStart transitions our Demo Day & Innovation Summit into the State of GovTech in partnership with e.Republic.
2023 / CivStart Innovation Hub Beta
CivStart rolls out our Hot Topic Webinar Series, GovTalks, and more through the beta of our online ecosystem platform.
.png)
PROGRAMS
Growing Govtech Startups
Selected by government leaders and powered by the CivStart Accelerator, the next generation of technologies and entrepreneurs is gaining the skills, resources, and networks to bring their solutions to scale across the country.
Five of CivStart's startups have been featured in the 2024 GovTech 100: Citibot, Konveio, Polimorphic, ThirdLine, and Waterly.
From the 2023
Accelerator Cohort
Aneshai, Go See the City
I'm truly excited to join CivStart's Accelerator Program. This partnership is a significant step forward in our mission to combat food waste and address food insecurity in communities. Together with CivStart, we're committed to leveraging technology to make a meaningful impact worldwide.
.jpeg)
Guiding the Future of Govtech
Stories of CivStart's impact working with the startups selected for our Accelerator Program
We nurture early-stage startups and provide mentorship (see Partners below), resources, and networking benefits to their founders so they can generate impact for local governments and the communities they serve.
Each year, CivStart supports 10 or more new startup entrepreneurs to bring their solutions to scale over a unique, govtech-focused 24-month program. The CivStart ecosystem and curriculum is designed to help cohort members position themselves as more than just government vendors, but as true partners in sustainable and inclusive change. Learn more about CivStart's Accelerator Program here.
Creating Connections
A key benefit of the CivStart Accelerator is our GovTalk Series, a monthly webinar series in which we spotlight an innovative government for an hour-long discussion with members of our cohort.
In 2023, we had the privilege of hosting seven GovTalks. We spotlighted state and local agencies including the State of Texas’ Procurement Office; State of Wisconsin’s Division of Technology Services; Tarrant County, TX; Kansas City, MO; and the City of Alexandria, VA.
%20(3).png)
%20(1).png)
CivStart Accelerator
The startups we have been proud to scale.
PROGRAMS
Empowering
Government Leaders
CivStart supports local government leaders to bring cutting-edge ideas and technologies to their communities in thoughtful, sustainable, and impactful ways. CivStart augments local governments' limited capacity, provides valuable insights and expertise, facilitates peer connections across the innovation ecosystem, and empowers local governments to direct the course of innovation.
Our City Partners
We've Helped Local Governments Grapple with Numerous Challenges
Whether as a participant in one of our cohort programs or from direct-outreach, local government leaders come to CivStart and our network of advisors, experts, resources, and mentors for trusted advice on solving their biggest challenges.
Community Engagement
Resident Feedback & Analysis
Front Door for Local Business
Paratransit Data Analysis
Food Security
Downtown Economic Data for Decision-Making
Downtown Revitilization
Affordable Housing
Houseless Services & Coordination
Improved Permitting Process
Zoning Data Dashboard
Centralizing Data Across Silos
Minority & Women Owned Business Procurement
Climate Action Planning
. . . and so much more!
Meeting Challenges with Innovative Solutions
Hot Topic Webinar Series
In 2023 we launched our Hot Topics Webinar Series. Each month, CivStart highlights a particular govtech topic, oriented toward a specific audience. Below are a few of our most popular. Register to view the recordings and find out about all future webinars here.
PROGRAMS
State of GovTech
Four years of bringing the ecosystem together
The people, technologies, policies, and cultures that make up the GovTech ecosystm.
PROGRAMS
Special Programs
CivStart works with like-minded partners to support entrepreneurs, local governments, and innovative technologies.
INCLUSIVE GOVTECH RESEARCH
CivStart convened a Task Force of public, private, non-profit, and academic leaders and experts in govtech, inclusion, and entrepreneurship.
The research project began with a focus group in February 2020 among experts and leaders in govtech asking: how can we increase the number of sustainable companies led by underrepresented entrepreneurs in the govtech space. CivStart took the ideas and discussions from that meeting and created the Frameworks Report and the Strategies Report you can read below.
Our Partners
As ecosystem-builders, we rely on our partners at every step of our work. We're grateful for all the time and resources that have helped us fulfill our mission.
Mentor Network
CivStart’s incredible mentor network serves both as mentors to aspiring civic-minded entrepreneurs. They come from diverse backgrounds, but all are champions for our mission of government innovation. These are just some of the ways our mentors support our startups.
Networking with Gov Leaders
Networking with Industry Leaders
Networking with Potential Funders
Partnerships
Go-to-Market Support
Fundraising
Product Development
Legal Advice & Support
Operations Support
Pricing & Product-Market Fit
Communications & Marketing
Public Policy/ Lobbying
Organizational Partners & Sponsors
CivStart values the many ways our partners enable us to achieve our mission! Whether it's providing benefits to our entrepreneurs, collaborating on projects, or funding important events and programs, we could not exist without them. If you're interested in getting your organization involved in our Accelerator, Government Programs, or Innovation Hub and events, we would love to hear from you. And, a special thanks to those who have already invested in us, making the past five years possible!
Leadership and Board
Joined by the three Co-founders, CivStart’s esteemed Board of Directors oversees the organization’s strategy.
Board
Niles Friedman, CivStart Board Chair & Exec. Advisor, Star Insights
Dr. Peter Pirnejad, City Manager, the City of Los Altos Hills, CA
Brian Purchia, CEO, Riff City Strategies
Kamran Saddique, Co-Founder & CEO, City Innovate
Kristina Francis, ED, Jobs for the Future Labs
Mitch Herckis, Branch Director, Office of the Federal CIO
Doug Matthews, Assistant City Manager & CAO, City of Grand Rapids, MI
Laura Naramore, ED, The MITRE Corporation
Emily Yates, Chief Innovation Officer, SEPTA
Dr. Lomax Campbell, President & CEO, Third Eye Network
Tara Palacios, Director of BizLaunch, Arlington County, VA
Tom Spengler, Executive in Residence, Great Hill Partners
Leadership
Anthony Jamison, Co-Founder & CEO
Sarah Nicoll, Co-Founders & Chief Strategy Officer
Nick Lyell, Co-Founder & Chief Impact Officer
Jessica Pasión, Director of Community & Education
Starting Now
2024 & Beyond
01
Advance & Scale Our Services for Startups and Government Leaders
We plan to continuously enhance our suite of services — embracing education, consultation, and specialized resources. We will expand startup and government programs strategically, ensuring they address diverse needs, and we will curate a balanced mix of virtual and physical events to deepen stakeholder connections.
02
Solidify CivStart as a Premiere Government Innovation Hub
We plan to cement CivStart as the go-to resource, celebrated for reliability and networking. We will propel the community platform's benefits to local, state, and federal governments, institute educational bootcamps, and over time, implement fee waivers for our Accelerator programs to eliminate barriers to participation and underscore our commitment to inclusivity.
03
Bring Needed Capital to Government Technology
We plan to bolster relations with investors, offering exclusive memberships, premium access, and strategic advisory roles, thereby supporting investor interests as well as CivStart's network of startups and other stakeholders.
04
Form Strategic Collaborations for Systemic Impact
We plan to strategically form alliances with other influential govtech entities to broaden our impact, leverage partnerships to enhance resources, encourage knowledge exchange, and advocate for policies favoring govtech innovation. We aim to establish CivStart as a central, mobilizing force in the govtech landscape.
05
Extend Our Global Reach
We plan to broaden our influence nationally and internationally, crafting partnerships and expanding initiatives into novel territories. To do so, we will adapt our model for global resonance and consider establishing regional hubs in areas echoing a rising demand for govtech innovation.
Want to be a part of our impact?
Join Our Growing Network
Building the future of local government is going to take all of us.
Be a part of building change at the local level and at scale.
Local Government
Leaders
Whether you want to give back to other gov leaders, provide guidance to entrepreneurs, or you are looking for solutions to your biggest challenges, CivStart is here to help.
Investors, Nonprofits, & Industry Experts
Provide expertise and resources to the local government leaders and entrepreneurs where it matters. Whether a part of our Mentor Network, as a Preferred Partner, or joining us at an event, we need industry partners.
