GovTech Biz

With residents clamoring for services and information, many agencies turned to chatbots during the pandemic. But aside from simply gaining momentum in adoption, it seems government use of the technology is also maturing.

Remote work and underinvestment have created a public-sector security environment ripe for exploitation — the government must respond. In the second part of a two-part series, Oracle leaders talk processes.

Despite calls to increase diversity in gov tech contracting, women and minority business owners still struggle to break through. A young incubator called Hutch offers lessons in how to get more voices into procurement.

The company has bought up MAGIQ Software, which occupies much of the same space as Springbrook but comes with some extra technology as well. It’s Springbrook’s second acquisition since it spun out from Accela last year.

The startup, only two years old, has now raised more than $30 million from investors. Amid its rapid growth, the company is looking at expanding its traffic automation platform toward self-driving vehicles.

While tech makes up a minority of spending for local governments that received federal COVID relief funds, it has pushed many toward modernization, cybersecurity and digital service efforts, a new survey has found.

The company, which provides data publication and other services to municipalities and schools, will be the very first investment for a new private equity firm. The move appears to position Munetrix for an eventual sale.

The young company, with roots in Barack Obama’s second presidential campaign, helps governments and others use data to make policy decisions. The new funding reflects the public sector’s rising use of such tools.

Remote work and underinvestment have created a public-sector security environment ripe for exploitation — the government must respond. In the first part of a two-part series, Oracle leaders talk about the human element.

A few years ago, the state decided to create what amounts to a marketplace for government technology. Now, one of Virginia’s tech leaders details how that model is helping to save money and innovate.

The deal, backed by Veritas Capital, includes technology contracts with West Virginia as well as other states and federal agencies. The sale comes amid a growth wave for Peraton, which recently bought a big consulting firm.

Now residents can call for help via certain Amazon Alexa voice-activated devices in homes. The move comes as emergency dispatchers seek more detailed information from callers and as 911 technology improves nationwide.

The latest product from the growing government technology vendor reflects advances in connecting multiple agencies. RapidSOS says the tool could increase access to real-time data and speed up emergency responses.

Truepic created a software platform that helps verify digital photos and videos online in the quest to bust deepfakes. The company pulled in funding from Microsoft’s venture capital arm M12 and other investors.

Citizen surveys made gains during the pandemic, and now the Israeli startup wants to ditch paper and phone responses in favor of a totally online experience that is also statistically sound.

The move will offer local governments tools to make it faster and easier to review project plans. It will also give the startup Symbium access to one of the largest user bases in gov tech — Accela’s.

The annual effort helps firms access expertise and other resources, which in turn can lead to better tools for local and state governments. Among the areas of focus are benefits programs and bodycam video management.

In an exclusive interview, CEO Mark Hynes talks about what’s next for his company during this busy time for gov tech vendors, and what it takes to achieve scale. He also explains what that means for public agencies.