GovTech Biz

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.

The company’s buying spree continues with the purchase of Arx, whose cloud-based software is designed to improve access to law enforcement data. The move could help agencies strengthen ties with residents.

The startup is emulating the more precise, costlier digital twins that small water utilities can’t afford. The idea is that even with less precision, the product will help utilities act faster to deliver clean water.

The partnership with what3words could help more first responders better locate emergency callers, including in hard-to-define spots such as parks, parking lots and areas with poor mobile service.

The new features allow police to, among other things, upload a photo of a vehicle from a private camera and then search for that vehicle on the agency’s cameras. And it can find vehicles based on more than just a plate.

The company, which delivers safety notifications to drivers about things such as the presence of an emergency vehicle, hasn't aggressively raised money from investors. But it's still managed to grow a lot.