Portfolio News

Civic engagement and analytics company Polco announced today an artificial intelligence (AI) tool built on trusted nationwide public sector data that provides powerful analytic and decision-making capabilities. Personified as “Polly,” Polco’s conversational AI data analyst answers public sector leaders’ most pressing questions with unparalleled, real-time performance management data, comparisons, and historical trends. Currently accessed in Polco’s platform, Polly puts actionable community insights at the fingertips of users for strategic planning, budgeting, grant applications, performance management, and everyday reporting.

Entrepreneurs and innovators always talk about the “next big thing.” There seems to be a mindset that true tech advancements can only be appreciated and supported by people with a vision to find those elusive “early adopters.” They know that to find success with their innovation, they must attract adopters and funding—sometimes simultaneously. To find those things, they most often are focused on the private sector. What if there’s another path with larger budgets, stickier customers and clearly defined sales channels? They may be surprised to learn that the government—in the forms of programs and licensable IP—might be able to help them achieve their technology startup dreams faster and with far less volatility.

Let’s say you came down with a bad case of the flu. Would you tell all your friends and colleagues that you were healthy as could be—because you didn’t have pneumonia?

Probably not. But that’s exactly how the critical issue of trust in state and local governments is often couched when it’s compared to the situation in the federal government. Consider market researcher Power Almanac’s proclamation that, “Americans view local elected officials far more favorably than members of Congress. … So, keep doing what you’re doing, local government official. Americans trust you to do a very important job.”

Data-driven decision-making has been integral in the private sector for years, but it’s only recently become the expectation for local governments. Basing choices on reason and metrics allows leaders to explain and defend their actions and gain support. Data-based decisions are also more likely to result in the desired outcomes. But not every organization has a dedicated data program or the resources to launch one. How do local governments get started with turning data into decisions?

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) has awarded all available funds, and the program is no longer accepting applications. The program will remain open for claims submissions, as beneficiaries have one year after their award date to use the funds. 

The GovTech 100 is an annual list compiled and published by Government Technology as a compendium of 100 companies focused on, making a difference in, and selling to state and local government agencies across the United States.

Continuing our momentum from last week, Merit has been named one of Inc.’s Best in Business for 2023! We are delighted to be a part of this distinguished list alongside the many other dynamic companies making a difference for their employees and the customers they serve.

PayIt, which sells tax processing, licensing, revenue collection and other software, has hired Accela veteran Tom Nieto as president and chief operating officer. He joins the Missouri-based firm as it considers a second acquisition and uses a $90 million funding round...

PayIt, the leader in digital customer experience solutions with integrated payments for state, local, and provincial governments, is pleased to announce the State of Kansas has reselected PayIt as its digital payments partner. Through this renewal, PayIt will continue to deliver the State’s award-winning digital government platform, iKan, which was first introduced in 2018.

PayIt has been selected by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks to deliver a new digital hunt and fish licensing system, which will provide a better customer experience for outdoors enthusiasts while also enabling agency staff to operate more efficiently.

As PayIt embarks on our next stages of growth, we have appointed Tom Nieto as President and Chief Operating Officer. Kansas City Business Journal sat down with PayIt co-founder and CEO, John Thomson, to discuss what’s next.

Enrollment is nearing full capacity for the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP), which provides qualifying parents and guardians with a one-time $1,000 award per student to pay for educational goods and services.

Officials with the Office of the Governor said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced on Friday, Sept. 22 that the program has reached a significant milestone with program enrollment nearing full capacity eight months after its launch.