Civic Marketplace and CivStart Ventures Announce Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Local Government Procurement from Startups

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AUSTIN, Texas & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 6, 2025--

Civic Marketplace, the rapidly emerging platform redefining how local governments discover and procure innovative solutions, today announced a formal partnership with CivStart Ventures, a Washington, D.C.-based leading govtech accelerator for startups serving the $4 trillion state, local and education space. CivStart Ventures is the newest govtech organization from the founders of CivStart. Together, the organizations aim to create a faster, safer, and more transparent pathway for government agencies to procure innovative products and services from innovative and mission-driven organizations.

Under the agreement, Civic Marketplace and CivStart Ventures will collaborate to streamline the journey from discovery and vetting to pilot and procurement for local governments, delivering an integrated experience that blends technological transparency with market expertise. This alliance will establish a dedicated “Innovation Lane” within Civic Marketplace, featuring startups vetted through CivStart Ventures’ public-sector review process and GovFit platform that are awarded cooperative contracts. Cooperative contracting currently represents less than 20% of public procurement spending, a figure that experts say highlights a significant, untapped opportunity to improve efficiency across government purchasing.

Benefits of the partnership include:

• Creating an Innovation–Trust Fabric: Civic Marketplace and CivStart Ventures are building the connective tissue of trust that helps governments confidently engage with emerging technology; balancing innovation with transparency, compliance, and accountability.
• Expanding Access to Proven Innovation: By bringing CivStart Ventures’ network of vetted and select govtech startups directly into Civic Marketplace, public agencies have a faster, safer way to discover solutions that deliver real community impact.
• Streamlining the Path from Discovery to Delivery: This collaboration integrates discovery, evaluation, and procurement into a single, trusted workflow – empowering local governments to move from idea to implementation with clarity and confidence.
• Growing the GovTech Ecosystem Responsibly: Startups gain visibility and guidance into cooperative purchasing programs; governments gain tools and insights. Together, Civic Marketplace and CivStart Ventures are creating a marketplace where innovation scales with integrity.
• Building a Culture of Collaboration: By connecting Civic Marketplace’s procurement network with CivStart Ventures’ innovators and mentors, this initiative fosters a community grounded in shared learning, mutual respect, and measurable results.

As part of the collaboration, CivStart Ventures will integrate a new module for participating startups titled “How to Succeed via Cooperative Awards” designed to prepare startups for long-term engagement in the public procurement space. “Our mission at CivStart Ventures has always been to bridge the gap between innovative startups and government,” said Anthony Jamison, CEO of CivStart. “Working with Civic Marketplace allows us to extend that impact through a real-world procurement engine that translates innovation into implementation.”

“Cities deserve the best solutions, and startups deserve a fair shot,” said Al Hleileh, CEO and Co-Founder of Civic Marketplace. “By integrating CivStart Ventures’ public-sector vetting process and startup network into our cooperative procurement infrastructure, we’re creating a trusted innovation ecosystem, one where governments can adopt new solutions with confidence.”

The partnership formalizes joint standards around risk disclosure , due diligence, and performance verification to ensure that startups showcased within the Innovation Lane meet both technical and financial readiness benchmarks.

By combining Civic Marketplace’s procurement-ready vendor ecosystem with CivStart Ventures’ pipeline of cutting-edge govtech startups, the partnership establishes a new framework for governments seeking reliable cost-effective partners for digital transformation programs. Civic Marketplace also collaborates with the nation’s leading govtech cooperative TXShare by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, in addition to the Michigan Municipal Services Authority and the Alliance for Innovation, amongst others.

“TXShare’s mission is to help local governments meet their needs through transparent, competitive cooperative procurements,” said Jonathan Blackman, North Central Texas Council of Governments. “By listening to our members and aligning solicitations with their priorities, we open the door for a broad range of qualified vendors to bring forward innovative solutions. Our collaboration with Civic Marketplace amplifies that mission by accelerating access to trusted, competitively awarded contracts and connecting agencies with the next generation of govtech innovators who are working to redefine how government serves communities."

About CivStart Ventures

CivStart Ventures provides smart matchmaking for smarter government. Through a public-sector vetting process and education for leading-edge govtech, deep government challenge research, and a data-driven matchmaking platform, CivStart Ventures provides dynamic and consent-based matches to meet local government’s biggest challenges. CivStart Ventures helps governments cut through the noise and find solutions that deliver measurable results for them and the communities they serve.

About North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is a voluntary association of, by and for local governments, established to assist in regional planning. NCTCOG's purpose is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. Local governments and non-profit entities across all 50 states are eligible to participate in the TXShare program at no cost. Simply fill out our Interlocal Agreement, and any organization may take advantage of the TXShare contracts, as well as any future contracts to come. Typical turnaround time for an Interlocal Agreement to be executed is one business day. You can begin using the TXShare awarded contracts as soon as your Interlocal Agreement is returned, and again - there is never a cost to your organization to use the contracts.

About Civic Marketplace

Civic Marketplace is a venture-backed technology company transforming public sector procurement through cutting-edge innovation. Our platform streamlines and accelerates procurement processes, offering local governments a user-friendly, fully compliant solution. Designed for simplicity, Civic Marketplace makes procurement straightforward. We are committed to transparency, efficiency, and supporting diverse suppliers, including historically underutilized businesses, to foster local economic growth and drive innovation. By providing access to a network of reliable, pre-approved vendors, the platform ensures legal compliance and quality assurance for every contract. Discover how we are reshaping procurement at www.civicmarketplace.com.

Join the Civic Marketplace Community

Agencies: Ready to streamline your procurement processes and access the best tools and resources?

Sign up here to join Civic Marketplace and transform your procurement experience.

Vendors: Want to connect with local governments and expand your business opportunities? Sign up here to become part of the Civic Marketplace vendor network.

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CONTACT: Media Contact:

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512-882-7804

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KEYWORD: TEXAS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: APPS/APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SMALL BUSINESS SOFTWARE GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY STATE/LOCAL DEFENSE

SOURCE: Civic Marketplace

Copyright Business Wire 2025.

PUB: 11/06/2025 11:00 AM/DISC: 11/06/2025 11:00 AM

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251106756735/en