500 Startups opens its doors to (better) government technology

The Department of Better Technology was one of 42 companies accepted into the latest round of the highly-regarded 500 Startups accelerator program, a “4-month curriculum of customer acquisition coaching, fundraising training, and access to 500’s massive ecosystem.”

According to 500 Startups, this round focuses on business-to-business and beauty and fashion startups.

DOBT makes it easier to create elegant forms, particularly around workflow, and collect data internally, and is the only (and first) company accepted into the program that services government specifically.

“A small handful of keen investors have recognized and supported companies working in this space,” writes DOBT CEO Joshua Goldstein. “However, getting into 500 Startups is another signal that the VC community as a whole is starting to take GovTech more seriously, and that our customers don’t just represent iconoclasts and outsiders, but are part of a seachange in how people in government are thinking about and purchasing software to help them get things done.”