Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews) What Tech Leaders Can Learn from San José’s Data-Driven Approach to Government
Jan 8, 2026
Mayor Matt Mahan of San José, a former startup CEO, talks about revolutionizing city governance with a data-driven approach. He shares how applying performance management from tech can enhance accountability and measure city objectives. Mahan highlights his focus on key issues like homelessness and public safety, and discusses innovative uses of AI, such as real-time translation for accessibility and pothole detection through camera data. He emphasizes investing in workforce readiness and civic partnerships to drive change in urban management.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Startup Performance Management For City Government
- Matt Mahan applies startup performance management—focus, KPIs, and frequent board-style reviews—to city governance.
- He argues that prioritization and measurable outcomes increase accountability and effectiveness in government.
Embed An Innovation Bridge
- Build an ecosystem by embedding a chief innovation officer to bridge government and private sector innovation.
- Run pilots with private, academic, and vendor partners to adapt tools for civic use before scaling.
Shared Training Data Scales Civic AI
- Shared datasets and cooperative training data across cities amplify AI model accuracy and reduce redundant effort.
- Aggregating city data (e.g., potholes) creates scale that individual cities rarely have alone.