"World of DaaS" OpenGov CEO Zac Bookman - GovTech, data access, and AI transformation
Sep 30, 2025
Zac Bookman, the co-founder and CEO of OpenGov, leads a company delivering cloud software and AI solutions to U.S. government agencies. In this discussion, he explores the challenges of making public data accessible and the importance of partnerships in GovTech. Zac highlights the transformative impact of COVID on government digitization and expresses the need for startups and academics to leverage public data. He shares insights on the balance between data access and privacy, all while maintaining a focus on authentic company culture and efficient hiring.
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Four GovTech Verticals And Competitive Structure
- GovTech divides into public safety, public administration, federal/intel, and education with horizontal and vertical players dominating each area.
- Vertical, cloud-native, AI-first vendors like OpenGov compete by replacing legacy incumbents such as Oracle, Tyler, and Central Square.
Distribution Costs Shape GovTech Economics
- Selling to thousands of small local governments makes distribution extremely expensive and favors private-equity-style returns over venture-scale growth.
- Governments prefer suites but building broad suites is costly, creating a suite vs best-of-breed tension in procurement.
Early Door-to-Door Sales To Tiny Towns
- OpenGov's first small contract was $1,800 from Lone Pine, California, which made no financial sense but built relationships.
- The team used 'Donuts and Doorbusters'—showing up with donuts and meeting town staff—to win early adopters.
