Tech on the ballot: Legislation tracking, analytics startup acquires Hello Citizen

Hello, democracy. A Missouri-built voter tech platform with a foundation in Kansas City on Tuesday announced the acquisition of a fellow St. Louis startup — in a bid to reach even more municipal-level governments and expand the company’s suite of tools. 

John Stamm, founder of Hello Citizen, signs acquisition paperwork alongside FastDemocracy’s Grant Campbell and Sara Baker; courtesy photo

FastDemocracy, a legislative tracking tool that received early funding from Digital Sandbox KC and Pure Pitch Rally in 2018 (later relocating to St. Louis to take advantage of a $50,000 Arch Grant), has acquired Hello Citizen, a municipal government monitoring and intelligence platform.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

“Hello Citizen is such a natural fit for FastDemocracy as we continue to grow,” said Grant Campbell, CEO of FastDemocracy. “This is an opportunity for us to use our powerful tech stack to provide more bespoke consulting services at the municipal level.”

FastDemocracy’s market-leading data processing infrastructure will enhance Hello Citizen’s customizable cross-jurisdictional analysis and reports for businesses looking to expand into new municipal markets, companies evaluating regulatory environments in dozens of jurisdictions, lobbyists anticipating what their clients will need next, Campbell explained.

The former Kansas City company has grown rapidly in recent years, adding AI tools including TranscriptAI, which transcribes and summarizes committee hearings and floor debates; AskAI, a generative chatbot that allows for plain-language search and analysis of legislation; as well as regulatory tracking, mobile alerts, and grassroots outreach capabilities.

As always, Campbell said, FastDemocracy continues to prioritize evolution with its customers’ needs and direct requests. 

John Stamm, Hello Citizen

“We’re seeing an exciting period of growth within our company, with an increase in staff, an expansion of our tools, and now the addition of new product verticals to meet our customers’ needs,” he added.

Through the deal, John Stamm, founder of Hello Citizen, will join FastDemocracy to expand Hello Citizen’s custom services. 

“We have spent years working closely with clients to navigate the nuances of local government. Through this acquisition, we now have the technical engine to do that at an unprecedented scale,” Stamm said. “By combining our AI expertise and hard-earned business insights with FastDemocracy’s technological infrastructure and reach, we can offer our clients an even deeper look into significantly more jurisdictions throughout the country.”