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The civic-technology corporation CityInnovate on Tuesday announced the first government members of a new program that will bring research universities and local government agencies together to solve community economic and environmental challenges.

Plus, Philadelphia launches a new contracts hub aimed at simplifying vendor procurement processes, and Philadelphia also announces a new PHLConnectED program to foster remote learning for the fall.

CityInnovate, the San Francisco-based civic technology corporation behind the Startup in Residence program, is looking to connect at least 10 state and local government agencies with their local universities to research economic recovery this fall.CityInnovate, the San Francisco-based civic technology corporation behind the Startup in Residence program, is looking to connect at least 10 state and local government agencies with their local universities to research economic recovery this fall.

Jay Nath, co-CEO of the San Francisco-based civic technology corporation CityInnovate, was one of many last week to lend his services to local governments dealing with the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Cities frequently use RFPs and other traditional procurement methods when looking for technological solutions. But Carlsbad, Calif., has struck out on a new path with its recent request for qualifications.

City Innovate published more than 50 challenges from state and local governments across the country. Tech companies will now have the opportunity to propose solutions for the governments to try out.

The program, which has consistently created public-private partnerships to develop tech-oriented solutions to government hurdles, announced some of its latest partnership results this week.

STiR, for the unfamiliar, is a program aimed at fostering better working relationships between government and startup companies. In addition to opening this year’s applications, STiR is also hosting webinars for interested government agencies.

Accela, Esri, Google, Microsoft and five others will be giving marketing advice, business development resources and mentorship to the 22 startups currently involved with STiR’s 16-week cohort, which concludes in May.

Interline and the Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission are working to create a single platform where people can find all the information they need to travel seamlessly using multiple transit operators.

Using what is quite possibly the fastest RFP process in the gov tech space, a list of 700 applicant companies has been pared down in preparation for this year’s four-month program.

One of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's first acts after inauguration was to sign an executive order creating a new path for state agencies to buy technology, pushing procurement in a more modern direction.

STIR began as a pilot in the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Innovation in 2014, but quickly spun off as a separate nonprofit and expanded to include all of North America. The nonprofit has a goal of expanding to 100 city, county and state partners, which it says it can do within five years.

The San Francisco program, which embeds startup companies in local government to help them tap into tech expertise, is growing nationally and internationally.

Plus, Barbara Bush Foundation sponsors adult learning app competition; Sacramento’s Civic Lab celebrates its inaugural graduating class; City Innovate looks to hire a program director for its Startup in Residence Program; and civic tech continues to go to the dogs.

The firm has a pool of about $50 million total to draw from now.

The program's latest projects range from improving 311 efficiency to rounding up a city's list of buildings for hurricane damage assessment.

Nath has joined nonprofit City Innovate Foundation as its co-executive director. His former deputy Krista Canellakis has replaced him as chief innovation officer.

If the program continues its successes, it could change how startups and government work together, leading to an increase in civic innovations. All interested cities must RSVP before Aug. 4 to be eligible to apply.

Miami-Dade County, along with the City Innovate Foundation, is releasing a playbook for local governments that adds ride-hailing and bike-sharing to the mix in the quest for truly multi-modal mobility.

With the second iteration of the Startup in Residence Program, four Northern California cities are gaining valuable tools and resources for citizens while chosen startups are earning persuasive use cases to help them scale into the gov tech market.

San Francisco's new lab brings partners from academia, state and federal government, and the private sector to tackle such challenges as performance-based procurement and transportation.

Innovators will gather June 17-18 in San Francisco to collaborate and look at co-creation — where the city is a platform.

Innovators will gather June 17-18 in San Francisco to collaborate and look at co-creation — where the city is a platform.