What Cortico does

Cortico Corporation is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2016 by Deb Roy, Eugene Yi, and Russell Stevens with a mission of fostering constructive public conversation. The company operates a conversation platform branded as Fora (formerly the Local Voices Network / LVN) that enables organizations to record small-group community dialogues, automatically transcribe the audio, and apply AI-assisted thematic tagging, codebook generation, and summarization in a human-led "sensemaking" workflow. The platform produces voice portals, audio medleys, and conversation libraries that allow partners to surface patterns across many conversations and share voice-grounded insights with the public.

The platform is offered free to end-user participants; revenue is generated through project-based contracts, custom engagement services, and grants from foundations and government partners. Cortico serves a diverse partner base of 300+ organizations across government, foundations, media, education, libraries, and healthcare — including the NYC Department of City Planning, City of Boston, Knight Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Deloitte, NPR, and PBS FRONTLINE. The technology stack combines third-party ASR (AssemblyAI) with internally developed sensemaking tools, and a foundational collaboration with the MIT Center for Constructive Communication (where CEO Deb Roy also serves as Director) provides research, prototyping, and AI evaluation support.

Name

Cortico

Legal name

Cortico Corporation

Website

https://cortico.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cortico is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates Fora, a conversation platform combining small-group dialogue recording with AI-assisted sensemaking. It partners with 300+ governments, foundations, media, and education organizations to surface underheard community voices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Engagement Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conversational NLP & Dialogue Management (chatbots, agents) (HDAAADAF)

Keywords

• Community engagement platform
• Conversation intelligence
• Qualitative research software
• Public dialogue facilitation
• Sensemaking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Platform Services to Partners: Cortico provides its platform and services to partner organizations including government agencies, nonprofits, media organizations, and foundations. The platform is described as free to end users, with Cortico's revenue coming from partnerships with organizations rather than direct user fees.
2. Partnership & Grant Funding: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Cortico relies on foundation funding and grants. Notable partners include Knight Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York who fund community conversation initiatives.
3. Custom Engagement Services: Cortico works with partners on custom community engagement projects, including conducting conversations, training sensemakers, and producing insights reports (e.g., Rhode Island Foundation hospital merger input, NYC Blue Hill Avenue planning).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cortico operates the Fora conversation platform, which enables organizations to record and transcribe small-group dialogues, perform human-led and AI-assisted thematic analysis (sensemaking), and publish results as interactive voice portals. The platform is delivered through direct partnerships with governments, foundations, media organizations, schools, libraries, and advocacy groups, and is offered free to end users while partners fund engagements via grants or contracts.

Product overview

Cortico operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering a unified conversation intelligence platform. The core offering consists of the Fora platform (also referred to as Cortico/Fora), which facilitates small-group dialogue through three stages: Talk (recording conversations), Understand (AI-assisted sensemaking), and Share (portals and media outputs). The platform is modular, with Cortico Insights serving as the sensemaking module, Portals as the output/reporting layer, and supporting features including Conversation Library and Highlight Explorer. A mobile application extends access to the platform. The company was originally branded as Local Voices Network (LVN) and continues to reference LVN in some technical documentation and support resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fora: Cortico's conversation platform for community dialogue and sensemaking.

Products and services

• Cortico (Fora) Platform A unified conversation intelligence platform that enables small-group dialogue recording, automatic transcription, human-led and AI-assisted thematic analysis (sensemaking), and voice-driven output publications. Targeted at partner organizations including government agencies, foundations, media outlets, schools, and libraries.
• Custom Engagement Services Custom community engagement services in which Cortico works directly with partners to design and conduct conversations, train sensemakers, and produce qualitative insights reports for policy, grantmaking, and organizational strategy use cases.
• Cortico Mobile Application Native mobile applications for iOS and Android that provide portable access to the Cortico (Fora) platform, enabling partners and participants to host and engage with recorded small-group conversations from mobile devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Partners have conducted conversations in 40+ US states and 60+ countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

57 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core, flagship and featured.

• KI NeurotechEU TeamminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The KI NeurotechEU team may fund up to seven participants covering free registration and travel expenses for the CORTICO symposium at University of Lille, celebrating 20 years of Brain-Computer Interface research in France.
• MIT Center for Constructive CommunicationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with MIT CCC powers advanced research and prototypes for Cortico's platform. A dedicated translational research team at MIT CCC is deeply involved in developing, testing, and evaluating AI sensemaking tools through rigorous methods and ethical frameworks. This is a foundational partnership that combines Cortico's technology with MIT's interdisciplinary expertise.
• Knight FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnight Foundation and Cortico launched a project to understand how people across the country are making sense of the First Amendment and free expression in their daily lives. This partnership supports Cortico's mission around civic engagement and free speech.
• ZealousfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall-group conversations with people directly impacted by the criminal legal system revealed a vision of what freedom could actually look like, from the people closest to the harm.
• Hemophilia Federation of AmericafeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hemophilia Federation of America asked their community to imagine the future of their own care, gathering voices to inform years of advocacy.
• NYC Department of City PlanningfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity conversations captured how people living along the Cross Bronx Expressway understand its legacy and are shaping a new story for the corridor's future.
• NYC Department of Health & Mental HygienecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding a listening channel for public health engagement with NYC communities.
• City of Boston, MAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRevitalizing Blue Hill Avenue with direct community input, resulting in a $44 million transportation investment informed by Cortico conversations.
• City of Durham, NCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmplifying underheard voices to transform community engagement and strengthen data-driven approach to City decision-making. City has deployed multiple conversation campaigns.
• City of Cambridge, MAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaged community to understand what residents are looking for in City leadership decisions.
• City of Madison Police and Fire CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with Cortico taught that anecdotes and stories have information in them that is community input, providing insights for public safety decisions.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUplifting local voices for a just net-zero transition through climate-focused conversation campaigns.
• NPRflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on hearing the humanity in community voices for public media journalism.
• PBS FRONTLINEflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on media projects involving deep community engagement and storytelling.
• The Haitian TimesfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerGiving voice to the Haitian diaspora through community conversations, helping expand coverage and community work.
• Cap TimescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsing Cortico to think about new ways to report and connect with new audiences in local journalism.
• Rhode Island FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo statewide listening efforts: ARPA stimulus spending recommendations ($1 billion) and hospital merger public input. Delivered reports centering community voices to policymakers.
• Junior Achievement WorldwideflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Voices project engaged 200+ JA alumni from 64 countries. Enables analyzing and amplifying youth voices in a way traditional survey instruments cannot do.
• Carnegie Corporation of New YorkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with 8 organizations to understand how immigrant and low-income families find and use education information. Over 40 conversations collected, analyzed by Sensemaking Fellows.
• Foundation for Black Women's WellnessfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsed Cortico to illuminate data on lived experiences, communicating through people's stories and experiences for health equity advocacy.
• New York Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBranch staff embraced figuring out intended audiences and getting to know their community through Cortico programs.
• Newark Opportunity Youth NetworkfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerRevolutionizing the quality of education in Newark by empowering opportunity youth through voice.
• America AmplifiedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational listening sessions helping journalists learn facilitation skills and shift from traditional reporting towards community connection.
• Reimagine ArkansascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaking sense of the moment by offering ability to listen efficiently and economically across Arkansas communities.
• RealTalk for Change BostonfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerAddressed fundamental challenges in public engagement: building trust in marginalized communities to bring in their voices.
• Global We for Climate ActionfeaturedStrategic or Co-development Partner20+ sensemakers from around the world tagged nearly 3,000 highlights using Fora platform to reshape the global climate narrative.
• Museum for the United Nations - UN LivefeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on global civic engagement initiatives at the intersection of culture and international dialogue.
• The American Academy of Arts and SciencesfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership on public discourse and constructive communication research.
• Solutions Insights LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on insights and analysis methodologies for community engagement.
• The Empowerment FoundationfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevating the voices of pregnant and postpartum Black women through community conversations.
• Teen Dialogue AcceleratorfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram inviting libraries across the country to host teen dialogue conversations during Civic Season.
• Cortico on CampusfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege students lead Cortico conversations at their schools through Lead Fellows program, running since spring 2025.
• The American Conversation ProjectfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject to understand how Americans make sense of the First Amendment and free expression.
• Weber ShandwickcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic communications partnership for expanding reach and impact of community engagement initiatives.
• The NYC Unity ProjectfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting NYC Unity Project initiatives through youth voice and community dialogue.
• MIT Student Assembly on SustainabilityfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampus sustainability engagement through student-led conversations.
• Youth Voices in ActionfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth partnership initiative amplifying young people's voices in social change.
• realtalk@BostonfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston-based initiative bringing small-group dialogue to communities around the city.
• Fan VoicesfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-of-its-kind project engaging sports fans around the world in Cortico-style conversations.
• RISE ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort of 8 organizations focused on educational equity, adapting Cortico's approach.
• ImmSchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort focused on immigrant education equity.
• GO Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort working on public education engagement.
• Kids First ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort focused on Chicago education equity.
• Black Hills Special Services CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort serving rural communities.
• Coalition for Asian American Children and FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort focused on Asian American family education.
• Federation for Children with Special NeedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort focused on special needs education advocacy.
• Parent Institute for Quality EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Carnegie Corporation cohort focused on parent engagement in education.
• The Source SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner engaged in community dialogue initiatives.
• 100 Days of Conversation About SchoolfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation-focused initiative gathering community input on schooling during pandemic recovery.
• United Way of Dane CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for local engagement and social services coordination.
• City of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in We Will Chicago comprehensive planning initiative.
• Be Heard DurhamcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPilot partner for AI-assisted sensemaking, enhancing citywide engagement strategies with Cortico's tools.
• Maine ED 2050coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPilot partner for AI-assisted sensemaking, streamlining educational policy analysis.
• Opportunity Youth NewarkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPilot partner for AI-assisted sensemaking, demonstrating tools' utility in youth opportunity contexts.
• The People (New Hampshire)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPilot partner for AI-assisted sensemaking, testing tools in civic engagement applications.
• MIT Sloan School of ManagementfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with MIT Sloan for research and educational collaboration.
• Tampa Bay TimescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal journalism partner using Cortico for community engagement.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Thoughtexchange: Thoughtexchange provides a large-group engagement platform used by school districts, municipalities, and health systems to surface community priorities through ranked idea exchange. Like Cortico, it competes for the same institutional buyers seeking better-than-survey community insight, but it focuses on scalable ranking rather than recorded dialogue and qualitative sensemaking.
• Pol.is: Pol.is builds open-source, AI-assisted large-scale deliberation tools that surface consensus across participant contributions; both Cortico and Pol.is use computational/NLP methods to extract insights from conversational data, but Cortico centers recorded small-group dialogue and voice while Pol.is centers text-based polling. They are the closest methodological peer in the AI-dialogue space.
• Polco: Polco delivers a civic engagement and community survey platform for U.S. local governments, helping leaders gather resident input and benchmark results. Both companies serve the same municipal-engagement buyer, but Polco emphasizes representative surveys and benchmarking while Cortico emphasizes recorded dialogue and qualitative AI thematic analysis.
• CitizenLab: CitizenLab offers a digital civic engagement platform used by hundreds of governments worldwide for participatory budgeting, idea collection, and consultation. The platforms overlap directly in serving municipal and institutional customers who need to gather and analyze citizen input, though CitizenLab leans toward digital ideation tools while Cortico leans toward qualitative voice-based dialogue and AI sensemaking.
• Remesh: Remesh operates an AI-moderated conversation platform that lets organizations run asynchronous live dialogue with hundreds of participants and surface themes in real time. Like Cortico, it blends AI/NLP analysis with structured conversation to inform enterprise and research decisions; the primary distinction is Remesh's synchronous, text-forward approach versus Cortico's recorded small-group voice model.
• Bang the Table (EngagementHQ): Bang the Table's EngagementHQ platform powers online community engagement for hundreds of local governments and organizations globally. It overlaps with Cortico on the buyer (civic engagement teams) and the use case (gathering community input for planning and policy), but its core model is asynchronous online forums and surveys rather than small-group voice dialogue.
• Delib: Delib provides public consultation and engagement software for U.K. and international governments, supporting surveys, forums, and idea collection workflows. It is directly comparable to Cortico on buyer (government engagement teams) and intent (informing public decisions with community input) but relies primarily on text-based consultation rather than voice dialogue and AI sensemaking.

Broad incumbents

• Qualtrics: Qualtrics is a broad experience-management platform used by enterprises, governments, and universities for surveys, analytics, and stakeholder insights. It overlaps with Cortico in the institutional buyer (governments, universities, foundations) and the desire for richer qualitative understanding, but it is a much larger general-purpose platform that does not focus on small-group community dialogue or voice-based sensemaking.
• SurveyMonkey (Momentive): SurveyMonkey is a large, established survey and market-research platform serving enterprises and organizations including many government and education buyers that Cortico also targets. It addresses the broader feedback-collection use case with scale and self-serve tooling, but it does not specialize in authentic small-group dialogue or qualitative AI thematic analysis the way Cortico does.

Others

• Democracy International: Democracy International is a civic-engagement research and advisory organization that designs and studies democratic deliberation processes for governments and foundations. Cortico and Democracy International share an overlapping mission space around strengthening public conversation, but Democracy is a research/consulting organization without a comparable conversational AI product.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cortico.ai%2F
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cortico-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/cortico.ai
• Xx.com/cortico

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cortico