Tipping Point Partners

What Tipping Point Partners does

Tipping Point Partners is a New York-based software product studio and incubator founded in 2005 by Art Chang. The firm designs, builds, and operates software products in partnership with city and state governments, charitable foundations, labor organizations, and large enterprises, focusing on the base of Maslow's hierarchy (food, shelter, health) and underserved populations. Its portfolio includes Casebook (the first web-, cloud-, and open-source-based SACWIS state child welfare system, in production since 2012 and spun out as a public benefit corporation), NYC Votes and NYC Votes Contribute (voter engagement and mobile campaign contribution platforms in production since 2012), Carina (homecare worker matching platform in production since 2017), and a JPMorgan Chase legal knowledge management transformation completed in 2019. A Medicare plan selection platform is currently under development.

The firm's technology approach centers on web-based, cloud-native, open-source software with a consistent design philosophy prioritizing end users first and frontline workers second. It applies AI as a development force multiplier rather than as a productized feature, claiming to compress delivery timelines from years to months and from months to weeks. The company operates with a deliberately small core team and an explicit financial model designed to be independent of venture capital, allowing it to prioritize user outcomes over investor returns.

Commercially, Tipping Point Partners generates revenue through professional services and product development for its own portfolio and for partners. It has historically worked on a mix of pro bono (NYC Votes partnership) and compensated engagements, has spun out successful products into independent public benefit and nonprofit entities (Casebook, Carina), and maintains advisory relationships with those spin-outs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and the firm does not raise external funding rounds.

Name

Tipping Point Partners

Legal name

Tipping Point Partners

Website

https://tippingpointpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tipping Point Partners is a New York-based software product studio that designs, builds, and operates civic technology products for governments, foundations, labor organizations, and enterprises, focusing on food, shelter, and health for underserved populations without venture capital dependency.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Technology Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

Keywords

• Civic technology services
• Child welfare software
• Voter engagement platforms
• Homecare matching platform
• Social impact software

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Portfolio Company Development: Building software products for their own portfolio, creating sustainable organizations that sustain innovation, and financial models that create freedom from venture capital dependency.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tipping Point Partners is a product studio that designs, builds, and operates software-based startups for its own portfolio and for partners. Its portfolio includes Casebook (a web-based child welfare SACWIS system), NYC Votes (a voter engagement platform), NYC Votes Contribute (a mobile campaign contribution app), and Carina (a homecare worker matching platform), with a Medicare plan selection platform in development. The firm also provides advisory services to governments, foundations, and labor organizations, structuring financial models that operate without venture capital.

Product overview

Tipping Point Partners is a product studio that designs, builds, and operates software-based products. Their portfolio consists of multiple distinct products: Casebook (a web-based child welfare system for state government), NYC Votes (a voter engagement web/app), NYC Votes Contribute (a mobile campaign contribution platform), Carina (a homecare worker-family matching platform), and a Medicare plan selection platform currently in development. These products focus on serving the base of Maslow's hierarchy—food, shelter, health—with a design philosophy of end users first, frontline workers next. The company operates without venture capital, focusing on user benefit over investor returns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NYC Votes: Public voter engagement program and web/mobile app providing voting information, operated as part of NYC Campaign Finance Board.
• NYC Votes Contribute
• Casebook
• Carina

Products and services

• Casebook The first and only web-, cloud-, and open-source based State Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) for state child welfare. Originally developed by Tipping Point Partners in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation; has been in continuous service since 2012 and was spun out as a public benefit corporation. Used by state child welfare agencies for case management, foster care tracking, and child welfare services.
• NYC Votes A public voter engagement web and mobile application of the NYC Campaign Finance Board that provides voting information to citizens. Launched in 2012 through a pro bono partnership led by Tipping Point Partners.
• NYC Votes Contribute A mobile-first application that allows users to donate to political candidates while automatically handling compliance and regulatory requirements. Part of the NYC Votes ecosystem operated with the NYC Campaign Finance Board.
• Carina A platform connecting homecare workers with homecare seekers for good jobs and quality care. Spun out from SEIU 775 with TPP advisory support and operated as a nonprofit technology organization. In continuous service since 2017.
• Medicare Plan Selection Platform A software platform for Medicare plan selection currently under development, designed to help people navigate Medicare health plan decisions. Targeted for delivery in under nine months using AI as a force multiplier.
• Advisory and Product Studio Services Product studio and advisory services for designing, building, and operating software-based startups. Provided to city and state governments, charitable foundations, and labor organizations. Includes partnership and consulting engagements such as the JPMorgan Chase legal knowledge management transformation and the SEIU 775 spin-out advisory.

Quantifiable outcome

• Medicare plan selection platform to be delivered in under 9 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYC Campaign Finance BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC Votes is a public voter engagement program of the NYC Campaign Finance Board. Tipping Point Partners led a pro bono partnership to create the NYC Votes web and mobile app, in continuous service since 2012.
• Annie E. Casey FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to develop the concept, working prototype, and pilot of Casebook in foster care, then build a team to implement the platform in Indiana.
• SEIU 775coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTPP was the advisor to SEIU 775 to spin out its existing traditional services to a technology-based nonprofit, Carina. TPP helped assess operations and financials, develop a plan, and hire the founding technology team. Carina has been in continuous service since 2017.
• Method (Design Consultancy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign consultancy partner in the pro bono partnership led by Tipping Point Partners to create NYC Votes.
• Pivotal Labs (Software Consultancy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoftware consultancy partner in the pro bono partnership led by Tipping Point Partners to create NYC Votes.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nava: Public-benefit corporation that designs, builds, and operates digital services for government and civic clients from a "no traditional private-equity return" base — closely mirrors TPP's product-studio model, mission orientation, and software-for-public-good emphasis.
• Code for America: Nonprofit civic-tech organization that builds and operates digital services (notably in safety-net programs like food stamps and criminal justice) for low-income users; shares TPP's base-of-Maslow focus and "end-user first" design philosophy.
• Ad Hoc: Federal digital-services firm that builds and operates software for government agencies (CMS, VA, etc.) using small, product-centric teams — directly comparable to TPP's small-team, mission-driven delivery model for public-sector clients.

Emerging players

• Civilla: Nonprofit product studio that partners with state and local governments to redesign public-facing services and benefits systems; overlapping mission, small-team product delivery, and benefit-navigation use cases (e.g., food assistance).
• US Digital Response: Nonprofit that connects governments with volunteer and staff technologists to rapidly build digital services; comparable civic-tech product orientation and government partnership GTM, though somewhat more volunteer-driven than TPP.
• New Public: Nonprofit civic-tech initiative supporting independent creators and tools that strengthen local communities and civic life; adjacent to TPP's voter-engagement and civic-information products (e.g., NYC Votes).

Broad incumbents

• Thoughtworks: Global technology consultancy with a public-sector practice that designs and builds digital services for government and nonprofit clients at much larger scale; represents what TPP scales into if it grows headcount and contract size.
• Slalom: Large management and technology consultancy with dedicated state, local, and federal-government practices that build custom software for public-sector clients; overlaps significantly with TPP's service offering and target buyers.
• Tyler Technologies: Publicly traded provider of software to state and local government agencies including justice, child welfare, and records — broad incumbent against which TPP's purpose-built Casebook SACWIS competes.
• Granicus: Vendor of government experience and engagement software (communications, meetings, public records); overlapping government-customer footprint with TPP, especially in the civic-engagement domain served by NYC Votes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TippingPointLLC
• Facebookfacebook.com/tippingpointpartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/281544

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Tipping Point Partners