Reboot Democracy

What Reboot Democracy does

Reboot Democracy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates as an ecosystem builder and event-based convener for the US democracy-technology sector. Founded in 2016, the organization runs hackathons, workshops, and pitch events in major US cities to connect early-stage civic-tech founders with funders, mentors, and legacy institutions. A core operational focus is supporting women and underrepresented minority founders with investment access and visibility within the civic technology space.

Name

Reboot Democracy

Legal name

Reboot Democracy

Website

https://rebootdem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Reboot Democracy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs hackathons, workshops, and pitch events to help early-stage democracy-technology innovators access funders, mentorship, and visibility across major US cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Technology Ecosystem Building

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

Keywords

• Civic technology ecosystem
• Democracy tech support
• Hackathon programming
• Nonprofit accelerator
• Civic innovation events

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Reboot Democracy operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization accepting tax-deductible donations to fund its programming. Donations are collected through Squarespace checkout and enable expansion of hackathons, workshops, and accelerator programming across the country.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Reboot Democracy is a non-profit organization that creates an ecosystem of support for early-stage innovators building technology to strengthen democracy. It convenes hackathons, workshops, and pitch events in major US cities and is launching an accelerator program for early-stage democracy tech innovators, while linking innovators (including women and underrepresented minorities) with funders and legacy organizations to facilitate investment, mentorship, and collaboration.

Product overview

Reboot Democracy is a non-profit organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of event-based community programs — hackathons, workshops, and pitch events — and an accelerator program for early-stage democracy tech innovators. The organization does not develop or sell its own software products; instead, it convenes, supports, and showcases external democracy technology projects and companies through its programs and events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reboot Democracy Hackathons Multi-day hackathon events that convene diverse innovators in major US cities to prototype technology-based solutions to democracy-related problems; first held December 2016 at 500 Startups in San Francisco. Free to participate.
• Democracy Tech Workshops and Pitch Events Thematic workshops and pitch events covering citizen engagement, election technology, voter information, and political organizing; designed to connect early-stage democracy tech innovators with funders, mentors, and each other across major US cities. Free to participate.
• Reboot Democracy Accelerator for Early-Stage Democracy Tech Innovers Accelerator program for early-stage democracy technology innovators providing structured support, mentorship, investor access, and ecosystem connections; the first cohort was announced as part of the organization's national expansion in 2019.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mobilized over 1,000 participants via hackathons, workshops, and pitch events

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYU Entrepreneurial InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular host venue for Reboot Democracy events in New York City. Provided space for events including 'Leveling the Playing Field' (November 2018) and 'Innovations in Election Tech' (September 2019).
• 500 StartupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the original Reboot Democracy Hackathon (December 2016) and subsequent events including 'Making Every Voice Count' (August 2018). Provides startup ecosystem connections.
• Matter.vcminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'The Evolution of Democracy Tech' event in March 2018, providing venture capital perspective and connections to the startup ecosystem.
• The Brown Institute for Media InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Reboot: Informing the Electorate' event in November 2017 focused on improving information spread in democracy.
• Civic HallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Reboot: Citizen Engagement' event in August 2017, bringing together civic tech innovators for discussion and networking.
• Progressive HackNightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for 'Democracy Tech in an Election Season' event in July 2018, combining Reboot's ecosystem with Progressive HackNight's community.
• New Media VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeamed up for 'Making Every Voice Count' event in August 2018 focused on making every voice count in democracy.
• RagtagminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Democracy Tech Meetup in Chicago in October 2017, expanding reach to the Midwest civic tech community.
• Harvard Business School Association of Northern CaliforniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented 'The Role of Tech in Democracy' panel in October 2018 featuring civic tech leaders including Gisel Kordestani (Crowdpac), Minnie Ingersoll (Code for America), and Shireen Santosham (City of San Jose).
• The ArenaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for 'Running for Office / Election Tech' event in May 2017, discussing technology for political campaigns.
• CHORUSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted 'Running for Office / Election Tech' event in May 2017 focused on election technology.
• LMHQminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Women's Breakfast: Democracy event in October 2018, bringing together women civic leaders and technologists.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Digital (Aspen Institute): Program of the Aspen Institute focused on the intersection of technology, media, and democracy. Comparable as an established convening and research organization in the democracy-tech space, often working with the same civic-tech founders and funders Reboot Democracy targets.
• New America: Think tank with a dedicated Open Technology Institute and programs on democracy, civic engagement, and election integrity. Comparable as a larger, established institution operating civic-tech programming and policy convenings across the same stakeholder ecosystem.
• Knight Foundation: Major national philanthropic foundation with a multi-hundred-million-dollar civic-tech and democracy grantmaking portfolio. A much larger, established incumbent in the same funder-side ecosystem that Reboot Democracy serves, often the actual capital source behind civic-tech accelerators.
• Democracy Fund: Non-partisan private foundation focused on election administration, voting, and a healthy democracy. Operates grantmaking, convenings, and the Democracy Fund Voice network in the same democracy-tech space Reboot Democracy targets, serving as both competitor for donor attention and potential partner/funder.

Direct peers

• New Media Ventures: Mission-driven fund and accelerator supporting startups leveraging media and technology for progressive social change. Already a documented event co-host with Reboot Democracy (August 2018 'Making Every Voice Count'), making it a directly comparable accelerator/fund hybrid operating in the democracy-tech pipeline.
• Civic Nation: Non-profit that builds and backs civic-engagement campaigns and programs (e.g., voting, education). Comparable to Reboot Democracy as a non-profit using technology and convenings to mobilize civic participation and connect funders to cause-driven initiatives.
• Code for America: Non-profit civic-tech organization that runs brigades, accelerator-style programs, and direct government partnerships to deploy technology for public services. Closest comparable to Reboot Democracy in mission (strengthening democracy through technology), non-profit structure, and community-driven operating model.
• Civic Hall: New York-based civic-tech co-working and community hub that convenes civic-tech practitioners, hosts events, and runs programming. A documented Reboot Democracy co-host (August 2017 'Citizen Engagement'), and directly comparable as a civic-tech community-builder serving similar founders and funders.
• Personal Democracy Media: Producer of the Personal Democracy Forum conference and civic-tech community content. Directly comparable as a long-running civic-tech event/convening organization with overlapping audience of technologists, campaigners, and funders.

Others

• Blue State Digital: Digital agency and technology services firm for non-profits, political campaigns, and advocacy organizations. Comparable as a commercial operator in the democracy-tech services market — adjacent rather than directly competitive, but serving overlapping clients (e.g., Vote.org) and a potential ecosystem partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RebootDem
• Xx.com/rebootdem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rebootdem

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Reboot Democracy