Smart City Policy Group
Smart City Policy Group is an Austin, Texas-based policy consulting firm founded in 2017 that advises local, state, and federal governments and technology companies on regulatory strategy for short-term rentals, ride-hailing, gig economy, eVTOL, drone, and AI policy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Smart City Policy Group does
Smart City Policy Group is an Austin, Texas-based policy consulting firm founded in 2017 by Matt Curtis, a former aide to two Austin mayors. The firm bridges the gap between the innovation economy and local, state, and federal government, advising clients on regulatory strategy for short-term rentals, ride-hailing, the gig economy, and emerging technologies such as eVTOLs, drone delivery, microtransit, and AI in government. Its core services include Regulatory Innovation & Strategy, Compliance & Tax Remittance advisory, Community Connection facilitation, Urban Mobility & Infrastructure consulting, Workforce Development advisory, Community & Economic Impact Studies, and Public Relations & Advocacy. The firm is founder-controlled, privately held with no disclosed outside investment, and operates nationally with documented international work in Aruba.
The firm monetizes through professional services engagements (consulting fees) plus event and content revenue. Its annual Smart City Policy Summit, first held in 2019, is positioned as a first-of-its-kind short-term rental regulations conference, and the founder's 2022 book 'Long-term Solutions for Short-term Rentals' functions as a thought-leadership asset. The company also publishes the Smart City Policy Report newsletter and maintains affiliate media properties (STR Policy News, STR Policy Stories, ACES). Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on the founder's and consultants' direct relationships with city halls, county commissioners, and Congressional offices, supplemented by content marketing on its website and earned media coverage in outlets such as the New York Times, VRM Intel, and Smart Cities Dive.
The team is composed of former policymakers, mayors, and industry leaders, including a former Mayor of Pleasanton, former City Managers from Buda and Elgin, Texas, a Capitol Hill veteran with Ted Kennedy and Senate Judiciary experience, and a former head of Austin's Music and Entertainment Division. Named clients include Austin Film Society, Ascension Seton, Austin Project Connect, and Glynn County, Georgia, with a central focus on Central Texas municipal and county governments. The firm has a partnership with Matthew McConaughey's Greenlights Grant Initiative to help municipalities and schools access federal funding, indicating a recent push into federal funding advisory.
Smart City Policy Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smart City Policy Group
- Legal name
- Smart City Policy Group
- Website
- https://smartcitypolicygroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Smart City Policy Group is an Austin, Texas-based policy consulting firm founded in 2017 that advises local, state, and federal governments and technology companies on regulatory strategy for short-term rentals, ride-hailing, gig economy, eVTOL, drone, and AI policy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smart City Policy Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Government Policy Consulting
- NAICS
- Administration of Economic Programs (9261)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA), Local Transportation, Parking & Mobility Administration (BPAIACAM)
Keywords
Where Smart City Policy Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smart City Policy Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Policy Consulting Services: Consulting services for local governments, counties, and innovative companies navigating regulatory landscapes. Services include regulatory innovation strategy, compliance and tax remittance, community connection facilitation, and government relations advocacy.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Smart City Policy Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smart City Policy Group is a policy consulting firm that helps cities, counties, and innovative companies navigate the regulatory landscape of the New Economy. It provides regulatory innovation and strategy advisory, compliance and tax remittance guidance (notably for short-term rentals and the sharing economy), community connection facilitation between innovative companies and local governments, urban mobility and infrastructure consulting, and public relations and advocacy services.
Product overview
Smart City Policy Group is a consulting advisory firm (not a software product company) that offers a suite of professional services focused on bridging the gap between the innovation economy and local governments. The core offerings include Regulatory Innovation & Strategy consulting, Compliance & Tax Remittance Advisory, and Community Connection facilitation services. The company also publishes the book "Long-term Solutions for Short-term Rentals," hosts the annual Smart City Policy Summit conference, and distributes the Smart City Policy Report newsletter. Additional services cover Urban Mobility & Infrastructure Consulting, Workforce Development Advisory, Community & Economic Impact Studies, and Public Relations & Advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Smart City Policy Report: The company's newsletter providing news and updates on smart city policy issues.
- Smart City Policy Summit
Products and services
- Regulatory Innovation & Strategy
Quantifiable outcome
- Hosted 2019 first-of-its-kind short-term rental regulations conference with attendees from all sides of STR industry
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Smart City Policy Group
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Smart City Policy Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Smart City Policy Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Austin Film SocietyminorPartnership for solutions tailored to local needs in Central Texas region.
- Ascension SetonminorPartnership for local healthcare solutions and community engagement initiatives.
- Greenlights Grant Initiative (Matthew McConaughey)corePartnership to help municipalities and schools access federal funds for critical safety improvements. Matt Curtis works with McConaughey's initiative to secure federal funding.
- Central Texas City Halls and County GovernmentscoreFacilitating local and regional collaboration among Central Texas city halls and county governments on policy issues.
- NY Times / VRM Intel / Smart Cities DiveminorMedia coverage and article placements in major industry publications covering smart city policy topics.
- Smart City Policy Summit PartnerscoreConference bringing together city regulators, travel industry, and vacation rental managers. Features attendees from all sides of STR industry including city regulators, travel industry, and vacation rental managers.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Smart City Policy Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Subject Matter: Government affairs and strategic communications firm that advises cities, corporations, and advocacy groups on policy and regulatory issues. Highly comparable to SPG's model of bridging innovators with local government stakeholders.
- Capitol Partners: Founded by SPG team member Jonathan Orloff, Capitol Partners is a federal government relations firm serving corporate and trade association clients. Direct comparable in government relations consulting tied to the same individual.
- Quinn Thomas Public Affairs: Public affairs and campaign firm specializing in communications, ballot measures, and policy advocacy for municipalities, corporations, and associations. Comparable scope and client mix to SPG.
- Marathon Strategies: Public affairs and strategic communications firm serving corporate, nonprofit, and government clients with policy advocacy, media relations, and crisis communications. Similar boutique scale and integrated service mix.
- Forbes Tate Partners: Public affairs and strategic communications firm serving corporate, nonprofit, and government clients with policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement. Similar boutique scale and integration of policy + PR services.
- ROKK Solutions: DC-based public affairs firm providing government relations, strategic communications, and public affairs consulting to corporations and advocacy organizations. Comparable as a peer-level policy/communications consultancy serving regulated industries.
Regional players
- VRM Intel: Media and intelligence platform covering the vacation rental industry, including regulatory and policy developments. Comparable given SPG's deep focus on short-term rental policy and prior media partnerships with VRM Intel.
Others
- Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA): Industry association for vacation rental managers that engages in advocacy, education, and policy work on STR regulation. Adjacent ecosystem player; SPG team member Jamie Michel sits on VRMA committees, evidencing direct overlap.
Broad incumbents
- SKDKicker (SKDK): National public affairs and political consulting firm with integrated communications, advertising, and policy advocacy across sectors. Larger incumbent with overlap in policy advisory for regulated industries.
- Ogilvy Government Relations: Government relations and public affairs arm of WPP/Ogilvy offering lobbying, policy advocacy, and communications at the federal, state, and local levels. Operates as a much larger incumbent competing for similar mandates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Smart City Policy Group social profiles
Digital presenceSmart City Policy Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smart City Policy Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Smart City Policy Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smart City Policy Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smart City Policy Group
What does Smart City Policy Group do?
Smart City Policy Group is a policy consulting firm that helps cities, counties, and innovative companies navigate the regulatory landscape of the New Economy. It provides regulatory innovation and strategy advisory, compliance and tax remittance guidance (notably for short-term rentals and the sharing economy), community connection facilitation between innovative companies and local governments, urban mobility and infrastructure consulting, and public relations and advocacy services.
Is Smart City Policy Group a public or private company?
Smart City Policy Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Smart City Policy Group founded?
Smart City Policy Group was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Smart City Policy Group based?
Smart City Policy Group is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smart City Policy Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: policy Consulting Services.
Who are Smart City Policy Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Subject Matter, Capitol Partners, Quinn Thomas Public Affairs, Marathon Strategies, Forbes Tate Partners and ROKK Solutions. VRM Intel is listed as a regional player. Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are SKDKicker (SKDK) and Ogilvy Government Relations.
Does Smart City Policy Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smart City Policy Group.
What industry is Smart City Policy Group in?
Smart City Policy Group's product category is Government Policy Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAJ, Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities), with a secondary code of BPAIACAA, Mayor/City Manager & General Administration. Its NAICS code is 9261.