Two Aussie scale-ups acquired by US GovTech leader

Two Australian GovTech innovators, Bang the Table and OpenCities, have been acquired by Granicus, a US provider of cloud-based civic engagement technology and services for the public sector. Bang the Table is the company behind community engagement solution EngagementHQ, while OpenCities is a leading digital customer journey platform that helps local governments transform their websites, digital forms and service delivery experiences.

These acquisitions follow extended periods of growth for Bang the Table and OpenCities. Bang the Table has doubled its revenue and expanded its global reach over the past three years, now operating in four continents. OpenCities has also grown to power millions of daily interactions for cities, counties and states across Australia, New Zealand and North America.

Granicus CEO Mark Hynes said OpenCities, Bang the Table and Granicus will bring together the industry’s most comprehensive resident data and pair it with intelligent, multichannel delivery platforms to give governments the ability to enable intuitive, predictive and personalised digital experiences.

“Great digital customer experiences are driven by data and modern experience platforms, and great resident experiences with government require the same. Together, we’re igniting deeply informed, transparent and responsive governments, better-engaged communities, and dynamic experiences that deliver meaningful outcomes for governments and the people they serve,” said Hynes.

Combining the technologies from three GovTech market innovators into a single platform will help transform how governments and residents engage. Bang the Table CEO and co-founder Matt Crozier said that governments need to utilise online community consultation and engagement, adding that the opportunity presented by the next phase of GovTech is for governments to engage their full communities using integrated platforms.

“If you want to truly engage the vast majority of residents, and collectively meet the challenges of government in 2021, you have to do it at every stage of interaction with your communities. By the same token, accessibility, inclusivity and equity are critical factors that must be embedded in the fabric of modern governments. With Granicus and OpenCities, we will help government agencies make smarter decisions informed by the full community at scale,” said Crozier.

Alex Gelbak, CEO and co-founder of OpenCities, said the acquisition will help customers automate the entire civic engagement life cycle, reaching every resident efficiently and helping them to know that their views and participation are valued.

“Combining our innovative technology and bold vision, we empower more governments to deliver transformative, next-generation resident self-service experiences. And with data insights from the 250 million-strong Granicus Subscriber Network, we can proactively test and evolve that experience, ensuring agencies not only keep up, but always stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated resident expectations,” said Gelbak.

Following the acquisitions, Crozier will take on the role of Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand for Granicus, while Gelbak will serve as General Manager, Global Platform Strategy. The acquisition of two Australia-based companies will also extend Granicus’s commitment to Australia and New Zealand governments, where the combined organisation services more than 350 governments, while also introducing solutions to more agencies in the US, Canada and the UK.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/peshkova