Civic Marketplace Joins CivStart Ventures as Co-Design Partner for State of GovTech 2026

We're excited to share that Civic Marketplace is partnering with CivStart Ventures  to co-design State of GovTech 2026 . The event takes place September 9–10 at the Montgomery County Innovation Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Hosted by CivStart Ventures in partnership with Montgomery County and e.Republic, State of GovTech is one of the nation's premier GovTech conferences, bringing together government leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and technology innovators to shape the future of the public sector. As a co-design partner, Civic Marketplace will play an active role throughout the conference – leading discussions, showcasing real-world procurement solutions, and connecting agencies with trusted technology partners.

Opening Keynote

Civic Marketplace Co-Founder Ron Holifield will deliver the conference's opening keynote, setting the stage for two days of conversations around government innovation, leadership, and the future of technology in the public sector.

CIO Panel

Immediately following the opening keynote, Civic Marketplace will lead its first breakout session featuring CIOs from TXShare's cooperative purchasing network. The discussion will explore what's working and where agencies still face friction. The peer-to-peer panel format will look at what cooperative purchasing actually solves day to day and talk through what jurisdictions considering a co-op should know before joining.

From Months to Minutes

Later on Day One, our team will demonstrate how cooperative purchasing can dramatically accelerate procurement. Using a real procurement need from the audience, we'll search the Civic Marketplace platform live and show how agencies can identify an awarded cooperative contract in minutes instead of spending months navigating a traditional solicitation.

A Government Leader's Perspective

On Day Two, attendees will hear directly from a government leader who will share their organization's journey — from challenge to implementation to measurable outcomes — offering an honest look at how cooperative purchasing helped move a project forward.

Visit Us at the Conference

Civic Marketplace will have a dedicated booth throughout the conference where attendees can meet our team, connect with participating suppliers and agency partners, and explore how cooperative purchasing can help their organizations procure faster while remaining compliant.

We're also preparing additional opportunities exclusively for State of GovTech attendees, with more details to be announced soon.

The leaders attending State of GovTech are exactly who Civic Marketplace was built to serve. We're looking forward to two days of meaningful conversations, practical demonstrations, and new partnerships focused on helping governments buy smarter and move faster.

Learn more about State of GovTech 2026 at civstart.com/sogt26.