Pursuit, a startup focused on helping companies identify and win government contracts, has raised a $22 million Series A round as it expands its AI-driven platform designed to process fragmented public sector data and surface sales opportunities.
Founders Build On Public Service Motivation And Startup Experience
Mike Vichich, who grew up in Michigan in a family tied to public service, said that background shaped his interest in improving how government systems function. His parents worked as teachers, his uncle served in the FBI, and his grandparents were in the Army. After working in consulting, Vichich founded a consumer company that was acquired by Olo for $200 million in 2021.
Following the birth of his third child, Vichich and Brandon Max, a founding engineer at his previous startup, began evaluating new business ideas. They identified difficulties in selling to government entities as a recurring issue and launched Pursuit in 2023 to address that challenge.
Funding Round Led By Builders VC With Additional Investors
The Series A round was led by Mike Rosengarten of Builders VC, who is also a co-founder of OpenGov. With this round, Pursuit has raised a total of $25.5 million to date. Previous investors include Jack Altman, Bill Gurley, and Sam Hinkie.
AI Platform Aggregates And Analyzes Public Sector Data
Pursuit’s system continuously collects and processes public data from approximately 110,000 state, local, and education (SLED) entities. The platform scans budgets, contract registers, Freedom of Information Act records, and requests for proposals across states, school districts, counties, cities, and special districts.
The company said its AI organizes this fragmented information into structured opportunities. It identifies agencies most likely to purchase a customer’s services within a year by analyzing signals such as budget allocations, operational needs, and leadership roles.
Target Customers Include Companies Selling To Government Agencies
Vichich described Pursuit’s users as companies that sell products or services to public sector organizations. He said the platform acts as an “AI clone” that tracks developments across accounts, ensuring users remain informed about relevant contract opportunities.
Competitive Landscape And Data Accessibility Challenges
Pursuit operates alongside companies such as Starbridge, GovSpend, and Deltek GovWin IQ. Vichich said that while government data is publicly available, it is often dispersed across numerous websites and formats, including PDFs and recorded meetings.
He noted that the cost of locating and analyzing this data has historically exceeded the value of individual contract signals, positioning Pursuit as a system that organizes and processes this information into usable insights.
Featured image credits: Transnational Matters
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