Commonweal Ventures

In preparation for 2025, I put together a list of 25 startups, from pre-seed to pre-IPO, that are solving BIG problems related to the US government. If you are: -A government employee looking for products to help you tackle important challenges with your work -A VC diving deeper into the world of government markets and B2G -A founder looking for validation that solving government problems can fuel serious, scalable startups … then this is the list for you. On methodology: Companies are organized vertically by maturity. For example, in “Accessing Government Services,” Advocate (Series A) is on the top row while Bludot (Seed) is on the bottom row. This list does not include any defense companies. Lastly, this list is not exhaustive. There are lots of startups solving problems for government in innovative ways, and I am excited to see this space keep growing. The companies: Advocate, Multitude Insights, Deckard Technologies, Polimorphic, Kaizen Labs, Bludot Technologies Inc., Indigov, GovWell, Procurement Sciences, Govly, Civic Roundtable, Binti, Hayden AI, Kodex, Odyssey, Othram Inc., Peregrine, Mark43, RapidSOS, Flock Safety, Prepared, ForceMetrics, Cover, Blue Voice Inc. A sample of the investors backing these companies: Andreessen Horowitz, Insight, Battery Ventures, General Catalyst, Spark Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Founders Fund, SV Angel, Y Combinator, First Round Capital, 8VC, Gradient, Khosla Ventures, Craft Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Tusk Venture Partners

What will the second Trump presidency mean for founders and early-stage technology companies?   To explore this question, we spoke with Grace Koh, who advised President Trump at the White House on innovation and technology during his first term. Koh emphasized a central guiding principle: past is present. If you want to understand what a second Trump term might mean for the tech sector, start by looking at what he did in the first. Links to the full episode are in the comments. Here are four key takeaways:   1. Personnel is Policy -Key Trump technology appointees from the first term may return, shaping strategy for emerging technologies. -For example, Michael Kratsios served as White House CTO in the first term, during which he spearheaded initiatives on AI. He is now leading tech policy for the Trump Transition Team. -FCC member Brendan Carr, who was first appointed to the FCC in 2017, will be nominated by Trump to serve as FCC Chair. He is advocating for regulatory authority over the hyperscale tech platforms, or in his words, the “censorship cartel.” Given the FCC’s purview over broadcasting and internet, this would mark a major shift in tone towards Silicon Valley. -Other appointees are newer to the Trump orbit and have strong agendas. For instance, Paul Atkins was recently nominated as Chair of the SEC and is expected to be friendlier to the cryptocurrency industry than his predecessor.   2. Competition with China -The Trump administration will likely double down on export controls, tariffs, and industrial policies aimed at countering China's technology advances. Founders in areas like semiconductors and quantum computing should anticipate tightened regulations and scrutiny.   3. Deregulating AI -Expect a hands-off approach when it comes to AI. This could create opportunities for startups by reducing compliance burdens, though states like California may step in with their own rules.    4. Technology-Driven Government Efficiency -The DOGE initiative to modernize federal operations could open doors for GovTech companies deploying AI and software to replace personnel and cut costs. However, discretionary spending cuts might impact funding for innovation.  Two other big, open questions are immigration and antitrust. Trump’s longstanding stance on immigration suggests he may pull back on H1B visas, which could have significant implications for the talent pipelines for tech startups. It isn’t clear how FTC and DOJ will approach antitrust under a second Trump administration, whether they will maintain their current aggressive stance or shift direction. It is worth noting that the current DOJ suit against Google started under Trump.   Lastly, there is “first buddy” Elon Musk. Musk has substantial business interests across the automotive, space, and AI industries, and may use his position of influence to shape regulations or other government actions to preference his companies over those of his competitors.

Start-up that wants to partner with NVIDIA? I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Brown, the leader of NVIDIA's Inception program for start-ups, in my latest episode of Political Capital. Chris offered great advice for start-ups that want to work with NVIDIA. Three takeaways:   On-ramp for the NVIDIA’s Ecosystem: Inception is a way to break into the NVIDIA universe. Chris and the team at Inception help start-ups by connecting them with product teams, engineers, and potential enterprise customers, fostering a collaborative ecosystem where everyone wins.   Understand NVIDIA's Software Offerings: Many founders think of NVIDIA as a hardware company, but Chris highlighted how the company’s open-source software tools like RAPIDS (for data processing), Triton (for AI model deployment), and Merlin (for recommender systems) can cut months off your development time. Check them out!   Have a compelling case: NVIDIA runs the Inception program because the company benefits when start-ups integrate early with NVIDIA products and scale. So Chris evaluates potential partners in terms of their ability to grow. When you approach the company, be clear about your differentiation and why you’ll win. Chris called out healthcare and supply chain optimization as areas of particular focus where he believes AI can drive real impact.   We also explore how political institutions and national cultures shape entrepreneurship, what Russia gets wrong about venture capital investing, and why we should all consider living in Estonia. Link to the full episode in comments. Thanks again, Chris Brown!

How can America keep its competitive edge? Nate Loewentheil, founder and managing partner at Commonweal Ventures

Good morning 🦃🍁 We are looking for someone at the top of their game to build and lead Government Affairs and Public Policy Crux. This isn’t a normal Gov Affairs job. We’ll partner to design and execute the strategy — leading the conversation with data, insights, and market intelligence at an especially dynamic time in DC. We are looking for someone who is equal parts creative, commercial, and inquisitive. Experience in energy and tax is especially 🔥 Apply below and/or reach out to me directly: https://lnkd.in/gn3nUVaq

Our founder Nate Loewentheil recorded an episode of CleanTechies on the politics of climate tech. Check it out! Somil Aggarwal Silas Mähner 🔍🌎 Commonweal Ventures #climate #climatetech #politics #sustainability

We are very excited to have Nate Loewentheil, Commonweal Ventures, as our speaker at ER196 on Dec 3rd at 6:30PM at Microsoft Times Square! https://lu.ma/ge0tday0 Startups can also apply for a chance to pitch at the event! Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator Remarkable Ventures Remarkable Ventures Climate

Thanks Tech:NYC for the thoughtful questions and the spotlight! Link in comments. Excerpt below. Elan Kane, Julie Samuels. Q: You launched Commonweal Ventures in 2021. What was the catalyst for doing so? A: "...Partnerships with government can be powerful. Governments have unique attributes: they control proprietary data; they have special institutions like the military, intelligence agencies, and national laboratories; they have the unique power to police, tax, and regulate; and they have a differentiated time horizon and risk profile. I launched Commonweal Ventures because I saw a gap in the market among VCs who are typically skeptical of government. I believe partnership with government can be a critical unlock for early-stage technology companies and our job at Commonweal is to help companies build those partnerships."

Commonweal portfolio company Atomic Canyon today announced the first deployment of its Neutron Enterprise AI solution at Diablo Canyon Power Plant with Pacific Gas and Electric Company. This is the inaugural commercial installation of the first on-site generative AI deployment at a U.S. nuclear power plant. Diablo provides 17% of California's clean electricity. Atomic Canyon is helping power a brighter future for the nuclear industry in CA and beyond. Full press release in comments.

Y Combinator posted its request for Startups. Top three: Government software, public safety technology, Manufacture in the USA. When we launched Commonweal three years ago and started focusing on those sectors, we faced skepticism. But the market has moved 100% in our direction. We are in the right place at the right time and couldn't be more excited to be backing founders building companies that matter for America. Shout-out to a few of our portfolio companies in these markets: Government software: Deckard Technologies, Advocate Public safety: Multitude Insights, stealth company Manufacturing in the USA: ZAPBATT Inc. Plus Proximity Health, Pearl Edison, Crux, and Atomic Canyon, which are all at the intersection of government and industry.