Starbridge

What do gov & edu buyers actually want in a vendor experience? Our SLED Buyers Insight Playbook is out now ?? . Check it out: https://lnkd.in/e67Qxwdx

This week we’re doing something unconventional that all of my advisors told me was a bad idea. We’re making our RFPs, Competitor Purchase Info, and Contracts data publicly available as one off searches — for free. *But Justin - isn't Starbridge a data company - how can you possibly do that??* Well - on one hand - Starbridge is a data company - we aggregate data that is incredibly hard to source via antiquated government portals, impossible meeting minutes websites & freedom of information act requests at scale. On the other hand - we're really focused on using data to automate GTM workflows - not just build a database. What we've heard from so many companies is that responding to RFPs take so long that they avoid them all together or that they can't use meetings to inform outbound because it takes too long or competitor contract data isn't used properly because it's so messy and hard to get into the CRM. So we decided to publish a limited preview of all of it: for free - so that folks can make one off searches and check out our data themselves. Additionally - we just think its the right thing to do - it's insane to me that?government & education purchase information isn't available publicly without 110,000 FOIA requests - the fact that companies profit off of just building a clunky database of this information rather than actually improving it, making it actionable & searchable is borderline unethical to me-?and if companies want to access all of the data in bulk programmatically, enrich their CRM or automate entire GTM outbound workflows with the data then they can pay us for the service. . So the next time you are interested in understanding who X company works with or what RFP's are available in your market: just look up on Google Starbridge {Insert Your Search Here}

I was 19 when I set up my first exhibit table at SUNYRA And we got our very first two deals from it Back then, we hustled for every conversation Today, I’m sharing all the hacks I’ve learned over the years on how to make the most of conference time ?? Check it out: https://lnkd.in/e4gD-hmA

Today we’re launching our first (and hopefully not last) 10x feature: scaled personalized outbound campaigns. Create outbound campaigns using enriched contact information for state, local government & education economic buyers integrating signals such as: - Economic buyer job changes - New grants that have been received - New legislative changes/DOGE impacts - AI pilot program mentions - Curriculum adoption schedules - SIS, ERP, CAD, RMS, LMS & more modernization initiatives - Competitor contract expirations With export capability to run campaigns in Hubspot, Salesloft, Apollo & Outreach. We are already seeing partners triple their email response rates. Kudos to the team for awesome work on this!

We're loving the vibes at the #AASA2025 conference! If you see Nicole around, make sure to say hi ?? #NCE2025 #AASA

What SLED Leaders Wish Vendors Did Differently (Part 2) Jacob C., Strategy Lead at Success Academy, evaluates and implements tools that drive operational efficiency across one of the country’s most innovative charter school networks. His team sees firsthand what makes a vendor stand out—and what causes deals to stall. 1/ Align outbound with real priorities. The Success Academy team doesn’t start with tools; they start with problems. Cold outreach that assumes a need often misses the mark. The most effective vendors position their solutions as answers to existing challenges. 2/ Make demos actionable. “Our best vendor experience was one where the vendor asked for sample data before the demo, walked through real-world applications during the demo, and clearly showed how the tool would improve productivity. That level of preparation made the impact immediately clear." 3/ Act as a long-term partner. It's easy to see when a vendor is just in it for the initial sale. Schools want to see that you're going to provide hands-on support throughout implementation and have the documentation to support it. Jacob’s best sales experience: Canvas by Instructure. "The team has been incredible & our CSM has always been available to help support me when questions come up."

?? #MondayMVP Alert! ?? This week, we’re celebrating Sweyn Venderbush ?? - our brilliant CPO. Sweyn is the driving force behind Starbridge’s innovation. No challenge is too big, no detail too small. His strategic thinking and relentless focus keep our product and engineering teams moving at full speed. ?? “Sweyn's insight and product intuition make collaboration seamless, pushing our team forward efficiently. His ability to navigate complexity has been key to Starbridge’s early success.” – Selena, Head of Design Sweyn, we’re beyond lucky to have you!?

What SLED Leaders Wish Vendors Did Differently (Part 1) James Gant, M.A., CPM is the Borough Manager of Red Bank, NJ, overseeing municipal operations and major initiatives. His borough relies on 20+ government software solutions— giving him firsthand insight into what works and where vendors fall short. We asked Jim: What advice would you give to local gov vendors? 1/ Get to the point. “I don’t need the origin story. I want to get into the solution.” A short, useful demo wins. Bonus points if you follow up with a concise, 2-minute demo video that can be easily shared with other team members. 2/ Do your research. “If someone does their research, I’ll read their email—because then it’s not a cold call.” Frame outbound as offering a solution to an existing problem vs. assuming there’s a problem based on your solution. 3/ Social proof matters. “The first thing a city manager will ask is: Where is this already working?” Have strong references ready. 4/ Bring buyers into the product roadmap process. “A big plus for me is when companies are willing to tailor some of their features to our organizational needs.” Bring an engineer into a call & walkthrough together what it might look like. Jim’s best sales experience? vialytics. Clear value, no fluff. More insights coming next week #SLED #GovTech #PublicSectorSales #GovSales #B2G

There’s nothing I hate more than RFPs. Today, we’re sharing all the hacks Matt & I used as sellers to navigate the RFP process. (And how to avoid them…) Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gkERAQth

?? The GovTech Software Secretly Running Your Life (Part 1) Government technology is all around us, but it often gets overlooked. We’re spotlighting some of the hidden tech powering our daily lives. First up: Traffic Lights. The world spends over $11B on traffic lights each year. These aren’t just glorified timers. Modern systems use AI, sensors, and real-time data to adjust in real-time—clearing paths for emergency vehicles, reducing congestion and keeping public transit on schedule. Governments award massive contracts for this tech, and a few key players lead the market: ?? Econolite – Experts in adaptive signal control and vehicle detection. ??Iteris, Inc.– Innovators in AI-driven traffic analytics. ??TransCore – Specialists in intelligent traffic and tolling solutions. And the demand isn’t slowing down. Currently, there are 30+ active RFPs in Starbridge for traffic light maintenance alone. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry hiding in plain sight. And it’s just one example of the govtech software quietly running your life...