Getting constituents to take a more active role in public policy is a tall order. Between increasingly busy schedules and potentially inconvenient meeting times or locations, it can be almost impossible to get an accurate picture of how voters feel about certain topics, above the few voices heard regularly. That’s where Madison-based Polco comes in.

Polco_logo

The company created an interactive, online platform for government officials to solicit input and gauge sentiment about public policy from constituents in their area. Polco requires users to be verified against a voter registration file, helping government officials ensure people are voting on policies only once and are actual members of the districts involved. The company is built to succeed, as team members came aboard with experience from industry giants like Google and Amazon.

Polco is already being recognized for its innovative approach: the company won the “People’s Choice” grand prize at the Pressure Chamber event, part of Madison’s Forward Festival. Winners of the event, organized by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, receive an expense-paid trip to pitch their ideas to Silicon Valley investors later this year. The company also took first place in its category at the 2016 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.

Polco is currently expanding to reach customers across the U.S., including districts in Wisconsin such as, Dane County and the City of Whitewater. Learn more about Polco.