Entrepreneurs to help town simplify, innovate with government

Entrepreneurs might be able to teach the Town of Chapel Hill something about problem solving.

Today, the town will partner with Launch Chapel Hill to host GovCups, an event designed to encourage innovation in government.

“The purpose of hosting GovCups, from our perspective, is to hold an event for our employees that allows them to participate in an event that entrepreneurs use and learn from the model,” said Rae Buckley, organizational effectiveness coordinator for the town.

GovCups was adapted from a similar program called 1 Million Cups, which was originally created by Missouri-based Kauffman Laboratories for Enterprise Creation.

The event is held at dozens of cities across the country. The local affiliate program is organized by business accelerator Launch Chapel Hill.

The 1 Million Cups program allows participants six minutes to pitch their ideas before a panel of critics, usually businesspeople.

“It’s kind of like a church for entrepreneurs — it’s a regular event that brings together entrepreneurs in a very welcoming, safe environment to talk about what they’re doing,” said Dina Mills, program manager of Launch.

Mills said GovCups will follow a similar pattern, though targeting a different audience.

“The event is geared toward government employees and the pitches will be provided to government employees,” Buckley said.

It will be the first time an adaptation of the 1 Million Cups program will be applied specifically to government innovation.

“I think that’s what we’re trying to achieve as an organization: Looking for ways that we can learn and think differently about the services we provide,” Buckley said.

The two companies presenting at GovCups are Cityzen, headed by co-founder and CEO Jay Dawkins, and Pavonis PIX, led by president Richard Boyd.

Cityzen seeks to engage the community by including feedback tools in social media and online news, then amassing response data and giving it to policy makers.

Boyd said Pavonis PIX combines interactive gaming software with city planning, allowing policy makers to tailor the evolution of cities and towns by building a virtual model of the city.

“If there is some co-design and co-creation between the people that live there and the leadership and the businesses that make it what it is, then I think you’ll end up with a better outcome,” he said.

Boyd said GovCups gives North Carolina the chance to become an epicenter for ideas and innovation.

“I’m looking for the sort of environment to discuss ideas, and this seemed like an opportunity to do that,” he said.

If the program is successful this year, Buckley said the town hopes to recreate it in future years.

“We’re testing out whether this is a model that could be beneficial for our employees,” she said.

“Hopefully it’s something that people find valuable and we can use it in some way.”

city@dailytarheel.com