Esper Raises New Funding to Overhaul Government Policy Infrastructure

AUSTIN, Texas – March 10, 2026 – GovTech firm Esper announced a significant new round of funding today, signaling continued investor confidence in its mission to modernize the foundational systems of government. The investment, led by venture capital firms 8VC and Cota Capital with participation from Stand Together Ventures Lab, comes on the heels of a record year for the company, marked by national expansion and key additions to its leadership team.

Esper provides a centralized software platform designed to be the "system of record" for public policy, a digital backbone for the complex process of creating, managing, and analyzing government regulations. The new capital injection is earmarked to accelerate the adoption of this infrastructure, which is already used by agencies serving over 130 million Americans.

The Digital Engine Room of Governance

At the core of every government function, from public health and safety to business licensing and finance, lies a complex web of policies and regulations. For decades, the management of this critical information has been relegated to a patchwork of disconnected tools—Word documents, spreadsheets, and outdated databases—creating inefficiencies, hindering collaboration, and obscuring transparency. Esper was founded to address this fundamental challenge.

The company's cloud-based platform provides a unified environment for the entire policy lifecycle. It allows public servants to collaboratively draft new rules, track changes, manage public comment periods, and analyze the impact of regulations over time. By replacing fragmented legacy systems, Esper aims to create a single source of truth for policy, reducing administrative burdens and freeing up government employees to focus on substantive work.

"Government works best when policy works," said Maleka Momand, CEO of Esper, in a statement today. "For too long, the systems behind policy have been fragmented, outdated and neglected. We built Esper to strengthen the foundation of governance itself, giving public servants best-in-class infrastructure to collaborate more effectively, increase transparency, and deliver better outcomes for the people they serve. When policy works, communities thrive."

This approach is part of a broader shift in the GovTech sector. While many companies focus on citizen-facing services or specific departmental functions like permitting, Esper targets the underlying "operating system" of government itself. The platform's features include algorithms that can compare regulations across different jurisdictions, helping policymakers identify best practices and avoid reinventing the wheel. It also provides data-driven insights, flagging rules that are outdated or reference repealed laws, enabling a more proactive and evidence-based approach to governance.

A Vote of Confidence from Silicon Valley

The new funding round is a strong endorsement of Esper's strategy and its progress to date. The lead investors, 8VC and Cota Capital, are not new to the company's journey, with Cota having led its Series A round in 2021. Their continued and expanded investment underscores a deep belief in the market opportunity for modernizing government infrastructure.

8VC, in particular, has a dedicated focus on transforming major industries through technology, including government. The venture firm, co-founded by Joe Lonsdale, has a history of building and backing companies that tackle complex, systemic problems. Their investment thesis in GovTech centers on empowering public servants with modern tools to make government more efficient and responsive.

"Esper is tackling one of the most consequential challenges facing America today: ensuring our institutions are equipped to govern effectively in a complex, fast-moving world," said Joe Lonsdale, General Partner at 8VC. "By bringing greater clarity and structure to how policy is managed, the company is helping governments perform at a higher level. Esper has already made meaningful progress nationally, and its long-term impact on the effectiveness and resilience of American government will be profound."

The participation of Stand Together Ventures Lab further highlights the unique positioning of Esper. As an investment group focused on ventures that address pressing societal challenges, their support validates the company's mission not just as a business opportunity, but as a force for positive social impact by improving the efficacy of public institutions.

From Theory to Practice: National Expansion and Impact

Esper's growth is not just a story of investment; it's one of tangible adoption and expanding reach. The company's platform is now a critical tool for a growing number of state and local governments across the country, a fact recognized by its fifth consecutive inclusion in the prestigious GovTech 100 list.

Most recently, the State of Kansas signed on as Esper's fourth statewide customer. This partnership aims to overhaul the state's regulatory management at scale, establishing a new benchmark for policy infrastructure. By centralizing its regulatory processes on Esper's platform, Kansas seeks to improve efficiency, enhance transparency for its citizens and businesses, and ensure its rules are up-to-date and effective.

In addition to statewide adoption, Esper has deepened its footprint within major metropolitan areas, expanding its partnerships with multiple departments in New York City. These engagements, along with work for several state health agencies, demonstrate the platform's flexibility in serving diverse governmental needs, from the highest levels of state administration down to specific city-level operations.

The ultimate goal, as emphasized by the company, is to improve the delivery of public services for the 130 million Americans who live within the jurisdictions of its government partners. By creating clearer rules and enabling stronger accountability, a more efficient policy-making process translates into more reliable, transparent, and effective services that communities depend on.

Charting the Course for Future Growth

Armed with fresh capital and a proven track record, Esper is poised to accelerate its growth. A key part of this strategy involves strengthening its leadership team with seasoned industry veterans. The recent appointments of Josh Ellars as Chief Revenue Officer and Rich McVey as Chief Operating Officer are designed to scale the company's sales and operational capabilities to meet growing demand.

This expansion is occurring within a larger context of sweeping digital transformation across the public sector. Governments at all levels are under increasing pressure to modernize their operations, driven by citizen expectations for seamless digital services and the urgent need to replace aging, insecure legacy systems. The move to cloud-based platforms, the adoption of data analytics for decision-making, and the focus on digital agility are no longer aspirational goals but essential components of modern governance.

Esper's solution is well-positioned at the intersection of these trends. By providing a specialized, cloud-native platform, it enables government agencies to leapfrog generations of technology and implement a modern, data-driven approach to their core function: making and managing policy. As governments continue their migration away from analog processes and siloed digital tools, platforms that provide foundational infrastructure are becoming increasingly critical. The company's focus on the regulatory and policy layer positions it as a vital partner in building a more efficient, responsive, and resilient government for the 21st century.