Bill Gurley, Jack Altman back startup Pursuit, which helps companies sell to government

Mike Vichich's roots in Michigan instilled in him a deep respect for public service, shaped by a family of educators and military personnel. Reflecting on his upbringing, he expressed, "Public service was always a really admirable way to spend one’s life and one’s career." As a father of three, Vichich is motivated to foster a government that effectively meets its obligations. After a successful stint in consulting and the sale of his consumer company to Olo for $200 million in 2021, Vichich was ready for his next venture. Alongside Brandon Max, a founding engineer from his previous startup, they recognized a common challenge: navigating government sales was notoriously difficult. This realization led to the inception of Pursuit in 2023, a platform designed to assist businesses in securing government contracts. Recently, Pursuit announced a substantial $22 million seed funding round, spearheaded by Mike Rosengarten, co-founder of OpenGov. In total, the company has amassed $25.5 million in funding from notable investors, including Jack Altman, Bill Gurley, and Sam Hinkie. Pursuit utilizes advanced AI technology to analyze public data from approximately 11,000 state, local, and educational entities. Vichich explained that their system sifts through budgets, contract records, FOIA documents, and RFPs from various governmental levels. By transforming fragmented public information into cohesive opportunities, Pursuit identifies which agencies are most likely to require specific services over the upcoming year, using indicators such as budget allocations and organizational changes. Targeting companies aiming to sell to public agencies, Vichich likens Pursuit to an AI counterpart for its users, ensuring they stay informed about developments in their relevant sectors. Competitors such as Starbridge, GovSpend, and Deltek GovWin IQ operate in the same arena. However, Vichich envisions Pursuit as a catalyst for making government contract opportunities clearer and more accessible, noting the irony that the data has always been publicly available yet remains buried within countless websites and documents. He highlighted the historical challenges of accessing and interpreting this information, stating, "The cost of finding and parsing it has historically been too high relative to the value of any signal contract." Pursuit aims to change that narrative, bringing transparency and usability to government contracting processes.