Higher Ground Labs
Actively deployingChicago · Seed · 9 people tracked
Investment thesis
Higher Ground Labs invests in for-profit technology ventures that serve the political technology and advocacy sectors. The firm focuses on companies that demonstrate a clear business model and path to commercial returns in the political market. The accelerator program emphasizes rapid product-market fit, sales and marketing training, and integration into the broader political technology ecosystem. Alignment with HGL's stated investment thesis and demonstrated founder ability to execute in the political marketplace are key criteria. The firm prioritizes building sustainable, revenue-generating businesses over nonprofit structures, believing this approach drives greater rigor and effectiveness.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 20, 2026.
Team · 9 people
from the firm's websiteFounder of Higher Ground Labs in 2017 who has spent seven years leading the firm and building the political tech ecosystem. Previously served as a founding partner at 270 Strategies and as National Digital Organizing Director on the Obama Campaign, with recognition as a political tech innovator and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.
Veteran of both Obama Presidential campaigns who served as Special Assistant to the White House Counsel and Advisor to Federal Communications Chairman. Holds a BA from Williams College and MBA from Wharton Business School.
Experienced executive and policy leader who has served as Deputy CTO of the United States, partner at betaworks, CEO of Digg and Instapaper, senior executive at Medium and Tumblr, head of global public policy at Google, and Chief Policy Officer of ICANN. Holds degrees from Yale University and Harvard Law School.
Veteran of 15 years in social good and political tech, including roles as VP of Product and Engineering at Kiva, Senior Director of Product at Hillary for America, and Chief Product Officer at PDI. Experienced in scaling electoral and social impact organizations.
Brings two decades of political tech experience, most recently as co-founder and CEO of Quiller.ai, an AI content platform for campaigns that was acquired after incubation at Higher Ground Labs. Also served as a Policy Fellow at Harvard Ash Center and spent seven years on the HGL team.
Leads portfolio support, partnerships, and programs including the Progressive AI Lab. An award-winning innovator and strategist working at the intersection of technology and social impact across the US, UK, and Canada.
Community professional with expertise in program management, ecosystem building, and curriculum development. Previously served as Head of Programs at HBCUvc and Executive Director at Startup Atlanta.
Brings over a decade of advocacy and campaigns experience, most recently as Vice President of Mobilization at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. Previously worked at the DNC during the 2020 cycle and consulted for advocacy organizations including Planned Parenthood and the Fight for $15.
What they invest in
from 5 of 11 portfolio companiesEnterprise Software ×3GovTech ×3SaaS ×3AI & Machine Learning ×2LegalTech ×2AdTech ×1Advanced Manufacturing ×1Defense Tech ×1
HQs:United States×4
Investments · 11 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathCivitech builds technology infrastructure for political candidates, social causes, and local governments to increase voter registration and engagement. The platform provides voter data, SMS outreach tools, and campaign support to help underrepresented communities participate in the democratic process.
Enterprise SoftwareGovTechSaaS
Jeremy Smith(CEO and Co-founder)
Campaign tools platform where users performed 3.5 percentage points better than non-users in 2020.
Message testing platform that ran 457 tests on 1,700+ ads for the presidential campaign in 2024.
Volunteer engagement platform that resulted in 4% more vote share for campaigns in 2020.
JusticeText builds technology solutions for the criminal justice system, serving public defenders and marginalized communities to improve legal representation access regardless of income.
AI & Machine LearningGovTechLegalTechMedia & EntertainmentIrvine, US
Devshi Mehrotra(CEO)Leslie Jones-Dove(CTO)
Campaign platform where users earned 3.6% more vote share in the 2020 cycle.
Political donor advising platform that directed over $37 million and 300,000 donations to 750+ candidates in 2024.
Paladin develops autonomous drones and operational software for emergency response and public safety. The company provides first responder agencies with drone technology to improve situational awareness and response times during fires and other emergencies.
Advanced ManufacturingDefense TechGovTechHardwareRoboticsSaaSHouston, US
Divyaditya Shrivastava(Founder)inDivy Shrivastava(Founder and CEO)JeffJohn
Paladin operates a pro bono infrastructure platform that connects low-income individuals with volunteer attorneys and helps legal services organizations, law firms, and in-house legal teams manage volunteer programs. The platform enables centralized case management, volunteer recruitment, and impact reporting for civil and criminal legal services.
Enterprise SoftwareLegalTechSaaSNew York City, US
Influencer engagement platform focused on Gen Z social platforms.
Swayable provides a cloud-based platform that measures and optimizes the effectiveness of media content in changing public opinion. The service is used by major brands, agencies, foundations, and political campaigns to increase the impact of their messaging on key issues.
AdTechAI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSector AgnosticNew York City, US
James Slezak(Founder & CEO)in
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Higher Ground Labs invest at?
- Higher Ground Labs invests at the Seed stage.
- What is Higher Ground Labs's typical check size?
- Higher Ground Labs typically writes checks of $100K.
- What sectors does Higher Ground Labs focus on?
- Higher Ground Labs focuses on GovTech.
- Where is Higher Ground Labs located?
- Higher Ground Labs is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Does Higher Ground Labs lead rounds?
- Higher Ground Labs typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
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