KC-area startup earns spot in first-ever AWS accelerator for emerging GovTech companies

September 21, 2023  |  Startland News Staff

Lady Justice statue; unsplash image

A Lee’s Summit-based startup focused on developing tech for the criminal justice industry has been selected for Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) inaugural GovTech Accelerator cohort.

eHawk — led by co-founders Bart Cooper and Ted Green, a former bail bondsman and trial attorney — is one of 13 companies tapped for the program. The Kansas City-built technology is driven by its RePath platform, which seeks to decrease recidivism, increase operational efficiency, improve participant outcomes, and reinforce adherence to conditions in both pre-trial and post-trial supervision, showcasing a commitment to accountable practices and economical solutions.

The tool allows users to electronically supervise the criminal justice population previously omitted from any electronic monitoring platform.

Bart Cooper, eHawk

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Why KCRise Fund chose a Lee’s Summit-built criminal justice smartphone app for its first lead investment

As part of the four-week AWS GovTech Accelerator cohort, which begins this month, eHawk is set to receive business development resources, as well as AWS tools and technical guidance, to enhance eHawk’s mission. The program culminates with a demo day Nov. 14 at the State of GovTech conference.

The selected startups are focused on a wide range of solutions for first responders, emergency services, corrections, and other public safety agencies, according to AWS.

By leveraging AWS to develop the next generation of GovTech technology, the startups aim to address justice and public safety challenges, such as increasing community engagement, deterring crime, and reducing recidivism, said Kim Majerus, vice president of global education and U.S. state and local government at AWS.

“The AWS GovTech Accelerator was created to support the development of technologies that can address these challenges,” said Majerus. “The 13 startups selected have demonstrated a technology solution that has real-world application, and we are excited to work with them.”

Click here to learn more about the other 12 companies in the cohort, which hail from coast to coast with eHawk the sole Midwestern startup included.

Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) inaugural GovTech Accelerator cohort

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