Staff Software Engineer

Policy management tech firm Esper raises fresh capital. The company, founded in 2018, has also appointed two gov tech veterans as Esper embraces AI and builds out its products. CEO and co-founder Maleka Momand gives more details about these developments. March 10, 2026 - Esper, a supplier of policy management software to state and local governments, has raised fresh funding and made new executive appointments as the company continues to expand in such places as Kansas and New York City. The company, founded in 2018, declined to detail how much it has raised. Esper did not confirm that figure on Tuesday, but CEO Maleka Momand said that total funding exceeds that amount - even as the company tries to make sure it doesn't grab more capital than it can handle. "We've been very careful [with funding]," she told Government Technology. "We've seen a lot of other government technology companies raise too much money and struggle to grow into [their] valuation." In any case, 8VC and Cota Capital led the new investment round, which also included Stand Together Ventures Lab. The capital will go toward hiring, expanding into more state and cities, and product development. "There's a huge list of features we want to start tackling and go to market [with]," Momand said, adding that AI is part of that mix. Esper's government clients collectively serve more than 130 million U.S. residents, with Kanas recently becoming the company's fourth statewide customer. Esper also has, within the past year, expanded into "multiple New York City departments, several state health agencies, and other forward-looking state and local governments," according to a statement from the company. The new funding comes less than a year after Esper launched a government policy library. "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, in the statement. Along with the funding, Esper also announced two appointments: Josh Ellars as chief revenue officer and Rich McVey as chief operating officer. Ellars has leadership experience with government technology companies OpenGov and GovGTM. McVey also held senior positions at OpenGov. Though Esper had positive cash flow last year, and did so with a relatively small team, the two new hires have the expertise to help the company get even bigger, Momand said.

Esper secures new funding round led by 8VC and Cota Capital. March 10, 2026 Esper today announced a new round of funding led by 8VC and Cota Capital, with participation from Stand Together Ventures Lab. The raise caps a record-breaking year of growth and expanding partnerships across state and local government. Policy underpins every government function, from health and public safety to licensing and finance. As the best-in-class system of record for policy and regulation, Esper provides a centralized platform where governments can create, manage, and operationalize the policies that shape public services. Today, agencies partnering with Esper collectively serve over 130 million Americans, strengthening the delivery, transparency, and effectiveness of the services communities rely on. Most recently, the State of Kansas became Esper's fourth statewide customer, partnering with the company to modernize regulatory management at scale and set a new benchmark for statewide policy infrastructure. Over the past year, Esper also expanded within multiple New York City departments, several state health agencies, and other forward-looking state and local governments. Esper was also named to the GovTech 100 for the fifth consecutive year, recognizing the most innovative companies transforming state and local government technology. "Government works best when policy works," said Maleka Momand, CEO of Esper. "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." "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." With new investment and strengthened leadership, including the appointments of government technology industry veterans Josh Ellars as Chief Revenue Officer and Rich McVey as Chief Operating Officer, Esper is accelerating the infrastructure that powers public governance at scale. At its core, Esper is a force for good, equipping public servants with the tools they need to deliver clearer rules, stronger accountability, and measurable results for the American people. About Esper Esper is the system of record for government policy and regulation, empowering agencies to strengthen accountability, improve operations, and drive better outcomes for the communities they serve. Learn more at esper.com.