Code for America's useful new startups

I've embedded the Code for America webinar introducing the first three startups its incubator has produced. It's an interesting hour in which three developers describe their software: all three applications provide tools that engage citizens with local government, not-for-profits, and community groups. I can think of lots of uses for each of them. They are:

Localdata - Localdata provides tools, both electronic and paper and pencil, that allows local organizers to collect data - on anything: how many trees need trimming? Where are the commercial corridors in a neighborhood? Once data are collected, the app allows you to analyze and map the data easily.

Textizen - Provides a text message survey platform - each survey gets its own phone number and residents phone in their thoughts. And each response can be turned into a conversation, engaging the resident more deeply.

CivicInsight - CivicInsight brings all government data about a community's empty spaces available in one place in a way that is easy to understand. You can try it out for New Orleans.

All three apps provide quick analytics.

You can see my last post about Code for America here.