If you work in government (or a related organisation), we bring you tools that make it easy to involve citizens in decision making. People working in government have suffered too long with digital tools that aren't good enough. We're helping change that.
For citizens (and we're all citizens), our goal is better public services and a healthy, functioning democracy. The relationship between those who govern and those who are governed is evolving. Our platforms make it easier for you to be involved in policy decisions and the design of public services.
We're not some huge business that makes excessive profits from government contracts.
There are about 25 of us, based around the world (Bristol and Edinburgh in the UK, Canberra in Australia and Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand).
We're a for-profit social venture, working for the triple goals of profit, people and planet.
We're lean because we want to be able to offer outstanding tools at prices that make sense for government, and because, well, waste makes no sense. Size hasn't limited what we can deliver: we've worked with government at the highest levels on projects that are high profile, but we're affordable for everyday use.
We started doing this in 2001. We didn’t invent digital democracy, but we’ve been around it for a long time.
One thing that's always mattered to us (and we think sets us apart) is that our brand of digital democracy is engaging both inside and outside the government building.
It takes two to do the democracy tango. Our platforms improve the interaction between government and citizens – for everyone.
Government and software procurement too often go together like strawberries and a hole in the head (like Fred Astaire and gingivitis? Like toothpaste and orange juice?). We're determined to make it a happier situation. We're passionate advocates of:
Definitions are fiddly, but our ethos is probably closest to a social enterprise. We're an enterprise (we sell things – they're valuable) that does social good (profit at any cost is a false economy). We prize several principles in the way we operate:
We constantly meet dedicated people working in government, with a deeply-felt public service ethos which we find inspiring.
Our tools have been co-designed and co-funded by our customers. We love seeing how they're used, and customers are constantly surprising us with inventive ways to use the tools and engage citizens on issues that matter.
I really like the fact that people like me can be part of this. I have opinions and use services but this is the first time I have been asked what I think.
UK citizen taking part in a discussion via Dialogue
In going out and consulting about a budget which is a number, we heard stories about what people value and how they want to live their lives.
Brian Pincott, Councillor for Ward 11, City of Calgary, Canada
Citizen Space has transformed the way we are able to engage.
Peter Bradley, Head of Consultation, Transport For London, UK
Delib founders Chris Quigley and Andy Parkhouse sat down with Delib director Ben Fowkes to lift the lid on the company's unusual background in political satire and involvement in some of the landmark moments in digital democracy history.
Sound good?
Talk to us