Building the Future
of Businesses:
Perspectives in
GovTech
with Joaquin Di Mario,
Mauricio Sestopal,
and Derick Wiesner
Building the Future of Businesses: Perspectives in GovTech at G4I 2025
At the GovTech 4 Impact World Congress 2025 in Madrid, the panel titled “Building the Future of Businesses: Perspectives in GovTech” brought together thought leaders from startups and global enterprises to discuss the evolving GovTech ecosystem and the opportunities for innovation in the public sector. The session was moderated by Natalia Laguyas, Lead Specialist at IDB Lab, USA, and featured:
- Joaquin Di Mario, CEO & Co-Founder of Ualabee,
- Mauricio Sestopal, CEO & Co-Founder of MuniDigital,
- Derick Wiesner, Senior Channel Sales and Alliances Manager, EMEA at Coursera.
The discussion highlighted the intersection between public sector needs and private sector solutions, emphasizing the potential of innovative businesses to enhance public services, optimize city operations, and improve citizens’ lives.
GovTech Beyond Multinationals
The panel opened with an acknowledgment that the GovTech market is no longer dominated by large multinational software companies. Startups and smaller enterprises are creating scalable solutions that address specific public sector challenges, from digitalizing municipal services to enhancing urban mobility. Joaquin Di Mario illustrated this through their mobility platform in Latin America, which integrates public transport, micromobility, and ride-hailing data to improve urban planning and commuter experience. By leveraging data analytics, AI, and SaaS models, Ualabee helps cities reduce traffic congestion, improve efficiency, and ensure profitable operations for mobility operators.
Mauricio Sestopal emphasized the importance of persistence in navigating public sector procurement, noting the challenges of long sales cycles, limited budgets, and bureaucratic hurdles. His approach combines patience, consistent engagement, and leveraging partnerships with organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank to build credibility and trust.
Public-Private Partnerships as a Catalyst
A recurring theme was the critical role of collaboration between governments and private enterprises. Derick Wiesner shared Coursera’s work in enabling digital education for government employees and public sector learners. Initiatives like the Career Academy program provide AI-driven, tailored learning paths, helping governments upskill employees efficiently while maximizing the impact on citizens. According to Wiesner, “Governments are not the enemy; they are partners in creating transformation for their citizens.”
Natalia Laguyas highlighted that startups must actively listen to government needs, adapt to procurement timelines, and foster relationships with key champions within administrations. The consensus among panelists was clear: trust, collaboration, and persistence are fundamental to successful GovTech engagements.
Opportunities in the GovTech Space
Panelists agreed that the GovTech market offers immense opportunities, especially in Latin America. Mobility, digitalization of municipal services, AI-driven analytics, and cross-sector collaborations represent areas ripe for investment and innovation. There is a particular need to support small and medium-sized municipalities, where even modest improvements can significantly enhance citizens’ quality of life.
Mauricio Sestopal shared a compelling example from Reconquista, a small Argentinian city of 15,000 residents, demonstrating how GovTech solutions can increase efficiency and enable local governments to provide better services, parks, and infrastructure for citizens.
Key Takeaways
- Startups are central to GovTech innovation – agile, scalable solutions are transforming public services.
- Persistence is essential – public sector engagement requires patience, consistency, and relationship-building.
- Data-driven insights and AI enable smarter decisions – municipalities can optimize services and resource allocation.
- Education and capacity-building bridge gaps – empowering government employees ensures successful adoption of technology.
- Collaboration is critical – partnerships between private companies, governments, and organizations like IDB Lab drive impactful outcomes.
- Opportunities exist at all levels – small municipalities benefit just as much as major cities from innovative GovTech solutions.
The panel concluded with a clear message: placing people, not technology, at the center of GovTech initiatives ensures meaningful impact, and now is the time to seize the opportunities the sector offers. By combining innovation, trust, and collaboration, startups and large companies alike can help governments deliver better services, improve efficiency, and enhance the quality of life for citizens.