During election season, many of us are reflecting on how different laws might affect our lives. For some lobbyists and nonprofits, though, this is a more regular consideration—election year or not. These entities work to influence laws on a steady basis, and now a Raleigh-based startup wants to help them do so more efficiently.
Roboro AI was founded in 2023 by Jenny Bo, Paul Rava, and James Gieszelmann. The three co-founders shared a goal of making it easier for users to understand what’s happening in government and act accordingly.
Today, the startup’s platform empowers its clients—including lobbying firms, nonprofits, and trade organizations—to advocate for the causes they believe in and help pass meaningful legislation.
The platform’s latest version was launched in April this year, as the North Carolina legislature short session was starting.
How It Works
Roboro AI condenses different programs and software systems to provide a resource more efficient than the plethora of state legislature websites available. The platform also cites its sources to ensure the information it provides can be verified.
“We’re limiting the data that we feed into Roboro,” Bo said, “to write the specific legislation that the user cares about.”
As an example of how it works, a given user might be an advocacy organization leader who needs to read a summary of a bill from North Carolina. Roboro AI would help by generating an accurate description of what the bill does, citing sources like the NC General Assembly website.
If the bill is particularly long and a user has a specific question, they can type it into the platform’s search bar. For example, the user might ask, “When will the bill take effect and which counties would it impact?”
Users can also track legislation and opt to receive text messages or emails to stay updated on any significant changes in a bill.
In addition to providing raw information, these processes can help uncover which legislators users need to talk to in order to advance or oppose a bill. This is crucial in lobbying and political advocacy, because building relationships with the right people can impact whether legislation ultimately passes or not.
Roboro AI allows its clients to “do the things that humans do best, which is build relationships,” Bo said, without having to worry about researching every detail of a bill. To that end, she also stressed that the startup is not working to fully replace humans in the government relations industry.
“We often talk to our clients about how we’re not building Terminators, we are building Iron Man suits,” Bo said.
Bo said the platform is ultimately unique because it focuses on local and state-level issues. She believes the platform will drive meaningful changes, whether on behalf of a large company working to pass a healthcare law, or a smaller nonprofit advocating for underprivileged children.
The Business Side—And What’s Next
Bo, Rava, and Gieszelmann are in the process of converting from beta clients to paid contracts. The startup is using a subscription pricing model, allowing customers to choose between a monthly or annual fee.
“We offer a number of different price tiers that are customized based on different segments for users,” Rava said. He added that the lobbyist market is substantial, and that the total addressable market (TAM) for the legal tech industry amounts to billions of dollars.
Rava also noted that the startup is using a market strategy called displacement, whereby it will offer a superior product in an industry where there are already investors. In Roboro AI’s case, the platform provides a quicker, more accurate product than its competitors.
Roboro AI has been operating in stealth mode, but is currently seeking seed funding—and recently received an investment from GrepBeat sister company, Primordial.
QUICK BITS
Startup: Roboro AI
Co-Founders: Jenny Bo (President), James Gieszelmann (CTO), & Paul Rava
Founded: 2023
Location: Raleigh
Website: roboro.ai
Funding: Seed
Moving forward, Rava said that Roboro AI can provide an option to lobbyist groups, nonprofits or other potential clients that are not yet leveraging technology. The startup also plans to expand geographically, with Bo noting that the team aims to operate in all 50 states and incorporate data from federal legislation as well.
Bo said the next version of Roboro AI will also include committee insights. This function will allow users to keep up with specific committees by listening to audio and reading transcriptions from meetings.
The three co-founders are also equipping the platform to provide data needed to determine congressional members’ priorities. For example, the platform could identify which senators and representatives would support a bill protecting the environment and who should sponsor that legislation. This would help lobbyists decide whom to reach out to.
Ultimately, the people who stand to benefit from Roboro’s growth include lobbying entities such as companies, universities, and even politically active citizens. These and other potential users will be better equipped to understand and act on legislation.
Fittingly, the name “Roboro” comes from a Latin root meaning “to enhance, strengthen, and empower.”
