10 years on the GovTech 100

For the 10th consecutive year, PayIt has made the GovTech 100 list! Created in 2016, the GovTech 100 recognizes technology companies that focus on state and local government as their primary customer.

We’re proud to have been selected again this year, and to celebrate, we’ve collected some of PayIt’s most memorable milestones and achievements.

Here’s to 10 years of excellence, year by year:

2025

2025 was a heck of a year for PayIt. Strategic leadership hires, industry recognition, and major platform launches helped bring modern, resident-centric government services to new communities. 

• Steve Kovzan was appointed as Chief Financial Officer, bringing nearly three decades of government technology and finance experience to guide growth and strategy.
• PayIt was named a 2025 AWS Champion for Innovation.
• PayIt and Pueblo County, Colorado, launched a digital property tax solution in 25 days.

2024

In 2024, PayIt focused on investing in people, culture, and platform expansion — all while continuing to deliver solutions that reflect the evolving needs of government agencies.

• We were recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Kansas City Business Journal, highlighting PayIt’s strong culture and employee engagement.
• PayIt launched its first outdoor recreation platform (following the Sovereign Sportsman Solutions acquisition in 2023) —  a major step forward in serving fish and wildlife agencies.

2023

From acquisitions to successful launches, 2023 was a year of growth and brand evolution; PayIt scaled with purpose and sharpened its identity.

• PayIt acquired Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (S3), officially expanding the company into outdoor recreation and conservation technology.
• PayIt appointed Tom Nieto as President and Chief Operating Officer, bringing 15 years of leadership experience across government technology to the team.
• The City of Lansing, Michigan, property tax solution launched in just 35 days, demonstrating speed, agility, and execution in government delivery.
• PayIt won its first outdoor recreation contract post-acquisition, cementing the company’s expansion into fish and wildlife agencies.
• Published PayIt’s first Digital Government Adoption Index Report, establishing a new thought leadership pillar — now two annual reports focused on consumers and public sector leaders.
• PayIt reached a major milestone: serving over 100 million customers.

2022

A significant investment and measurable results reinforced confidence from both the market and government partners.

• PayIt closed a $90 million funding round with Macquarie Capital, providing the capital to accelerate platform expansion and deepen partnerships.
• Palm Beach County, Florida’s, all-in-one platform for traffic ticket and court fee collection, PayItClerkPBC, earned a 2022 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) — recognizing excellence in county government operations and digital service delivery.
• Guilford County, North Carolina, reported 83% on-time eBill payments using PayIt’s digital payment solution, highlighting improved compliance and resident convenience.

2021

In 2021, PayIt gained national recognition for its workplace culture and the real-world impact of its government platforms. We also moved to a new office (still in Kansas City, Missouri).

• payitSt.Louis was named a Smart 50 Awards recipient, recognizing the city’s digital payment platform as a standout example of innovation and effective technology use in government.
• PayIt’s headquarters moved to the Lightwell Building in downtown Kansas City to support the next stages of company growth.
• Made Forbes list of America’s Best Startup Employers 2021 — a nod to PayIt’s culture, employee satisfaction, and reputation as a fast-growing, people-first organization.

2020

PayIt played a critical role in helping governments adapt to unprecedented challenges. As agencies rapidly shifted away from in-person services, PayIt enabled continuity, speed, and resilience, earning national recognition. 

• Founder and CEO John Thomson was named a 2020 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (Heartland), recognizing leadership, innovation, and impact in government technology.
• PayIt headcount surpassed 100, reflecting increasing demand from government partners.
• MyNCDMV was named a finalist for the NASCIO State IT Awards.
• PayIt helped state and local agencies maintain essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting in-person services to digital, web, and mobile platforms.
  
  In 2020, the Collector of Revenue for the City of St. Louis saw the urgency of shifting traditional in-person services to online channels. The City worked with PayIt to launch an online earnings tax collection page in a matter of days so taxpayers could safely make their earnings tax payments without having to visit an office. In 2020 alone, over $1 million in online tax payments were collected.”

2019

2019 was a big year for PayIt. Highlights include significant investment, rapid revenue growth, and high-profile recognition for both its platform and leadership.

• Secured an investment of more than $100 million led by Insight Partners. It was a major growth milestone that drew national attention and was covered by TechCrunch, fueling PayIt’s expansion across states and services.
• iKan earned Fast Company’s 2019 Innovation by Design Award, recognizing Kansas’ statewide digital government app as a standout example of resident-centric service delivery.
• PayIt was recognized by the StateScoop 50 Awards — with iKan, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission app (developed by S3 prior to acquisition), and John Thomson all named finalists. 

2018

In 2018, PayIt established major government partnerships and earned recognition for leadership in public-sector innovation. The year laid critical groundwork for the company’s success.

• PayIt secured major partnerships with the State of Kansas and the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas, and launched iKan.
• PayIt CEO John Thomson was named a StateScoop 50 Industry Leadership Award Finalist in April 2018 for his role in driving change in government IT.
• PayIt also received a small additional investment from the Missouri Technology Corporation.

2017

PayIt formed foundational partnerships that would power major launches in the years ahead.

• A partnership with the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was announced. (That relationship is still going strong!)
• PayIt also partnered with the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), an initiative that would officially launch in 2018. (Also still going strong!)

2016

Ten years have flown by! Back in 2016, PayIt received an early investment, launched a flagship city partnership, and gained national recognition for our approach to digital government services.

• PayIt closed a $4.5 million Series A funding round in January 2016. Investors included Advantage Capital Partners, Weatherford Partners, Royal Street Ventures, and the Missouri Technology Corporation.
• We partnered with the City of St. Louis to launch payitSt. Louis, enabling residents to pay taxes, fees, and fines through a mobile app.
• PayIt won the United States Conference of Mayors national pitch contest, earning recognition for PayIt’s vision and potential to transform how governments deliver services.

Proud of the past decade and ready for the next

Ten years on the GovTech 100 wouldn’t be possible without the people behind the platform: the government partners who challenge us, collaborate with us, and trust us year after year, and the PayIt team.

We’re honored to be recognized again.