(2009-01-06) Washdc Cto Egov

Vivek Kundra, CTO for Washington DC, is pushing in the EGov direction. In October, he launched a contest called "Apps for Democracy" to encourage developers to create applications for the Web and cellphones to give District residents access to city data such as crime reports and PotHole repair schedules. "I expected to get maybe 10 entries, but we got 47 apps in 30 days," Kundra said. He said he spent $50,000 for the contest and prize money, and estimates he saved $2.6 million over what it would have cost to hire contract developers.

He treats technology projects like stock portfolios - if a project is not succeeding (Project Failure), he cancels, or "sells" it, and invests in another area. He has ditched $25 million in failing projects and redirected that money elsewhere.