As part of the Governor’s Executive Order N-30-25, California’s Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the California Housing and Homelessness Agency (CHHA), and the Office of Data and Innovation invite innovators and vendors to participate in an upcoming Innovation Showcase, hosted with the Government Operations Agency (GovOps).
The Showcase is a market research activity and is not a procurement activity. Government teams will hear directly from innovators about solutions to challenges facing the delivery of services to residents, bridging the gap between the public and private sectors. Our goal is to reimagine how technology can help the state solve current challenges: faster, smarter, and with greater impact.
The challenge
California wants to help local jurisdictions permit more housing, faster, by making the process clearer for the people who use it and less burdensome for the staff who run it. Today, applicants struggle to understand what is required, which pathway to pursue, and where their project stands, while staff spend significant time answering questions, reviewing incomplete applications, and drafting reports that could be automated.
Because jurisdictions differ in size, capacity, and budget, the State is not seeking a single tool that does everything. It seeks AI-enabled solutions across three scenarios: guiding applicants to a complete and well-routed application, supporting internal review across the entitlement and building permit phases, and, as a supplementary area, helping jurisdictions keep current with changing state and local housing law. Vendors may address one scenario or all of them.
Full details are in the challenge statement: View the AI Permitting Challenge Statement.
Program format
Specific challenge statement opportunities
This Showcase will focus on the challenge statement on this page. We will invite innovators whose solutions best address the challenge to present to state leaders and teams. The Innovation Showcase is not open to the public. It will not be recorded.
Rolling submissions
Beyond this challenge, the Showcase accepts innovator pitches on a rolling basis. GovOps and ODI review submissions regularly. We will schedule ad hoc Showcase days for selected innovators. You only need to submit a solution once for it to be considered.
Get on our mailing list to hear when new challenge statements are posted.
How to participate
1. Review the Vendor Information Forum
The Vendor Information Forum took place on July 30, 2026. We posted the slides and answers to questions asked during the Forum
2. Submit an Intent to Showcase
If you have a solution that addresses the challenge statement, submit an Intent to Showcase. It should take 30-45 minutes. Your submission must:
- Include the challenge(s) your solution addresses
- Include your qualifications
- Describe your proposed solution
The submission instructions have step-by-step guidance. You can also view a preview of the portal.
We will accept submissions from 9:00 AM Pacific on July 27, 2026, to 5:00PM Pacific on August 11, 2026.
3. Selection and Showcase demo
The state will assess submissions for relevance and viability. We will notify selected innovators by the week of August 24, 2026.
Selected creators will be invited to a virtual demonstration window. Each session runs 40 minutes with a:
- 30 minute demonstration
- 10-minute question-and-answer period
During the Showcase, you’ll get insight into the needs of California housing agencies. You can use this to inform your product direction. This is a chance to shape solutions for local jurisdictions to address their housing pipeline.
What happens after the Showcase
The state may identify solutions that show strong potential to address the challenge. Insights will inform the state’s understanding of the current market. This may support future planning. Participation does not guarantee a future engagement. The Showcase will not result in a contract or award.
More information
Details about the Innovation Showcase are posted on Cal eProcure.
Email showcase@innovation.ca.gov with questions.