Mission-minded Spotlight: City Detect
By Liza Vilnits | Founder & CEO
Welcome to the second 2025 edition of ✨“Mission-minded: Building for Tomorrow" ✨
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Cities all over the U.S. struggle to keep up with code enforcement with their public works teams. Just a few years ago, in 2018, 56% of inspected properties had violations. City Detect is leveraging AI and computer vision technology to provide detailed, near-real-time insights on housing conditions to identify and address these issues more effectively.
😱 1) Why care? City buildings are maintained by tax dollars, meaning tax-paying citizens should be aware of the impact that public safety has on their bills. Efficient code enforcement yields 6x returns - every dollar spent generates $6 in energy savings. City Detect is working to improve the quality of life in cities around the U.S. and provide better outcomes for citizens, both financially and physically. Their AI technology identifies major city issues like graffiti, housing decay, dumping, etc, that impact public safety.
🔥 2) What makes the co. credible? City Detect represents local governments and organizations, including the City of Tuscaloosa, the City of Greenville, Putting People First Birmingham, and Habitat for Humanity, to name a few. They’ve already raised a Seed Fund of $2M with investors like Las Olas Venture Capital, Knoll Ventures, and Atlanta Seed Company. They’ve recently announced their expansion to the West Coast with partnerships in cities like Lancaster, CA, and Prescott Valley, AZ.
💓 3) What I love about their story? Founders Gavin Baum-Blake and Dr. Erik Johnson come from diverse backgrounds, but their backgrounds have helped drive the success of City Detect. Gavin is an army veteran and entrepreneur with a background in startup law. Dr. Johnson is an urban economist, AI/ML engineer, and data scientist. They brought their areas of expertise together for a greater cause of helping to fight blight in cities. In an interview with Hypepotamus, Johnson said, “We get really stuck in this static version of the world where we say, this is a blighted neighborhood or this is a blighted property. But blight is a really dynamic process. And blight begets blight.” They’ve made a tremendous difference in communities since then!
You may see graffiti or littered streets in your neighborhood or ones you visit and not think much of it, but the reality is that public works teams are constantly working to minimize blight and improve conditions. Companies like City Detect are tackling what may seem like small issues within communities such but their work is affecting a bigger picture in our country.