# Kaptivate

> Kaptivate is an Alexandria, Virginia communications and management consultancy that combines program management, data science, strategic communications, crowdsourced innovation and community activation. Its specialty is not merely producing campaigns or reports, but making complex public-sector initiatives usable: turning multi-agency broadband data into an accessible congressional dashboard, open-ended workforce challenges into managed prize programs, and stakeholder disagreement into an executable plan.

- **Founded:** 2009
- **Headquarters:** Alexandria, United States
- **Founders:** Ron Vassallo (Co-founder and CEO), Otto Orantes (Co-founder and former Executive Vice President)
- **Products:** Strategic communications, Data science and storytelling, Program management and business transformation, Crowdsourced innovation, Community activation
- **Notable:** Translated broadband data from 17 federal agencies into NTIA's accessible Access Broadband Report to Congress and interactive dashboard., Won a 4.5-year NRC contract in 2023 to continue developing and implementing the agency's competency-model program after a six-month assessment., Awarded a $350,923 Department of Education contract in 2024 for NCSER crowdsourcing campaign support.

## Products & services

- **Strategic communications** — Messaging, public relations, digital campaigns, content, media relations and stakeholder outreach designed to build trust and adoption.
- **Data science and storytelling** — Data collection, cleansing, analysis, economic-impact modeling, visualization and accessible dashboards that translate evidence into decisions.
- **Program management and business transformation** — Project governance, performance measurement, process improvement, change management and implementation support.
- **Crowdsourced innovation** — End-to-end design and operation of prize competitions, hackathons, labs, sprints, expert convenings and innovator networks.
- **Community activation** — Coalition building, stakeholder engagement, public education and community cultivation around complex initiatives.
- **ForwardDMV** — A Kaptivate-led regional community of action connecting employers, educators, government and workforce organizations around AI-era economic transition.

## Achievements

- Translated broadband data from 17 federal agencies into NTIA's accessible Access Broadband Report to Congress and interactive dashboard.
- Won a 4.5-year NRC contract in 2023 to continue developing and implementing the agency's competency-model program after a six-month assessment.
- Awarded a $350,923 Department of Education contract in 2024 for NCSER crowdsourcing campaign support.
- Won a $3.735 million Department of Education order in 2024 to launch the CTE CHIPS open-innovation challenge.
- Received a $17.108 million Department of Education call order in 2025 for the CTE Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge.
- Awarded both OASIS+ Small Business and OASIS+ 8(a) contract vehicles in 2025.
- Named a Top Virginia Employer for Interns in 2025.
- Its 2016 Torpedo Factory analysis estimated $47 million in citywide economic contribution, replacing a previously assumed $16 million figure.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — CEO Ron Vassallo argued that AI-driven labor disruption is fundamentally a career-pathway and regional-coordination problem, tying the thesis to ForwardDMV.
- **2026-04** — Kaptivate hosted a Scaling Early-Career Pathways Innovation Lab with 40 leaders from employers, education, workforce agencies, government and intermediary organizations.
- **2026-02** — ForwardDMV convened more than 100 regional leaders to discuss diversifying the DMV economy and preparing workers for AI-driven change.
- **2026-02** — Kaptivate and George Mason University researchers presented analysis of five Connecting Minority Communities grantees spanning $14.2 million in investment across four southeastern states.
- **2025-09** — A $17.108 million Department of Education call order was awarded for the CTE Connecting Talent to Opportunity open-innovation challenge.
- **2025-06** — Kaptivate joined the Fiber Broadband Association as a premier member and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition.
- **2025-04** — IFC selected Kaptivate for communications and training work aimed at women entrepreneurs and people aged 50+ in Latin America and the Caribbean.

## Links

- Website: https://kaptivategroup.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaptivate-llc
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/kaptivatellc
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaptivateLLC
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaptivatellc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaptivateGroup/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/kaptivate
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-20