Discover/The Pitch

#172 My Town AI: ChatGPT Meets SimCity

The PitchOct 29, 202543 min

Nicole Sterling, mayor pro tem of Nederland, Colorado and CEO of My Town AI, makes the case that local government is drowning in inefficient information management—from endless fence permit questions to lost institutional memory about critical evacuation routes. She's building an AI system to help small towns instantly access municipal codes, historical decisions, and regulatory information, turning bureaucratic chaos into streamlined civic operations.

Key takeaways

  • •Local governments field hundreds of repetitive questions that could be automated, like fence height regulations that vary by specific address and topography.
  • •Critical municipal decisions get lost in years of meeting recordings and staff turnover, creating dangerous gaps when communities need historical context for emergency planning.
  • •Small town officials need AI tools built by people who actually understand the day-to-day reality of local governance, not generic solutions from outsiders.
  • •Municipal knowledge management represents a massive untapped market where the right AI application could transform civic efficiency.

Listen to full episode

0:00

Best moment

2:30· 40sOrigin Story

I'm so sick of people that are building stuff for building stuff's sake. My name is Nicole Sterling. I am the CEO of My Town AI and also an elected public official. I sit as the mayor pro tem of Nederland, Colorado.

2:30 / 3:10

I'm so sick of people that are building stuff for building stuff's sake. And a new investor to the show, Dawn Dobris with capital F. Do not grow one more inch until you improve this brand.

In the office, but Thank you, dear. Welcome. Hello.

My name is Nicole. Hi, Nicole. I'm Dawn. Hi, Dawn. Hey, Charles. Charles. Nice to meet you. Bed. What What was the bed? Yes. To meet you, Nicole. Nice to meet

you. Nice

to meet you. My name is Nicole Sterling. I am the CEO of My Town AI and also an elected public official.

Full clip page →

“But nobody can remember why an evacuation route to the south was abandoned over five years ago.”

at 3:34

3 clips

Ordered by timestamp. Jump to the moment you care about.

The Pitch

Origin Story

I'm so sick of people that are building stuff for building stuff's sake. My name is Nicole Sterling. I am the CEO of My Town AI and also an elected public official. I sit as the mayor pro tem of Nederland, Colorado.

Strong opening contrarian statement followed by unique founder credentials. The combination of being both a tech CEO and an elected official gives her unique authority to solve this problem. The frustration is palpable and relatable.

2:30 - 3:1040s

The Pitch

Consequences

I am in a city council meeting, and we are debating a wildlife evacuation route. But nobody can remember why an evacuation route to the south was abandoned over five years ago. It's lost in board meeting recordings and institutional memory.

High-stakes narrative about life-safety consequences of lost institutional knowledge. The specific scenario (wildlife evacuation, smoke-filled valley) creates urgency and demonstrates real-world impact of the problem being solved.

3:34 - 3:5421s

The Pitch

Business Mechanics

Do you even understand how many fence questions we get from citizens? At 750 West 5th Street in Nederland, Colorado, you can build a fence up to seven feet in height without requiring a permit.

Perfect example of AI solving real government pain points with specific, actionable demo. The fence question is relatable and the instant AI response shows clear value proposition. Very quotable and demonstrates practical application.

6:21 - 7:0039s

From the blog

FrameworkOriginal Research

The 5 Clip Archetypes for VC Podcasts

10 min read

Want clips like this for your podcast?

We find your top 5-8 clips, write the hooks, and deliver ready-to-post content. First 2 episodes are free.

Get 2 Episodes Clipped Free