Investing in Ordinal to Help Cities Work Smarter
We’re excited to share that Plains Ventures has led a $1 million seed round in Ordinal, an AI-powered research assistant built for local governments. We were joined in this round by Winrock International and The Venture Center Arkansas Fund.
The Case for Ordinal
Ordinal, founded by Jacob Herrington, Nick Spinazze, and Jacob Eubanks, is changing the way municipalities operate. Their platform provides instant, accurate answers from city documents, codes, and records, all backed by a secure retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) model. Every response is grounded in verified sources, which means governments can rely on consistent, accurate, and compliant information. With some municipal employees spending up to 40% of their work week just searching for information, Ordinal dramatically reduces wasted time, improves decision-making, and ultimately helps governments better serve residents.
We first met the Ordinal team during the 2025 VC Immersions event in Northwest Arkansas, hosted in partnership with the Northwest Arkansas Council. Right away, we were impressed by the product, the positive feedback from early customers, and the founders’ drive.
Ordinal’s product is intuitive and practical—qualities that matter in a sector where technology adoption is often slow. Their early traction proves that the market is ready, and with a smart go-to-market strategy and a determined team, we believe Ordinal is one of the most promising govtech companies in the country. We see them making a real impact on how government agencies serve their people, restoring civic trust, and shaping a more positive future.
Partnership Beyond Capital
The founders have shared that our partnership goes beyond investment. As Jacob Herrington put it, “Plains Ventures has been more than an investor; they’ve been a true partner. From opening doors with potential customers to helping us refine our sales playbook, their support has made a measurable difference in how quickly we’re scaling.”
Ordinal has already deployed in municipalities including Sallisaw, OK; Decatur, IN; Lowell, AR; Benton County, AR; La Quinta, CA; Pea Ridge, AR; and Willard, MO—with many more to come. This new funding will help the company expand its customer base, enhance its public-facing chatbot, and launch new features that will further streamline civic operations.
We’re proud to back founders who are building solutions with real-world impact. Ordinal is exactly that.