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Story
Our Journey
Founded in 2025, COGS was born out of frustration—and hope.
Across America, communities face outdated zoning laws, opaque budget processes, hidden political deals, and a civic system that treats citizens as afterthoughts, not drivers. Too often, public engagement means little more than a hearing after decisions are already made. Growth is either strangled by bureaucracy or captured by insiders. Accountability comes, if at all, too late to matter.
The idea behind COGS was simple: what if communities had the tools to act—not just react?
What if ideas, planning, budgeting, and oversight could all happen transparently, competitively, and continuously—with the public in control at every step?
COGS was not designed as a theory, a protest, or a corporate startup.It was designed as an operating system—a full civic stack for real communities ready to claim their future. It exists because communities deserve more than token participation. They deserve the tools to govern themselves—openly, competitively, and continuously.
Team
Meet the passionate individuals behind COGS who are dedicated to creating a positive impact through open governance technology.
Christopher Borgstede
Founder
Christopher Borgstede is a visionary civic-systems architect with a background spanning technology, architecture, and grassroots community organizing. His expertise drives the strategic direction of COGS, ensuring the innovation and impact needed to transform how citizens propose ideas, plan projects, allocate funds, and hold leaders accountable.
704.236.3571