Company Profile
Pnyka (pronounced “Puh-nee-kuh”) is a civic tech startup that developed a community engagement platform for democratic debate and polling. Taking its name from the ancient Athenian meeting place (the Pnyx), the app was designed to be a modern public forum where users could discuss issues, vote on proposals, and crowdsource solutions. Pnyka’s platform allowed organizations – from local governments to universities – to pose questions to constituents, who in turn could submit ideas or vote and comment on others’ ideas. The goal was to move beyond noisy social media arguments into a more constructive, civility-focused space for discourse. Founded in 2018 and backed by civic-minded investors, Pnyka ran pilot programs in several cities to increase citizen participation. While adoption was limited, the concept embodied digital democracy by giving people an easy way to have their voices heard on community decisions, all within a dedicated app built for respectful deliberation.