Public Heartbeat: An Open-Source Civic Engagement Platform
Public Heartbeat transforms civic governance by cultivating mutual empathy, grounding community votes in verified research and civic dialogue, and establishing metric-driven oversight and transparent financial accountability across public decision-making. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization not a for-profit!
Civic governance rooted in empathy, evidence, and accountability.
Public Heartbeat built a beta platform any city can adopt. Residents can vote on major policies after reading expert pros and cons. They can then track transparent evaluations and update their votes. The platform informs city councilors on the pulse of the people.
Open source. Independent research. Public audits. Open books.
Why this matters
- Emotion drowns out evidence in city debates
- Decisions lack transparent, non-partisan research
- Cities lack live financial transparency & accountability
- Many residents lack accessible ways to participate
How the platform works
Simple, secure, and purely for the public good.
Learn
Access non-partisan briefs with balanced pros, cons, and costs for every city question.
Engage
Discuss in a moderated civic forum and cast a Yes, No, or Abstain vote.
Impact
Results guide city leaders. Missed targets trigger a transparent revote.
Built for the people
Open Source & Audited
Voting, encryption, and tally protocols are open source and independently audited.
Kiosks & Paper Ballots
Vote at community kiosks or by mail — no device or internet required.
Vote Delegation
Delegate by topic to a trusted panel, nonprofit, or expert. Revoke anytime.
Civic Forum
Discuss city issues in a moderated space built for respectful dialogue.
Live City Dashboard
Track public metrics like shelter capacity, response times, and service requests.
Real-Time City Spend Tracking
See city spending ledger in real-time and financial status of city.
Beta preview
Screens from our working beta, using sample city data for testing.
Policy Voting
Browse active policies, read balanced pros and cons, then vote Yes, No, Abstain, or Delegate the vote.
Results & Revotes
Track outcomes against goals. If targets are missed, the community can vote again.
Delegate My Vote
People can assign their vote to a politician, nonprofit, or institution.
Live Dashboard
Residents can transparently see city metrics
Realtime City Financial Transparency
Residents can see a real-time public ledger of expenses and expenditure per department.
Kiosks & Mail Ballots
Vote in person at community kiosks or request a paper ballot by mail.
Pilot in your city
Our beta is ready. We are seeking cities, councils, and civic groups to launch the first implementation.
A good pilot fit looks like
- Active civic groups already engage residents on city policy.
- Residents are divided by emotion rather than facts.
- Leaders are open to new participation models.
- Long-running gridlocks need evidence-based resolution.
Leadership
Pardhasaradhi (Pardhu) Namburi
Founder & Chairman
Pardhu is a public servant who formerly trained to become a selfless monk and has successfully grown ventures across technology, marketing, and nonprofits. He is a Northwestern University Master's in Public Policy & Administration graduate and national service award recipient. He founded Public Heartbeat to make transparency, accountability, and empathy real in every city.
LinkedIn
Greg Schaub
Board Secretary
Greg is an executive advisor and strategist specializing in payments, FinTech, and corporate growth. He formerly served as a Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase. As Founder of The Schaub Group LLC, he designs go-to-market strategies and partnerships for banks, FinTechs, and enterprises. Drawing on decades spent building trust between institutions and the people they serve, Greg is committed to bringing that same rigor and transparency to how communities govern themselves.
LinkedIn
Randall Odzer
Board Treasurer
Randall is a versatile C-Suite executive with deep expertise in financial and operational leadership, capital optimization, and M&A. He earned his MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He currently serves as a board member at Turn Behavioral Health Services, AbleLight, and Joyful Rise.
LinkedInContact Us
Whether you are a city official, a potential partner, or a curious resident, we would love to hear from you.