OrangeSlices AI and Arctas today announced a strategic alignment to strengthen visibility, credibility, and mission impact across the federal ecosystem, alongside the appointment of David Blackburn as Chief Executive Officer of Arctas.
The alignment brings together two complementary platforms committed to signal over noise. Arctas will continue to operate as a separate company, while working closely with OrangeSlices AI to deliver greater value to organizations navigating an increasingly competitive federal market.
Blackburn was asked to assume the CEO role following a strategic realignment and renewed focus on sharpening the platform’s purpose and long-term direction. He brings deep experience building trusted, community-driven platforms serving both government and industry.
“2026 and 2027 demand a different approach,” said Blackburn. “The market is shifting, and organizations are more selective about who they partner with and work for. Arctas is built to surface organizations delivering meaningful mission impact.”
As part of the alignment, Arctas will integrate closely with OrangeSlices AI, enabling OrangeSlices insiders to benefit from expanded visibility and support. Organizations featured in Arctas can leverage OrangeSlices’ customer support, community engagement, and distribution channels to help ensure their capabilities and impact are seen by the right audiences.
Over the past year, Arctas has undergone significant modernization, resulting in a rebuilt platform designed for clarity, scalability, and long-term relevance. Arctas is positioning itself as a high-signal, publicly available directory that helps organizations identify credible partners, employers, and collaborators.
“This is not about being everything to everyone,” Blackburn added. “Arctas is intentionally curated to highlight organizations moving the mission forward.”
Blackburn will continue to serve as CEO of OrangeSlices AI. His leadership of Arctas is an additional role that reflects the close collaboration and shared values between the two organizations.
Further enhancements and curated expansions will be introduced as Arctas continues to evolve with the needs of the federal ecosystem.
About Arctas
Arctas is a curated directory highlighting organizations driving meaningful impact across the federal ecosystem. Designed to prioritize signal over scale, Arctas supports transparency, credibility, and mission-driven outcomes.
About OrangeSlices AI
OrangeSlices AI operates as a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to a more transparent and accessible federal marketplace. Its mission is to deliver timely, actionable, and responsible information and resources that help Federal government and industry IT and consulting leaders identify, engage with, and learn from one another, while shining a spotlight on organizations that are doing it right.