Coming Soon — Spring 2026

Start at Zero

Name: Start at Zero
Author: Abhijit Verekar

Leading High-Stakes Modernization in the Age of AI

Government ERP projects fail at rates that would be scandalous in any other sector. This book reveals why the failures are structural — and delivers the playbook that prevents the next $216 million disaster before it starts.

Abhijit Verekar

5× Inc. 5000 CEO · Founder, Avèro Advisors

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The Convergence

Three Forces Creating Extraordinary Risk

Thousands of government organizations are simultaneously entering the market for new enterprise systems. Most aren't prepared for what's coming.

The Ticking Clock

SAP end-of-support deadlines. Oracle cloud mandates. Thousands of cities, counties, and states entering the market simultaneously — many for the first time in 20 years.

The AI Confusion

AI is transforming what's possible — and being weaponized as a marketing tool. The gap between what AI can deliver and what vendors claim has never been wider.

The Structural Trap

Vendor-led processes. Conflicted advisors. Governance designed to rubber-stamp rather than challenge. The structures that produce failures remain unchanged.

Cautionary Tale

The Birmingham Wake-Up Call

Europe's largest local authority — serving over 1 million citizens — turned a working 20-year SAP system into a catastrophe.

No Phase Zero. No independent oversight. No governance separating advice from delivery.

$19M

Original budget

$216M

Actual cost

10×

Budget overrun

1M+

Citizens affected

Inside the Book

The Complete Modernization Playbook

12 chapters. Real case studies. Actionable frameworks. Every phase from first recognition to post-go-live governance.

Part I — Why Projects Fail Understanding the root causes behind billion-dollar government IT failures

The $216M Wake-Up Call

Forensic examination of why identical challenges produced opposite outcomes.

Legacy Time Bombs

Why waiting costs more than acting — and how to build the case before crisis forces your hand.

Part II — Regaining Command The frameworks and preparation that create clarity before vendors arrive

Four Pillars of Project Control

The architecture of control that separates success from disaster.

Phase Zero Mastery

The preparation that creates clarity before vendors arrive.

AI-Enabled Requirements

How AI transforms requirements gathering into a focused, human-centric process.

Winning Procurement Strategy

Crafting RFPs that attract the right vendors and protect your leverage.

Part III — Executing Without Capture From vendor selection through go-live — maintaining independence at every stage

Vendor Selection

Spotting allies, dodging traps, and cutting through polished demos.

Governance Reimagined

Structures for decision-making that prevent vendor capture.

The Human Element

Change management that determines adoption or rejection.

The Independence Principle

Building advisory relationships where incentives are permanently aligned.

AI Comes of Age

The new rules — what AI delivers today and how to spot vendor overselling.

The Complete Roadmap

Step-by-step from day one to go-live with every framework integrated.

Who This Book Is For

Written for the Leaders Who Bear the Risk

If you'll be held accountable when the implementation goes sideways, this book was written for you.

🏛️

City & County Managers

Leading enterprise modernization with limited staff and enormous public scrutiny.

💻

Government CIOs & IT Directors

Navigating vendor landscapes, AI hype, and legacy system transitions.

📊

Finance Directors & CFOs

Protecting budgets and ensuring ROI on the largest technology investments of a career.

About the Author

Abhijit Verekar

Founder & CEO, Avèro Advisors

Abhijit Verekar has spent two decades helping government organizations navigate the most complex technology transformations in the public sector. As founder of Avèro Advisors, he built the only consulting firm exclusively focused on independent, vendor-neutral government ERP advisory.

His firm has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list five times, and his team works exclusively with cities, counties, and states — never with the vendors who sell to them.

5× Inc. 5000 20+ Years in Gov Tech 30+ ERP Engagements 100% Government Focus

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Start at Zero isn’t just a book — it’s a movement to fix how government buys technology.

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