Open Data: Making Cities Smarter, More Innovative, and More Proactive | Formtek Blog

"Open Data is the idea that data, particularly data collected by local, state and federal governments, should be made freely available for people to use and republish without any control or copyright restrictions. In the US, cities like Austin and San Francisco have been leaders in making data accessible. Bart Gorynski, Managing Director of bee smart city program, said that “In smart cities, open data represents a powerful tool to facilitate open innovation and to foster urban innovation. As a result, the use of open data strengthens the ecosystem of smart city solutions”."