EU supports new startups with €14.4m open data funding

"The funding follows on from the Open Data Institute (ODI) startup programme and includes: • €7.8m Europe-wide incubator programme based on the ODI's startup programme • €3.7m Europe-wide web data research network • €2.9m new academy to train the next generation of data scientists This is the largest direct investment in open data startups in the world, to date.  The EU has committed €7.8 million to realise a 30-month incubator programme for open data entrepreneurs across Europe, modelled on the ODI’s Startup Programme.   The ODI will deliver the incubator programme, recruiting new startups every two months, approximately 50 startups in total.   The institute will receive €500k to administer the project and €5.5 million will be allocated to successful applicants of the programme to develop their concepts, around €50k-€100k per company.   In addition, each will receive mentoring, technology, infrastructure and networking support. ODInE will launch in Spring 2015.  The ODI, in conjunction with five other partners, has secured funding of €3.7m to create a network of 15 early-stage researchers across Europe, each of whom will focus on a different aspect of the question 'how can we answer complex questions with web data?'. The funding will be issued over four years and will enable each partner to create two to three PhD positions.   The ODI will receive €500k from the total and will host two students who will look at how developers, and open data users, find the right datasets to solve their data needs.  The third funded project will see the creation of a new European Data Science Academy (EDSA). EDSA will train a generation of data scientists with the skills and detailed knowledge to enable European businesses to flourish in the data age.   EDSA will use a combination of the latest data analysis and eLearning technologies to produce a European-wide dashboard for analysing and understanding industrial data, science skill requirements, and consequently develop and deliver open educational materials to meet the demand.   The ODI will receive €323k of the €2.9m investment and will lead the analysis of the required sector-specific skillsets for data analysts across the main industrial sectors in Europe ..."