GovLab Seeks Open Data Success Stories - Government - Information
abernard102@gmail.com 2013-09-22
Summary:
"A team of open government advocates, led by former White House aide Beth Novek, has launched a campaign to identify 500 examples of how freely available government data is being put to profitable use in the private sector. Open Data 500 is part of a broader effort by New York University'sGovernance Lab (GovLab) to conduct the 'first real, comprehensive study of the use of open government data in the private sector,' said Joel Gurin, founder of OpenDataNow.com and senior adviser at GovLab ... Gurin said Open Data 500 will primarily look at U.S.-based, revenue-producing companies or organizations where government data is a key resource for their business. While the GovLab will focus initially on the use of federal data, it will also look at cases where entrepreneurs are making use of state or local data, but in scalable fashion. 'This goes one step further than the datapaloozas' championed by U.S. CTO Todd Park to showcase tools developed by the private sector using government data. 'We're trying to show how we can make data sets even more impactful and useful.' Gurin said the GovLab team hopes to complete the study by the end of this year. The team has already identified 150 companies as candidates. To submit your company for consideration, visitthegovlab.org/submit-your-company; to submit another company, visit thegovlab.org/open500."