Open Data Institute Receives $2.5 Million From Omidyar Network | News | PND

"The London-based Open Data Institute has announced a $2.5 million investment from Omidyar Network aimed at helping the organization deliver on its mission to build an open, trustworthy data ecosystem. Awarded through Omidyar's Governance and Citizen Engagement Initiative, the grant will enable ODI to build on and advance efforts by the Open Banking Working Group to develop a data standard for the banking industry; take the lead on OpenActive, an initiative, in partnership with Sport England, to reduce inactivity in England by making data about physical activities more openly available; and encourage pharmaceutical organizations to publish data on antibiotic drug resistance and offer guidance in the use of that data. In addition, ODI will continue to work with specialist retail analyst Dunnhumby to explore how the sector can turn the new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regime into an opportunity to build services that meet shoppers' needs; support startups globally through the ODI Startup incubator; offer training in new data skills in twenty countries; and build and support peer networks such as the global ODI Node network, which currently comprises twenty-eight nonprofit organizations, and the Open Data Leaders Network, which facilitates peer-to-peer learning for open data practitioners globally. "This funding will play a crucial role in enabling the ODI to deliver on our mission," said the organization's CEO, Jeni Tennison. "As data moves from being scarce and difficult to process to being abundant and easy to use, there is an urgent need to build trust in how data is used and harness its value for social and economic benefit. This grant supports our work developing ethics, equity, and engagement around data. It helps us strengthen data infrastructure, making it as open as possible while preserving privacy, increasing data literacy, and fostering open innovation.""