Launched in November 2012, the Open Data Institute (ODI) has a unique vision, an innovative model, unique partners and a global network spanning 19 countries. We have the opportunity to stimulate global open innovation and create measurable impact by enabling better use of existing data, and unlocking the potential in the vast quantities of new data that are being generated. There exists a global coincidence of desires: to enable businesses to innovate and create jobs in a data-driven economy, to transform open government policy into action, and to help deliver a sustainable society. Building on 25 years of the web, we strongly believe that the emerging web of data will be instrumental for transparency, efficiency and economic growth. We are passionate about making the most of this opportunity. We are an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organisation with an exceptional board and a world-class team, and are extending our reach globally: supporting businesses, startups and individuals to use and build on our products, services and networks. We have successfully developed and promoted a unique position on Data Infrastructure, which argues for the fundamental importance of certain open data in any national and international context.

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The web is growing rapidly, and connecting with our physical world. Over the past 25 years, the web of documents now numbers in the billions of pages. The web of data will dwarf the existing web in coming years. We develop the standards, tools and techniques that help people, businesses, and governments to make the most of the new technologies at their disposal – in order to solve tangible problems. We demonstrate the potential, the risks and opportunities, the efficiencies and innovation that are possible, and help organisations on their journey to address them.

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We help businesses, governments, organisations and individuals understand the power of data across the Data Spectrum by

1.  developing clear and relevant language that everyone can understand; 2.  training people in its usage; and 3.  supporting businesses and governments in applying it to their own data

inventories.

http://www.theodi.org/data-spectrum http://theodi.org/who-owns-our-data-infrastructure

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McKinsey and the G20 identified over $3 trillion in economic benefits from opening data around the world. These benefits come from making data available to everyone to access, use and share without constraints – enabling better choices, greater efficiencies, accountability, and innovation. The G8 has also taken an historic step towards harnessing this potential in establishing principles of ‘open-by-default’ in its Open Data Charter for data of critical social importance. Similarly, the UN and World Bank have launched Data Revolution programmes. Our approach is to look across the Data Spectrum to identify where and how the greatest impact can be achieved, and to address issues around our critical Data Infrastructure.

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We have a world-class board, an exceptional team and a rapidly growing, influential global network.

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(M = Million, K = Thousand) We have achieved a great deal in a short period of time. In 2015 our non-general grant funding exceeded our grant funding.

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Our experience has shown that positive change happens when we help organisations lead their own innovation. We train people to understand their internal and external user needs. We bring people together at events to share ideas and understand the potential for innovation. We help people make things by creating standards, tools and techniques that can operate at web-scale. We showcase the results, such as at our annual world-class Summit, We share what was learned, the economic and social impact, and the next steps required to scale. This provides the evidence for further investment.

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We deliver using a matrix-approach of programmes, and funding types in order to maximise value for everyone. We have diverse funding from the private, philanthropic and public sectors and, in 2015 achieved our target income balance (50:50) of general grants vs direct income. General and grant-funding provides the foundations for our operations and core development work, and our commercial income drives our industry focus. Our Learning, Membership and Franchise programmes deliver training, bringing together a global network of organisations and people. Our Labs, Services and Evidence programmes deliver standards, tools and techniques, and help organisations with implementation and innovation. Our Culture, Strategy and Environment programmes deliver an exceptional team, digital and physical facilities, and ensure our mission and margin are balanced. Together, these create a powerful drivers for change.

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We have helped dozens of businesses to start, grow and scale. Our detailed support programmes have identified entirely new businesses, taken small companies to multi-million pound contracts, and have directly invested in helping them accelerate. Together, they now employ hundreds of people and some are now becoming critical components of the data supply chain. For example, Mastodon C has grown from a 2 person team to winning 7-figure contracts. OpenCorporates has grown to deliver data for 80 million companies worldwide and has an outstanding client base. We will build on the success of these programmes in the coming months.

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To bring our work into sharp focus, we anchor our activities around core themes. Each theme focusses on specific challenges that are faced by businesses, government, organisations and individuals. We convene people to learn, discover, and build solutions to those challenges.

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We have built a global network of franchises spanning 19 countries: ODI Nodes. In partnership, they help train people, and help build the membership network in their own regions, and help scale delivery internationally.

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With your support, we will train hundreds of thousands of people, and hundreds of trainers. We will build a global network of tens of thousands of people and organisations, and create sustainable, long-term initiatives. This work will support the development of standards, tools, and techniques that will help millions of people to use and find value in data. Whether in the public or private sectors, as citizens, startups, civil servants, political or business leaders, we are creating the enabling conditions for people to succeed. It is hard to imagine how we will address these challenges without data in general, and open data specifically. Now is the time to invest in market-making activity: to create the enabling ecosystem and supply-chain for data at scale, to enable everyone to participate in solving the social, environmental and economic challenges we all face today. We are looking to collaborate with investors and organisations to tackle some of the greatest challenges of our time. We are seeking investment of $300K-500K in themes or projects, or $2-5M for general awards to help deliver impact at scale.

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To learn more, please see our website and our annual reports http://theodi.org/ http://theodi.org/odis-first-year-annual-report http://theodi.org/odis-second-year-annual-report

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