odi’s 3rd year: annual report

8/17/2019 ODI’s 3rd Year: Annual Report

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The Open Data Institute connects, equips

and inspires people around the world to

innovate with data.

Startup

Incubation

Competitions

Training

Workshops

Ass et s

Governance

Risk

Compliance

Evidence

Business &

user needs

Policy

Regulation

Legal

Tools

Standards

Techniques

Membership

Events

Communication

© 2016 Open Data Institute

ISBN 978-0-9927273-4-5

This text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0:

International Licence

ODI board

Gavin Starks, Baroness Martha Lane Fox, Martin Tisné, Neelie Kroes,Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Richard Marsh, Rob Bryan, Roger Hampson,Sir Tim Berners-Lee

ODI team and associates

Adam Hinchli, Adam Sven Johnston, Adrian Philpott, Alexander Leon, Alison Walters, Amanda Smith, Andrea Cox, Anna Scott, Anneza Pitsialis,Benjamin Cave, Briony Phillips, Carl Rodrigues, Carlina George, Beth Cooper,Clara Lewis, Daniel Appelquist, David Tarrant, Dawn Duhaney, Elizabeth Carolan,Ellen Broad, Emeafa Doe, Emilia Kacprzak, Emily Vacher, Emma Galal,Emma Thwaites, Emma Truswell, Fiona Smith, Gavin Starks, Georgia Phillips,Hannah Attwood-Foulds, Hannah Redler, Iraia Monteagudo, Jack Hardinges,Jade Croucher, James Smith, Jamie Fawcett, Jeni Tennison, Joe Packman,Julie Freeman, Julie McMahon, Kateryna Onyiligwu, Kathryn Corrick,Keren Bowman, Laura Davis, Laura Koesten, Leigh Dodds, Lewis Kille,Louise Burke, Mandy Costello, Maria Demetriou, Mel Norman,

Orsorla De Marco, Patrice John-Baptiste, Patrik Wagner, Peter Wells,Phil Lang, Rachel Leech, Richard Norris, Richard Stirling, Sam Pikesley,Samantha Haines, Simon Bullmore, Simone Giles, Stefan Janusz, StecaWarwick, Stephanie Dunstan, Stuart Harrison, Sumika Sakanishi,Thomas Tharakan, Tom Heath, Ulrich Atz, William Gerry

Open Data Institute · 65 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4JE · Company 08030289 theodi.org

Design and art direction by Adrian Philpott Production by Laura Davis and Phil Lang Illustrations by Deborah Allwright and Ian DutnallEditing by Anna Scott

Printed by F E Burman Printed on 100% Recycled FSC Certied paper

theodi.org/odis-third-year-annual-report


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2

View from the founders

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The Open Data Institute goes from strength to strength.

As founders, we are enormously proud of its achievements

and convinced of its fundamental role in realising the potential

of the web of data.

Along with highlighting open data’s value in enabling open

innovation, the ODI has helped many to understand its place

within the spectrum of data – from closed to shared to open –

and its crucial role in the strong data infrastructure

we need for our society.

As the global appetite for realising the economic benets

of open data grows, we are pleased to see nance emerge as

an ODI theme. The move to develop an Open Banking Standard

across the sector will bring huge benets to consumers,

regulators and industry.

We’ve also seen how open data can help support democracy,

with the ODI supporting partners in Burkina Faso to achieve

the country’s rst free and fair election for nearly 30 years, using

real-time open results data.

This year we were delighted to be joined by two new ODI board

members, Neelie Kroes and Martha Lane Fox. Both are digital

pioneers who bring huge experience and important perspectivesto the organisation.

Looking ahead, part of our challenge is to grow and develop.

We must sustain our unique mix of public and private funding in

order to unlock the value of open data and open innovation for

everyone. This will mean that we need to keep on demonstrating

the value latent in data of all types, and show how a ourishing

data ecosystem can be achieved.

Sir Nigel Shadbolt and Sir Tim Berners-Lee

PHOTO: PAUL CLARKE

ODI Awards, July 2015, London


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View from the CEO

ENERGY CITIES

AGRICULTURE FINANCE

OpenUtility

OpenSensors

OpenCorporates

We have seen a substantial transformation of the data landscape

and of the ODI itself during our third year. Our 2015 report

highlights many tangible impacts that our partners, members,

startups and community have achieved with data over the year.

Burkina Faso used open data to achieve its rst free and fair

election for nearly 30 years. Arup embraced ODI Startups to

build an innovative open supplier ecosystem. Syngenta opened

its product data and Defra committed to open up 8,000 datasets

by summer 2016.

To address confusion around the language of data, we created

a Data Spectrum and Data Lexicon (pp.10 –13), and broadened

our work to span the whole spectrum, from closed to shared to

open, with a focus on treating data as infrastructure (p.14).

We worked to connect UK data innovators with government.

We delivered a framework to HM Treasury for open standards

in banking (p.22). We helped set the agenda for open data in

agriculture and nutrition (p.18) and explored what truly open

cities would look like (p.16).

This was all driven by the commitment of the 3,000+ people we’ve

trained, the 1,000+ people in our ODI Member community (p.30),

the 25+ ODI Nodes in 20 countries (p.28), the dozens of ODIStartups building products and services (p.34) and a dedicated

team at ODI HQ providing key insights, energy and support.

The impact for the ODI is that we have rened our mission:

we connect, equip and inspire people around the world to

innovate with data. We have a remit to drive open innovation,

working across the Data Spectrum, with the expertise you would

expect from us as an institute.

Gavin Starks

ODI Startups in the

open development ecosystem


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ODI total income = £4 .9M

ODI total costs = £ 5.1M

ODI Startups value unlocked = £8M

6

Highlights of 2015

Our rst ODI Showcase

From developing data-driven support for mental health to

bringing citizen science to Parliament, we helped four projects

to achieve positive impacts with open data.

Celebrating Generation Open

Our 2015 ODI Summit gathered over 600 delegates and 80

speakers to celebrate Gen O and open innovation, from MPs

to teenage app developers.

Exhibiting our Data as Culture art programme Our Data as Culture theme ‘Data Anthropologies’ placed people

at the centre of emerging data landscapes. Works by artists in

residence Thomson & Craighead and Natasha Caruana stimulated

debate around networks, censorship, love and betrayal.

A potential ten-fold return on investment

For every £1 invested in our Open Data Challenge Series,

£5–10 will be added back to the UK economy, according to

a PwC report.

Certifying 150,000 open datasets, and counting

We’ve awarded more Open Data Certicates than ever this year,

with localised certicates for 10 countries across Europe, North

America and Asia and an auto-certication tool.

Building a global network for open data leaders

Our Open Data Leaders Network convened leaders of

government open data initiatives around the world to discuss

common challenges, and share knowledge and ideas.

Jointly leading the Open Banking Working Group

We joined banking, open data and FinTech professionals to

create a framework for an Open Banking Standard, and explore

how it can benet consumers, regulators and industry.

Value

unlocked

dashboards.theodi.org(Above) ODI 2015 nancials (subject to audit)

(Below) Lifetime value unlocked


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Even more highlights of 2015

ODI Startups generating over £8m in sales and investments

Since its launch, over 30 startups joined our ODI Startup

programme, employing over 200 people. In 2015 we recorded

a cumulative value of over £12m in contracts and investments

Expanding our ODI Node network

We welcomed 11 new nodes from Galway to Brasilia, Riyadh to

Aberdeen. ODI Nodes collectively generated £265k, trained more

than 230 people and reached over 14,500 people through

training, events and collaboration.

Holding a bootcamp for Malaysian startups

A cohort of Malaysian startups who use open data attended the

ODI, learning to visualise data, develop ideas and pitch together

as a team.

Supporting democratic elections in Burkina Faso

We saw how open data can help underpin democracy as we

supported partners in Burkina Faso to achieve and fair elections,

using real-time open results data.

Proving open data means business

One of our impact stories analysed 270 businesses unlocking

value by using, publishing and investing in open data, generating

more than £92bn in annual revenue between them.

Training people around the world

We reached over 3,500 people trained worldwide and certied

more ODI Registered Trainers than ever, helping to ensure our

global learning activities have a local voice.

Boosting innovation in agriculture, from farm to fork

We helped set the agenda for open data in agriculture and

nutrition and convened leaders from industry, government

and civil society to discuss the positive role of data in future.

dashboards.theodi.org

Global Network 37%

Innovation Unit 59%

Core 4%

Income split

ODI 2015 nancials (subject to audit)


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What is open data?

Open data is data that is licensed by organisations, businesses

and individuals for anyone to access, use and share. Just like

the World Wide Web, open data has helped to stimulate

unprecedented innovation and collaboration around the world.

People everywhere are realising the value of open data: publishing,

using, reusing and combining it nd more ecient ways to work,

develop innovative products and create better links with their

communities. Easy access to data enables organisations, citizens

and researchers to improve their decision making.

Open data initiatives can create savings and boost economies.

PwC predicts the Open Data Challenge Series programme will

result in a potential 10x return, generating up to £10.8m for the

UK economy. Our ‘Open data means business’ research

identied UK companies with a combined annual turnover of over

£92bn using or producing open data, including Transport for

London, which saw a 58:1 return on investment by releasing

transport data and helped create global technology leaders like

Citymapper.

Open data initiatives can also help people to solve social and

environmental challenges.

They can bridge gaps in mental health provision, with data-driven

apps to assist us in accessing support, while open data on

diverse areas – from weather to market prices – can boost

innovation and promote transparency in agriculture and

nutrition, from farm to fork.

To help simplify the language around data, we’ve created

a Data Lexicon and Data Spectrum diagram (described on p.12)

to show the dierent ways in which data can be shared.

theodi.org/what-is-open-data

ODI Theme: Agriculture and nutrition


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The Data Spectrum and Data Lexicon

Medicalresearch

Twitter feedDrivinglicences

Salesreports

Via authentication Licence thatlimits use

Explicitlyassignedby contract

Employmentcontract +policies

Openlicence

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ince

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Small / Medium / Big data

Personal / Com mercial / Government data

SharedClosed

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Group-basedaccess

Publicaccess

Namedaccess

Internalaccess

Anyone

The language used to describe data can be confusing. Using a

common language to talk about data is important so that we all

understand what it is, how we can use it and how it aects us.

This year, we have been working on common, simple

denitions to describe the way we use data, for a Data Lexicon.

Some denitions in the lexicon include:

Data that is closed: data that can only be accessed by its

subject, owner or holder.

Data that is shared:

Named access – data that is shared only with named people

or organisations.

Group-based access – data that available to specic groups

who meet certain criteria.

Public access – data that is available to anyone under terms

and conditions that are not ‘open’.

Data that is open: data that anyone can access, use and share.

For data to be considered ‘open’, it must:

• be accessible, which usually means published on the Web

• be available in a machine-readable format

• have a licence that permits anyone to access, use and share

it commercially and non-commercially

Depending on the choices that we make as individuals or as

a society, dierent pieces of personal, commercial and

government data may be closed, shared or published openly.

This is shown in our Data Spectrum visualisation.

The Data Spectrum and Data Lexicon have been powerful tools

for debating and articulating how we collect, access and share

data. We will expand our Data Lexicon in 2016.

theodi.org/data-spectrum

The Data Spectrum

“As a bank, we wrestle with howbest to use and publish data.The Data Spectrum helps guidethose debates and allows us tomake more informed choices.” Matt Hammerstein, BarclaysCo-chair, Open Banking Working Group


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ODI Themes: Data infrastructure

Data is infrastructure. It underpins transparency, accountability,

public services, business innovation and civil society.

Data connects multiple sectors. Data such as statistics,

maps and real-time sensor readings help us to make decisions,

build services and gain insights.

We believe that the cities, countries and continents that build

the best and most open data infrastructure will have a signicant

advantage in the 21st-century global economy. The more open

the data infrastructure, the more value it will create. But it is

crucial that we protect data that needs to be kept private, just

as it is crucial that we openly publish data that should be open

for everyone to use – because both privacy and openness

help create trust.

We have worked to understand and promote data

infrastructure across all our programmes.

We have researched economic impacts of open data,

investigated blockchain technology and helped our clients

derive value from data.

We have started a global debate, worked to improve

government’s position as a guardian of our data infrastructure

and connected data innovators to help unlock economic,

social and environmental value.

In 2016 we will deepen our understanding of data economies

and explore how to protect personal data. We will suggest

ways to legislate for data infrastructure and open data, and help

private and public sector organisations to strengthen them for

the benet of all.

theodi.org/data-infrastructure


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ODI Themes: Open cities

A resilient urban environment is far more than the sum of its

physical infrastructure. Much as the Web has transformed

our digital lives, opening up vast potential for new types

of interaction, and our physical spaces and systems are

becoming part of a connected conversation.

We believe a smart city is about much more than technology;

a smart city is an open city . Cities thrive when anyone can

access, use and share their services.

Whether on housing availability, live train times or the qualityof the air, open data can help us to understand, interact with

and make best use of our cities.

This year we explored what a truly open city would look like.

In April we hosted an ODI Futures event with Arup to discuss

open data, networks and culture.

Our ODI Startup network grew to include new businesses

with a focus on open cities, including Thingful, Open Sensors,

Open Utility and ViziCities.

In September we launched an Open Data for Smart Cities

training course, and we continue to work closely with

ODI Members, like G4C and Turner & Townsend, to highlight

new opportunities for urban planners, entrepreneurs and

city residents.

In 2016 we will expand our open cities focus, through

partnerships, industry forums, training and impact assessments,

to understand open cities and the business case to support

their growth.

theodi.org/smart-cities

PHOTO: THE ODI

ODI Training Discovery Day,

November 2015, Arup, London


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ODI Themes: Agriculture and nutrition

A major theme of our work is on harnessing the value of data

to inform decision making, boost innovation and promote

transparency in agriculture and nutrition, from farm to fork.

As a founding member of the Global Open Data for Agriculture

and Nutrition initiative, we worked with its secretariat to produce

a report setting the agenda for open data in agriculture and

nutrition, showcasing examples of impact around the world and

its future potential.

We helped the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Aairs (Defra) to bring data into the heart of the organisation and

towards realising its goal to release 8,000 datasets by June

2016. Defra hosted our ODI Futures event on agriculture, which

brought together leaders from industry, government and civil

society, welcomed by the Secretary of State Liz Truss, to discuss

the role of data in the future of agriculture and nutrition.

One of our corporate partners, Syngenta, has been a sector

pioneer in the release of open data. Its team began, with our

support, an ambitious data release programme, starting with its

Global Growth Plan.

Earlier in the year one of the challenges we set in our Open Data

Challenge Series with Nesta was focused on food. It primedthe development of a range of innovative applications related to

food and nutrition that used open data, such as Vitalfootprint,

which helps consumers to make better, personalised food

choices.

In 2016 we will extend the scope of our work to help drive

standards, develop training and provide practical support to

promote open data for agriculture and nutrition.

theodi.org/agriculture-nutrition-open-data

Open data for agriculture and nutrition


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ODI Themes: Global development

Global development initiatives strive to reduce poverty and

inequality , and improve living conditions in communities

around the world.

In 2015, policymakers, donors and other members of the

international community agreed on ambitious new Sustainable

Development Goals, based on a uniquely open, global process.

We see open data as a critical tool in helping to meet these

goals and work to demonstrate its value in achieving eective

development more broadly.

We have widely debated the data revolution – from Addis Ababa

to Cartagena, Mexico City to Antalya – and are proud stewards

of the International Open Data Charter.

We have supported open data leaders in governments around

the world to boost economies, innovation, social impact and

transparency using open data. As part of the Open Data for

Development Network, funded by the IDRC, we created the

Open Data Leaders Network – talented heads of open data

initiatives from 14 countries. They shared perspectives during

their visit to ODI HQ and keep in touch for mutual support

and advice.

We worked closely with the open data team in Burkina Faso,

who used open data to ensure that their fellow citizens had

access to real-time, open results data for their rst free and fair

presidential elections in nearly 30 years

In 2016 we will continue to support government open data

leaders and their teams, while promoting open data as a key tool

for achieving impact in global policy discussions.

theodi.org/global-development-open-data


People

reached

(Above) Liz Carolan speaking in Rabat, Morocco

(Below) Lifetime people reached


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FORSALEFORSALE

Standardised

robust

network

Customer

financial

data

Restricted

named

access

Intelligent

personalised

banking

Open

product

data

Personal

or business

account

Analytics

Security

22

ODI Themes: Finance

Open systems, standards and data have the power to bring

about a new era of innovation in nance.

If developed and used eectively, they will help deliver wide-

ranging benets to rms, customers and regulators alike.

This year we worked with partners across the nance sector to

explore how this can be achieved.

We completed a report for HM Treasury and the Cabinet Oce that

described how competition and consumer experience in UK

banking could be improved. It found that making non-personalinformation available as open data and allowing customers to

share transactional data with third parties could better serve the

needs of consumers and businesses.

With open APIs, alternative lenders and advisory services could

create smarter applications, and banks could improve their

nancial tools for customers to better understand cash ows,

savings advice and spending comparisons.

Our CEO co-chaired the Open Banking Working Group, working

alongside experts in banking, FinTech and open data. The group

was convened by the UK Government to create a framework for

eective data sharing and open data publishing practices. A report

on the Open Banking Standard will be published in 2016.

Next year, we will help to develop the standards needed to unlock

innovation and competition in the nance sector. In collaboration

with partners and peers we will continue to drive forward the open

banking agenda and work to establish the UK as a global leader.

theodi.org/nance

21st-century banking in a

connected digital economy


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Data as Culture

Photo / artworks

Our Data as Culture art programme engages artists to explore

the wide implications of the culture of open data, to challenge

our understanding of what data is and its impact on our lives.

ODI Associate Curator Hannah Redler selected ‘Data

Anthropologies’ as Data as Culture’s 2015–16 theme, which

places people at the centre of emerging data landscapes. For it we

commissioned our rst artists in residence, Thomson & Craighead

and Natasha Caruana.

Jon Thomson and Alison Craighead explore how live networkssuch as the Web change the way we understand the world around

us, through installations and online artworks.

Natasha Caruana uses her own experience to explore the

universal themes of love, fantasy and betrayal. Her primary

medium is photography but she also employs performance and

mixed media, drawing heavily on the Internet and social media.

During their residencies, the artists exhibited existing works and

researched open data for the rst time. They will draw on this

research to create new works in 2016, supported using public

funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Also this year, ODI Art Associate Julie Freeman and CEO

Gavin Starks co-authored ‘A concise taxonomy for describing

data as an art material’ with professors from Queen Mary,

University of London.

Julie’s live, animated artwork ‘We Need Us’ commissioned by

the ODI with The Space featured at Northern arts centre The Lowry

and at London’s Somerset House agship exhibition ‘Big Bang

Data’. It heads to the ArtScience Museum, Singapore, in 2016.

theodi.org/culture

(Above) ‘Fairytale for Sale’ (2011– 2013) Natasha Caruana

(Below) ‘Corruption’ (2014) Thomson & Craighead


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ODI Services

ODI Services deliver our work with developing countries, our

support for startups in the UK and across Europe, and our

consulting and advisory work with governments and companies

around the world. 2015 oered many highlights.

Our Open Data Challenge Series engaged teams to generate

sustainable solutions to social challenges using open data.

For every £1 invested in it, £5–10 would be added back to the UK

economy over three years, according to PwC. Building on this, our

team helped judge Shanghai’s Open Data Applications challenge,

based on the same model.

We built an Open Data Maturity Model, and invited governments

and companies to assess their own open data maturity, track

their progress and set goals using the Open Data Pathway tool.

We helped Syngenta publish data openly, supporting them to

nd new value in the data they held, forge new partnerships

with researchers, improve their business model and be more

transparent.

The Government of Malaysia joined us in a training partnership,

supporting its goal to become a centre for data analytics expertise

and data startups in South-East Asia.

We promoted the economic and social value of open data

to global audiences at events including the APEC forum, the

G20 forum, the International Open Data Conference, the Open

Government Partnership and the Commonwealth Business Forum.

The global appetite for learning about data and its potential is

enormous. Through ODI Services, we will continue to help people

and organisations worldwide to discover what data can do for

them in 2016.

theodi.org/services

PHOTO: THE ODI

ODI Training Discovery Day,

November 2015, Arup, London


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Global network: ODI Nodes

ODI Nodes connect, equip and inspire people around the world

to innovate with data, led by local experts.

ODI Nodes operate at city or regional levels in 20 countries,

across six continents.

This year we welcomed 11 new nodes – from Galway to Brasília,

Riyadh to Aberdeen – growing the network to a total of 27 ODI

Nodes, including seven in the UK.

Contributing to the ODI’s mission, in 2015 ODI Nodes trained

more than 400 people and reached over 15,000 people through

training, events and collaboration.

ODI Sheeld, hosted by Better With Data, works with local

organisations to embed open data in the mainstream education

curriculum, raising condence and motivation for future

generations to innovate with data.

ODI Queensland, an independent non-prot, has reached

audiences across Australia, contributing to its public sector

open data advisory groups, advocating the value of open data

publication through use of the Open Data Pathways and Open

Data Certicates.

ODI Leeds, an independent non-prot, connects with localcommunities and develops partnerships to solve local challenges

with open data. One of its services, RateMyRoute, promotes

cycling by helping people to navigate safer routes through the city.

ODI Cairo, operated by the Software Engineering Competence

Centre of the Information Technology Industry Development

Agency, develops training for local SMEs, corporates and

government, to create, grow and foster open data in Egypt.

theodi.org/about-nodes


Global

network

(Above) ODI Awards, July 2015, London

(Below) Lifetime ODI global network


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Global network: ODI Members

ODI Members are organisations and individuals, from large

corporations to students, who explore, demonstrate and share

the value of open data.

ODI Membership has snowballed this year. We grew our network

of businesses, startups, academic establishments and individuals

from 100 to over 1,300. We also launched student membership,

in line with our goal to help provide lifelong data expertise for

people around the world.

Our sponsors, partners and supporters all play a critical rolein exploring and unlocking the value of data, and are key to

developing our professional network around the world. From

writing guest posts for the ODI blog to speaking at networking

events, our members work with us and each other to promote

open data, share best practice and close new business.

New members in 2015 included Ocado Technology, SAP

and The Bulmer Foundation as well as a host of individuals.

During the year we worked with member Thomson Reuters

to certify the open data published via its permid.org website.

This provided guidance on best practice to the Thomson Reuters

team and helped demonstrate to users the company’s

commitment to ongoing data publication.

“We are true believers in open data and the potential it gives for

creating new and novel products. For us the ODI plays a key role

in promoting the value of open data in the wider marketplace.”

Samantha Colebatch, Geolytix

theodi.org/membership

Promoting open innovation

around the world


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ODI Learning

The ODI Learning programme oers comprehensive data training.

We help anyone to understand data and explore how it can

be used through fun, accessible and interactive learning.

This year we grew the number of people we had trained to over

3,500, bringing ODI training to new places including Chile, Egypt

and Macedonia. We also assessed more trainers than in any

other year, raising our total to 48 ODI Registered Trainers –

helping to ensure our global learning activities have a local voice.

We also introduced a Learning Associates badge to recognisedata experts in academia and business who deliver challenging

and informative lectures and seminars.

Facilitating anytime learning

We set ourselves an ambitious goal: to create learning for anyone

– anywhere, anytime – and to deliver skills people need in ways

they want. We developed new online courses and compiled

a ‘data skills framework’ to guide the learning journey through

clear, simple steps.

Starting a global conversation

From creating online learning for the European Data Portal

to helping companies like Syngenta boost sta data skills and

shape a data strategy, we are committed to building the futureof data learning.

“It is truly the best training I have ever received.”

Antonio, Inter-American Development Bank

2015 courses:

Open Data in a Day | Open Data in Practice | Data Science | Smart Cities

Business Innovation | Finding Stories | Train the Trainer

theodi.org/courses

PHOTO: THE ODI

Train the Trainer course,

August 2015, London


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ODI Startups

The ODI Startup programmes support and promote open data

startups to help them to stimulate innovation, spur competition

and drive economic growth.

This year we welcomed many new startups to the ODI network,

within our challenge series and incubation programmes.

We reached 50+ incubated companies in total, who have

collectively employed 200+ people. Over the course of the year,

they generated £8m in sales and investments.

Our Open Data Challenge Series awarded startups cash prizesfor sustainable solutions to social challenges using open data.

ODI Startup Open Utility was awarded ‘Startup of the year’ at

European Utility week, Demand Logic and 3D Repo won the

Cognicity Challenge, and OpenCorporates won an ODI Award.

“The day we joined the ODI Startup programme there was also

an ODI Node gathering in the ODI ofce. We realised our trips

from Edinburgh would link us into a global hub for open data.”

Callum Murray, Amiqus

“The ODI’s support helps us to build our reputation in the market.

The feedback and mentors it provides help us to drive our project

forward.” Clemens Wass, openlaws

We launched the Open Data Incubator for Europe ( ODINE ),

with a consortium of six partners. Selected companies receive

up to €100K equity-free funding, training and expert advice from

business mentors throughout a six-month programme.

We also announced a strategic partnership with Malaysia, and

hosted two Malaysian startup delegations. We will expand our

startup programmes and integrate them with ODI themes in 2016.

theodi.org/start-ups

Our mentors help ODI Startups

drive projects forward


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ODI Startups: Thingful

Thingful is a global search engine for the Internet of Things

( IoT). Its vision for IoT is a globally interoperable ecosystem

of connected objects.

Cars, buses, mobile phones, weather stations, air quality sensors

and even home automation systems all need to interact. But how

do they nd each other, let alone communicate, when they are

in their own data silos?

Indexing both open, shared and closed data, Thingful’s IoT

search engine and decentralised transaction managementsystems enable connected objects to discover other

connected objects and transact directly, while still keeping

device data owners in control of where the data goes. This makes

it possible for things like connected automobiles to use external

air quality data from dierent sources along their routes, so they

can automatically maintain a high-quality in-cabin experience

for occupants.

We have found potential customers with valuable IoT data

assets sitting behind private rewalls – data that would be more

valuable for everyone when accessible externally.

With the ODI’s support, we were awarded €100k via ODINE

to extend and enhance our global open data index.

We will continue to help people to discover and transact in IoT

data, without having to centralise data in a single platform,

or technically change anything within their data infrastructures.

This is essential to accelerating growth in IoT commercial

models. Unlocking the true value of IoT data is only possible

when it is accessible to others, so they can generate new

insights and make better decisions.

thingful.net

Thingful’s geographical index of where

things are and how they are used


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ODI Startups: Brightbook

Brightbook changes the way entrepreneurs and sole traders

run their mini enterprises. It proactively helps them make money

and save money . Most of all, it makes their working life simpler.

For millions of micro businesses, accounting is the least

enjoyable aspect of their work. Equally challenging can be

managing cashow, time and client relationships, day-to-day.

Most accounting solutions are simply recording and reporting

tools, and don’t ag strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or

risks. For users, they are often too complicated, too expensiveand lacking in great user interfaces.

Our goal is to redene the value that ‘accounting software’

provides to small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ) by humanising

data and turning it into actionable headline stories. Brighbook

oers clear notications that give SMEs insights into how

their nancial performance compares with similar businesses,

empowering them to make better, more informed decisions.

The ODI’s mission-led approach to data inspired us to apply to

its startup programme. Since becoming an ODI Startup, we have

won a £100k Smart award from Innovate UK and are currently

seeking a further £500k in funding.

We have learned invaluable lessons on our journey so far, not

least how to pitch relentlessly, which we did at Web Summit for

10 hours to be chosen for its ALPHA programme.

We’re looking forward to continuing our work with the ODI, and

helping to shape the future of accounting.

mybrightbook.com

Source: adapted from Tim O’Reilly, ‘Work on

Stu that Matters: First Principles’


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Evidence

Our evidence programme demonstrates just how widely open

data impacts our economy, society and environment.

In June we published ‘Open data means business’, which

identied 270 open data companies across the UK. We learned

that these companies were varied in size, age and sector,

with a combined annual turnover of over £92bn and more than

500k employees between them. The report highlighted that open

data was key to creating their products and services, including

geospatial, transport and environmental datasets.

Alongside our DaPaaS project partners, we highlighted the

impact that new open data publishing tools could have in tackling

real-world challenges facing society, from improving our

cities’ resilience to extreme weather events to reducing urban

air pollution.

We helped launch the Open Data Monitor platform on Open

Data Day 2015. The platform paints a rich picture of the state of

open data publishing across EU countries, providing monitoring,

analytics and visualisation tools.

As well as holding our rst ODI Showcase, helping projects to

achieve positive impacts with open data ( pp.44–46 ), we also told

the story of the Environment Agency on its journey to becomingopen by default: its transition, its challenges and how its open

data is used in diverse tools, applications and business.

In 2016 we will highlight larger companies and organisations

that use and publish open data, explore the economic value

of data infrastructure across the data spectrum and demonstrate

the impact of data across sectors.

theodi.org/stories

ODI Showcase winner Plexus oers

mental health support in the workplace


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ODI Labs

ODI Labs’ mission is to ‘evolve the state of the art in open

data by creating tools, techniques and standards for the

benet of everyone’.

This year we have continued to build tools that set standards for,

and help people publish, better quality open data:

• Reaching over 150,000 Open Data Certicates

• Helping organisations assess how well they publish data, with

an Open Data Maturity Model and online tool, in partnership

with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Aairs

• Implementing the new W3C CSV on the Web recommendations

in CSVLint, our validator for CSV les

We have engaged in research projects:

• Helping to allow easy, repeatable data transformation and

hosting by delivering DataGraft as part of the DaPaaS project

• Identifying 173 European open data catalogues and working

out how to measure them as part of the OpenDataMonitor

research project

• Shaping best practice around open data with the SharePSI

network – 45 partners from 26 countries across Europe

And we have worked on concrete examples:

• Proving that the UK can build an open data address le with

Open Addresses

• Working to visualise live data from sensors on trains on the

Victoria line with London Underground

In 2016 we will shift focus towards data infrastructure, starting

with work on distributed ledgers ( blockchains ) supported by

Deutsche Bank. We will also explore better ways of discovering

data, with the help of our dedicated ODI PhD students.

theodi.org/labs


PHOTO: THE ODI

(Above) ‘Vending Machine’ (2009) by DaC artist Ellie Harrison

(Below) Lifetime Open Data Certicates

Open Data

Certicates


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ODI Showcase

The ODI Showcase commissioned four projects that

demonstrated a real dierence to people’s lives using

open data. We supported each with up to £7,000, open data

expertise and access to our global network, between August

and September 2015.

Breathe Heathrow: democratising access to air quality

data to meet local needs

Breathe Heathrow shows how open data has the power to inform

decisions about the development of our transport infrastructure.

ODI Startup OpenSensors.io deployed a series of air quality

and noise sensors in residents’ gardens over a wide area around

Heathrow. By engaging the public in this way, their project

democratises the collection and publication of data that anyone

can access, use and share, bringing facts to a polarised debate

over current and projected environmental impact.

The project was raised at a parliamentary Environmental

Audit Committee hearing in relation to the lack of data on NOx

omissions collected by Heathrow Airport.

Plexus: data-driven support for mental health

Inspired by insights learnt from working with mental health charity

Mind, digital design studio M/A built Plexus, an online hub and

web app that pulls together open data from a range of sources.

These include data on healthcare services from Mind’s OpenHub

platform and NHS Choices, data on employee rights from

GOV.UK and Citizens Advice, and data on job opportunities and

advice from National Careers Service.

Plexus was designed to help people with mental health conditions

to access support, nd routes back into employment and manage

their conditions at work.

theodi.org/summer-showcase

Breathe Heathrow air quality

sensors in residents’ gardens


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Enabling Burkina Faso’s fair and free elections

The rst fair and free elections in Burkina Faso for nearly

30 years took place on 29 November 2015.

Within hours of the polls closing, results from 21 districts were

made openly available via a mobile-responsive Web app, and

by the next day citizens had a reliable indication of who would

be their next elected head of state. As the results came in,

Roch Marc Karore emerged as the clear winner.

Trust is vital in elections, but the time between polls closing and

results being announced is particularly sensitive in states in theirtransition towards democracy. In other recent elections in Africa,

delays have led to rumours, suspicion and unrest. Real-time data

helps build trust.

Open data has been key to transparency in Burkina Faso.

Along with support for specic open data initiatives, we have

helped apply open data to improve transparency around its

political transition.

We convened the Burkina Open Data Initiative and the

Independent National Electoral Commission, who partnered

to design a data publication platform and multi-step verication

process. We also secured international media coverage of the

open elections project and promotion of the open datasets

and websites.

In future, we hope to see election commissions, and those

of us who support them, use the tools and frameworks of open

data to build the publication of real-time election results into

standard practice for elections, to give citizens more trust in

their democracies.

data.gov.bf

Real-time results data,

from polls to public platforms


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50

Open Data Challenge Series

£40-50K

issues

opendata

In 2014, we created the rst Open Data Challenge Series with

Nesta to generate innovative and sustainable solutions to social

challenges using open data.

The series of seven challenges drew to a close in 2015, with

a mix of individuals, teams, companies and other organisations

contributing more than 140 creative ideas. The winners of each

of the seven challenges were selected from 21 nalists, to share

a prize fund of £415,000. The 2015 winners include:

Jobs Performance in Context is a tool that improves access to

jobs for applicants from less-privileged backgrounds by providing

recruiters with context around their academic performance.

Food

FoodTrade Menu helps restaurants and caterers comply

with new regulations on transparency of allergens in their food.

Heritage and culture

Culture Everywhere is a platform that enables fundraisers

and grassroots arts and heritage organisations to develop

fundable projects that ultimately deliver better social outcomes.

In a business development and impact measurement report,

PwC found that for every £1 invested in the series, between

£5 and £10 of value may be added to the UK economy over

a period of three years, and that 75–141 jobs will be created.

The series also provides a useful blueprint and resources for

further challenges or similar projects that can be used by anyone

wishing to replicate its success.

theodi.org/open-data-challenge-series

Challenge series life cycle from

theme to winning business


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52

ODI Awards

The ODI Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in open

data across the world. The 2015 winners were announced by

Sirs Tim Berners-Lee and Nigel Shadbolt on 9 July, in a ceremony

held at Bloomberg’s London oce.

Open Data Business Award winner: OpenCorporates

OpenCorporates oers context to complex company activity

with the world’s largest open database of company information.

Open Data Innovation Award winner: Medicines for

Malaria Venture MMV facilitates open-source development of antimalarial

medicine, releasing new drugs and compounds to aid the

research of medical professionals in developing countries.

Open Data Social Impact Award winner: BudgIT

BudgIT raises awareness on spending and budgets in Nigeria

through a portal featuring a breakdown of government spending.

Open Data Individual Champion Award winner:

Mo McRoberts

BBC Chief Technical Architect Mo McRoberts has developed

an open data platform for the BBC, including best-practices

and policies for open data across the broadcast industry.

Open Data Publisher A ward winner: Greater London Authority

GLA has pioneered the release of local and regional government

open data in London, publishing 600 datasets with Open Data

Certicates and working with TfL to open up transport data.

awards.theodi.org

PHOTO: ESTER SEGARRA

ODI Awards trophies

by Dan Bowran with Adrian Philpott


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Celebrating Generation Open: ODI Summit

Our 2015 ODI Summit gathered over 600 delegates and

80 speakers at the BFI on London’s Southbank to celebrate

Generation Open: innovators and entrepreneurs, citizens and

customers, students and parents who embrace network thinking.

Talks, panel discussions, hacks and performances explored

how data and open innovation transform all aspects of our

lives, from business to science, research to art.

The pre-summit Training Discovery Day , held at Arup, oered

four streams of interactive sessions: Generation Open, for thoseintrigued about what it means to be ‘open by default’; Open Data

for Business, for those looking to build products; Data Science

in the Open, for those looking to test their skills; and Open Data

Sectors, for tips on how to have broad impacts in dierent areas.

During the summit, experts in the keynote theatre spoke

on solving global development challenges, delivering new

medicines to those in need and empowering citizens with data.

During his speech on ‘data-driven government’, Minister Matt

Hancock spoke on the importance of building a strong data

infrastructure, and called on the ODI to bring the voice of data

businesses and innovators to the Cabinet Oce and promote

data innovation across government.

Real-world and business impacts were showcased in the

story and startup theatres. Young hackers developed data-

driven solutions for improving nutrition in the Young Rewired

State challenge theatre and our creative lab workshop hosted

live performances, curated by sound artist Alex McLean.

The summit’s passionate trainers, speakers, performers and

delegates brought perspectives from across the Data Spectrum

as champions of open innovation in all its forms.

summit.theodi.org

PHOTO: PAUL CLARKE

Young Rewired State hackathon,

ODI Summit 2015, London


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Generation Open: An open declaration

We are innovators and entrepreneurs, citizens and customers,

students and parents who embrace network thinking.

We are not dened by age, income or borders. We exist online

and in every country, company, school and community.

We shape our attitudes around open culture. We expect

everything to be accessible: an open web, open source, open

cities, open government, open innovation, open data. We believe

in freedom to connect, freedom to travel, freedom to share and

freedom to trade. Anyone can publish, anyone can broadcast,anyone can sell things, anyone can learn and everyone can share.

With this open mindset we transform sectors around the world –

from business to art – by promoting transparency, accessibility,

innovation and collaboration.

We believe in harnessing the power of the network and we make

up more than the sum of our parts. We expect services, not

products, whether from businesses, charities or governments.

Our expectations are high: if a service isn’t good enough we

expect to be able to shape what is oered or we’ll make our own.

We use and produce open data in everyday applications,

government policies, humanitarian initiatives and business

solutions. It brings us insights and eciencies; our eorts are

united, not duplicated.

We challenge ourselves and each other. We share our good

times, our bad times, and our jogging times. We share

information to ght injustice and corruption. We share our

playlists. We map disaster zones to help target aid, and local

schools for informed communities.

We are Generation Open. Together, we will unlock knowledge

for everyone.


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#LifeAtTheODI

The ODI family grew widely this year. Brilliant and diverse new

startups, nodes, members and teammates joined us on our

mission to connect, equip and inspire people around the

world to innovate with data.

As a team we have challenged ourselves to take on detailed

sector themes, host bigger and better events and bring our

services to thousands of people in countries far and wide.

We have lived our values – expert, enabling and fearless –

internally, taking time to tell each other what we are working on,whether in our team-wide ‘stand-up’ meetings each morning

or quarterly strategy days.

As individuals, many of us from across the team have challenged

ourselves to be coached and assessed as ODI Registered

Trainers, take on new roles, represent the ODI at events or learn

something new at our Friday lunchtime lectures.

What underpins our work is a shared passion for achieving our

mission, respect for one another along the way and, ultimately,

friendship.

Team osites are as much about having fun together at the after-

parties as they are rening our strategy. We focus our summit

as much around putting faces to names and bringing together

our global network, as showcasing ideas, products and services

to promote open innovation.

#LifeAtTheODI is stimulating, vibrant and fun, and we are

excited about what the coming year will bring.

PHOTO: THE ODI

Open data board game

prototype testing at ODI HQ


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60

GEOSPATIAL

HEALTH

RETAIL

CULTURE

INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS

FINANCE

HOUSING

POLICY

ENVIRONMENTEDUCATION

TRANSPORT

AGRICULTURE

POPULATION

MATERIALS

Looking ahead: designing for open

The dataverse

We are in an anthropogenic age in which the digital and

physical blur. Where there are more sensors than people.

Where everything, whether physical or digital, is being turned

into data that can be accessed via the Web. Where we are

using our phenomenal advances in technology to codify

the world.

The application of AI with the web of data is in its infancy,

but points to the evolution of an ‘algocene’, where algorithms

have direct global impact on our society, economy and

environment, and data is a critical infrastructure that

supports it.

As we hit peak everything (from antibiotics to raw materials),

we must work out how to house, feed, employ, protect, heat,

transport, make and educate with less. We need to expand

our network thinking and place open innovation at the heart

of our infrastructure systems design: enabling organisations

to become porous by providing them with data, standards,

tools and techniques, and engaging billions of people to

participate, solve problems and prosper.

I believe the Web is part of our social response to globalisation,

helping us remain connected with each other even if we are

spatially fragmented. I believe the web of data is a response

that will help us to address the greatest challenges of our

time. Yet we haven’t truly accepted that to address our pace

of change, we need to design for open. This does not mean

making everything open – far from it – but we must provide

the architecture for, embrace and lead with an open approach.

Our digital economy, digital environment and digital society

depend on it.


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62

ODI Member directory

Partners

Arup Grouparup.com

Thomson Reutersthomsonreuters.com

Experianexperian.co.uk

Met Oce metoce.gov.uk

Deutsche Bankdb.com

Syngentasyngenta.com

SponsorsNTT Datanttdata.com/uk

Precise Mediaprecise.co.uk

New ODI Supporters, 2015

Agro-Know agroknow.com

Analytical People analytical-people.com

ASI theasi.co

Big Data Partnership bigdatapartnership.com

Black Swan blackswan.com

BPE bpei.co.uk

Bulmer Foundation bulmerfoundation.org.uk

CABI cabi.org

Caution Your Blast cautionyourblast.com

Code for Seoul chunsik.org

Consolidata consolidata.co.uk

Constructing Excellence constructingexcellence.org.uk

Construction Sector TransparencyInitiativeconstructiontransparency.org

Deliver Changechangelondon.org

Design for Social Changed4sc.io

ODI Members are organisations and individuals, from large

corporations to students, who explore, demonstrate and share

the value of open data.

Along with our sponsors, partners and supporters, we have

1,176 individual supporters and student members.

Our partners, sponsors and new supporters – who joined us this

year – are listed below. You can nd a list of all our members at

directory.theodi.org/members.


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Emu Analyticsemu-analytics.com

ESI Limitedesinternational.com

Esriesri.com

Exmile Solutions (MarineTrac) marinetrac.com

Geospatial Enabling Technologiesgetmap.eu

GeoWiseinstantatlas.com

Greater London Authoritylondon.gov.uk

Glasgow City Councilglasgow.gov.uk

Groundsuregroundsure.com

Guru Systemsgurusystems.com

Health Fabrichealthfabric.co.uk

Higher Education Statistics Agencyhesa.ac.uk

iGeoliseigeolise.com

Iminimin.co

Informed Solutions

informed.com

IT as a Utility Networkitutility.ac.uk

ITO World itoworld.com

JISC jisc.ac.uk

Mapmechanicsallmapdata.com

Meta Data Technologymetadatatechnology.com

Mime Consultingmimeconsulting.co.uk

MyWavemywave.me

National Audit Oce nao.org.uk

Networked Planet Ltd networkedplanet.com

New Citizenship Project newcitizenship.org.uk

Newcastle Universityncl.ac.uk

NHS Englandengland.nhs.uk

Nimble Learnnimblelearn.com

Nquiringminds Ltdnquiringminds.com

NUSnus.org.uk

Ocado Technologyocadotechnology.com

Oce for National Statistics ons.gov.uk

OpenDataSoft opendatasoft.com

Oxford University Press global.oup.com/?cc=gb

Pivotal pivotal.io

London Borough of Redbridge

redbridge.gov.uk

Resurgenceresurgence.io

SAP sap.com

Schrodersschroders.com/global/home

Signal Noisesignal-noise.co.uk

Singular Intelligencesingularintelligence.com

Space Syntax Ltdspacesyntax.com


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Spend Networkspendnetwork.com

Sport Englandsportengland.org

Sunderland City Councilsunderland.gov.uk

Surrey County Councildata.surreycc.gov.uk

Telefónicatelefonica.com

The Co-operative Groupco-operative.coop

The Open University open.ac.uk

Transport Systems Catapultts.catapult.org.uk

Turner & Townsendturnerandtownsend.com

University College Londonucl.ac.uk

University of Cambridgecam.ac.uk

University of Edinburghed.ac.uk/home

University of Essexessex.ac.uk

University of Greenwichgre.ac.uk

University of Oxford ox.ac.uk

Universities UKuniversitiesuk.ac.uk

ValueBase Healthcarethevaluebase.com

Visceral Businessvisceralbusiness.com

directory.theodi.org/membership

theodi.org/membership

PHOTO: THE ODI

ODI Bootcamp

(November 2015) – Malaysian delegates


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ODI Node directory

ODI Nodes contribute to the local, national and international

development of open data. They develop and deliver training

to build capabilities, connect people and businesses through

membership and events communicate stories and catalyse

the adoption of standards, tools and processes.

ODI Aberdeen

ODI Athens

ODI Belfast

ODI Birmingham

ODI Brasília

ODI Bristol

ODI Buenos Aires

ODI Cairo

ODI Chicago

ODI Devon

ODI Dubai

ODI Galway

ODI Gothenburg

ODI Hampshire

ODI Leeds

ODI MadridODI Osaka

ODI Paris

ODI Queensland

ODI Rio

ODI Riyadh

ODI Seoul

ODI Sheeld

ODI St Petersburg

ODI Toronto

ODI Trento

ODI Vienna

theodi.org/nodes

ODI Node strategy day,

October 2015, ODI HQ, London

PHOTO: THE ODI

Trainers trained


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INNOVATION

70

ODI Startup directory

The ODI Startup programme is open to any startup business that

uses and/or produces open data (p.34). The ODI Startups who

joined us in 2015 are listed below, along with those selected for

the Open Data Incubator for Europe.

Fourth cohort

Amiqus Resolutiontheodi.org/start-ups/amiqus

Imintheodi.org/start-ups/imin

LandInsighttheodi.org/start-ups/landinsight

Openlaws theodi.org/start-ups/openlaws

Senseyetheodi.org/start-ups/senseye

Third cohort

Brightbooktheodi.org/start-ups/brightbook

Enian Ltdtheodi.org/start-ups/enian-ltd

Rabbletheodi.org/start-ups/rabble

RentSquaretheodi.org/start-ups/rentsquare

Thingfultheodi.org/start-ups/thingful

ViziCitiestheodi.org/start-ups/vizicities

ODINE StartupsSecond cohort

DataPress datapress.com

Farm Dogfarmdog.ag

Glimworm (iBeacon LL)glimworm.com

OpenCorporates opencorporates.com

OpenResort infamouslabs.net

Plume Labs plumelabs.com

RentSquarerentsquare.io

RESC.Infonetage.nl

UniGraphunigraph.rocks

First cohort

BikeCitizensbikecitizens.net

CommoPricescommoprices.com

Instatsinstats.co

InSymbioinsymbio.com

Sicklysickly.org

Thingfulthingful.net

Whythawkwhythawk.com


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Table of illustrations

Illustrations by Deborah Allwright and Ian Dutnall

p.19 Open data for agriculture and nutrition

p.41 ODI Showcase winner Plexus oers mental health support

p.45 ODI Showcase winner Breathe Heathrow deploys air quality

sensors in residents’ gardens

p.49 Open elections Burkina Faso: real-time open results data

from polls to public platforms

Illustrations by Ian Dutnall

p.5 ODI Startups in the open development ecosystem.

p.23 Setting the Open Banking Standard: 21st-century banking

in a connected digital economy

p.61 The dataverse


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theodi.org/culture.

(Opposite: above and below) ‘The First Person’ (2014),

‘London Wall’ ( 2010–ongoing) Thomson & Craighead.

( This page) ‘Married Man’ (2008–2009) Natasha Caruana.

PHOTOS: LEWIS BUSH PHOTO: SARAH HOWE


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74 theodi/what-is-open-data


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odi’s 3rd year: annual report

Documents