"government 2.0" entries

Investing in the open data economy

Open Data Institute CEO Gavin Starks on how open data's current state is similar to the World Wide Web's early days.

If you had 10 million pounds to spend on open data research, development and startups, what would you do with it? That’s precisely the opportunity that Gavin Starks (@AgentGav) has been given as the first CEO of the Open Data Institute (ODI) in the United Kingdom.

GavinStarksThe ODI, which officially opened last September, was founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Professor Nigel Shadbolt. The independent, non-partisan, “limited by guarantee” nonprofit is a hybrid institution focused on unlocking the value in open data by incubating startups, advising governments, and educating students and media.

Previously, Starks was the founder and chairman of AMEE, a social enterprise that scored environmental costs and risks for businesses. (O’Reilly’s AlphaTech Ventures was one of its funders.) He’s also worked in the arts, science and technology. I spoke to Starks about the work of the ODI and open data earlier this winter as part of our continuing series investigating the open data economy.

What have you accomplished to date?

Gavin Starks: We opened our offices on the first of October last year. Over the first 12 weeks of operation, we’ve had a phenomenal run. The ODI is looking to create value to help everyone address some of the greatest challenges of our time, whether that’s in education, health, in our economy or to benefit our environment.

Since October, we’ve had literally hundreds of people through the door. We’ve secured $750,000 in matched funding from the Omidyar Network, on top of a 10-million-pound investment from the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board. We’ve helped identify 200 million pounds a year in savings for the health service in the UK. Read more…

Data journalism research at Columbia aims to close data science skills gap

Emily Bell is entrusted with teaching the data journalists of the next century at Columbia University.

In this interview, the director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University talks about the challenges and opportunities that face those who would practice data journalism in the 21st century. In particular, Emily Bell discusses the skills and mindset that are needed, including how a $2 million research grant will help support developing them.

How to start a successful business in health care at Health 2.0 conference

Great piles of cash are descending on entrepreneurs who develop health care apps, but that doesn't make it any easier to create a useful one that your audience will adopt. About the Spring Fling conference, enterpreneurship, and open data.

What responsibilities and challenges come with open government?

Liveblog and livestream from the Open Government Partnership conference in Brazil.

Representatives from 73 countries and 55 governments came together in Brasilia to present their open government action plans and formally endorse the principles in the Open Government Partnership.

21st century smarter government is 'data-centric' and 'digital first,' says US CIO

US CIO Steven VanRoekel says that machine-readable open data must be the 'new default' in government.

rom adjusting to the needs of an increasingly mobile federal workforce to moving to the cloud to developing a strategy for big data, it's safe to say that federal CIO Steven VanRoekel has a lot on his plate.

Steep climb for National Cancer Institute toward open source collaboration

Although a lot of government agencies produce open source software, hardly any develop relationships with a community of outside programmers, testers, and other contributors. NCI sees the advantages of a give-and-take.

HHS CTO Todd Park to serve as the second chief technology officer of the United States

The nation is about to see what an "entrepreneur-in-residence" can do with open data and technology.

In some of the best personnel news to come out of Washington and the federal government under President Obama, the White House has named HHS CTO Todd Park as the second CTO of the United States.

Building the health information infrastructure for the modern epatient

Dr. Farzad Mostashari on how the web, data and epatients are poised to revolutionize healthcare.

The National Coordinator for Health IT, Dr. Farzad Mostashari, discusses patient empowerment, data access and ownership, and other important trends in healthcare.

Massachusetts Open Checkbook: running through the ledger of choices and challenges in open government

A tour of the new Massachusetts spending site, accolades and critiques from leading open government advocates, and an examination of it takes to produce data you can query for useful information.

2011 Gov 2.0 year in review

A look at the Gov 2.0 themes, moments and achievements that made an impact in 2011.

What Gov 2.0 issue mattered most in 2011? Disruption caused by an increasingly mobile and networked society certainly ranked high. Other key developments included a new Open Government Partnership, emerging civic media, open source adoption, new civic startups, the growth of open data, and fights over intellectual property and Internet freedom.