ODI Leeds

Profile

The Open Data Institute (ODI) is catalysing the evolution of open data culture to create economic, environmental, and social value. It helps unlock supply, generates demand, creates and disseminates knowledge to address local and global issues. We convene world-class experts to collaborate, incubate, nurture and mentor new ideas, and promote innovation. We enable anyone to learn and engage with open data, and empower our teams to help others through professional coaching and mentoring. Founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Professor Nigel Shadbolt in 2012, the ODI is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, limited by guarantee company.

ODI Leeds is a pioneer node of the Open Data Institute. It was created to explore and deliver the potential of open innovation with data at city scale. We work to improve lives, help people and create value. ODI Leeds is funded by sponsors from local authorities, government, commercial, and academia, who all believe in the power of open data to drive social, economic, and environmental change.

Our missions:

• To create a place where people from all sectors/backgrounds can come together to be creative, innovative, and collaborative. We want to be inclusive, vibrant, and most importantly, fun for all.
• To encourage the people of Leeds (and beyond) to engage and innovate with open data. Ask questions, find answers. Look at problems from new perspectives then build solutions.

Out story:

ODI Leeds started back in November 2013, just a year after The Open Data Institute was founded. By May 2014, we settled in to Munro House in the heart of Leeds and were ready to get stuck in. Now 5 years later we are still here, still eager, still innovating and excited about the next 5 years – come join in it will be fun.

Out network:

Pioneer nodes bring together communities, host events, produce open data projects and help promote understanding of open data in our region and worldwide. You can become part of our network by:

• Becoming a sponsor
• Becoming a co-worker or workspace user
• Commissioning a data or innovation project
• Joining the ODILeeds challenge team