Government Data Unleashed
Entrepreneurs may have more to work with when it comes to getting government data and turning it into useful apps. NY-based NuCivic recently partnered with Acquia and Carahsoft to create the first fully open source SaaS open data management solution. It allows government agencies to comply with open data mandates and will eventually help entrepreneurs build businesses around that data. Previous solutions were proprietary and limited or they lacked enterprise-grade commercial support and security features. NuCivic CEO Andrew Hoppin (pictured) says at least four federal agencies have already started using the software. Acquia industry solutions director Tim Marsh says having tools to make it easier, faster, and more affordable to release data has been a problem, so government agencies are playing catch up. The open data movement could help unlock $3 trillion to $5 trillion in economic value annually, says a McKinsey report.
