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EU Datathon 2019 gets off the ground

The EU has just launched its third datathon competition. Have any prize-winning ideas on open data use? Now’s your chance to find out!

Digital Economy icon Digital Economy

For the third year running, the EU Datathon is giving everyone the chance to show off their data skills and ideas on original ways to use European open data. The competition isn’t only open to companies or other legal entities. If you’re on your own and have a great idea, then this competition is for you, too! Contenders have until 24 March to submit their project descriptions, so there’s no time to waste! The focus is on developing mobile or web apps and interactive visualisations that offer new services to citizens, public authorities and businesses. There are three challenges this year – one horizontal and two thematic: Challenge 1: ‘Innovative ideas through open data’ Challenge 2: ‘New insights in economics and finance’ Challenge 3: ‘Tackling climate change’ Teams can participate in any of the three challenges but may only submit one proposal per challenge. Participants have to use at least one data set made available by EU institutions and agencies on the EU Open Data Portal and combine it with at least one data set generated by the competition’s international partners. To guide participants in their search for information in the relevant portals and websites, a number of webinars have been scheduled, starting early this month. The winning entry in each challenge will receive EUR 15 000 in prize money, with EUR 7 000 and EUR 3 000 in cash prizes for those coming in second and third place, respectively. The winners will be announced at the final conference in Brussels on 13 June. Finalists will present their projects in front of an expert jury. Open data prospects The first two editions of the EU Datathon have demonstrated the potential that open data has to inspire innovative solutions to society’s problems, and to create more jobs and growth. Speaking at the 2018 competition’s final conference, Rudolf Strohmeier, Director-General of the Publications Office of the European Union, said: “The discussions have shown the need for a true EU-wide open data ecosystem in which we all do our part, some of us on the supply side and some of us on the user side; but with all of us committed to the idea of openness and transparency.” EU Datathon 2019 is being organised by the Publications Office, together with the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. For more information, please see: EU Datathon website

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