At Tropo, we love open government data.

Our tools and platforms make great building blocks for civic applications, and we’ve been ecstatic to be a part of open government events from coast-to-coast over the last few years.

We Love Open Data

The City of Philadelphia will soon join the growing fraternity of governments across the country and around the world that are opening up data sets for use by outside developers to build civic applications.

During Philly Tech Week in April, the city will make an announcement about the release of data sets in its inaugural Open Data Catalog. This announcement will mark the release of data sets covering things like public safety, transportation, education, parks & recreation and a variety of other categories.

At the end of Philly Tech Week, a major hackathon will take place at Temple University focusing on the use of these new data sets to build civic applications. Tropo is proud to be a sponsor of Philly Tech Week, and to be the organizer of the first hackathon using City of Philadelphia open data.

The 2011 BCNI Open Government Hackathon will take place on Saturday April 30, 2011, in Annenberg Hall on the campus of Temple University. Participants will spend the day building civic applications using Philadelphia open data, and will compete for a variety of prizes to be awarded at the end of the day.

Awards will be presented in three categories:

  • Best overall use of Philadelphia open government data.
  • Best data visualization.
  • Most innovative project.

The event promises to be an exciting one, and we’re looking forward to spending the day hacking with technologists, coders and journalists from around the region with data from the new Philly Open Data Catalog.

If Philadelphia’s experience with open data mirrors that of other cities that have taken similar steps to publish open data and engage developers, this is just the beginning of a process that will lead to an even greater availability of civic data and an increasing number of civic applications and visualizations for citizens and visitors to use.

We look forward to continuing to work with those involved in the Philadelphia open data initiative toward this goal, and we hope to see you at the upcoming hackathon.

Those interested in attending and participating can register here.

Note – Photo by Flickr user vic15

Originally from Voxeo Blogs