The Mohn Westlake Foundation is supporting ODILeeds to transition its events and community workspace into a new coronavirus-proof, future of events space.

ODILeeds is an independent, not-for-profit organisation which works with sponsors, companies, organisations, governments and individuals to use open data to innovate and make a difference to everyone by helping people make better decisions. Its mission is to work on issues that can make a difference, such as the economy, health and wellbeing, education, transportation and mobility, housing, diversity and the climate emergency.

The Mohn Westlake Foundation and ODILeeds share a belief that it’s critical for people and organisations to keep talking, sharing and thinking through the pandemic. ODILeeds will use The Mohn Westlake Foundation’s grant to build and invest in bespoke web platforms and the technical kit and expertise needed to continue being open to everyone.

ODILeeds has already started to use the funding to build a bespoke broadcast web solution. The grant money will ensure that the organisation can now broadcast events virtually using its own software platform complete with auditoriums, a chat room, virtual whitewalls, captioning and more to not only replicate in person events online, but to build them better.

Additionally the grant money will fund ODILeeds’ data science and analytics mission-led experimental projects in the fields of health with Open Data Saves Lives; the climate with Planet Data; and the economy with its visualisation libraries and tools, for example national hexmaps.

To learn more about this project, please visit the grantees website: open-innovations.org