Ian Kalin
Director of the Energy Data Initiative
2012 was a good year for American innovation. The outgrowth of the "Data Jam" from the health sector into other areas like energy and education sparked an inspiring wave of entrepreneurship. These Jams -- formerly known as Joint Application Modeling Sessions -- were a major improvement to the familiar format of public-private collaboration workshops. Looking to 2013, the Energy Department is announcing today the next round of Data Jams.
The new Data Jams are being co-hosted and organized by regional innovation hubs, industry groups and start-up incubators. Although focused on certain geographies and sectors, they all have the same common structure:
Step Two: Provide an introduction to valuable open datasets and align them to common challenges.
Step Three: Small groups brainstorm new products, services, apps or features that could solve common challenges and be created within 90 days.
Step Four: Large group votes on the best ideations.
Step Five: Individuals volunteer to create new products within 90 days.
Beyond the obvious commercial advantage of creating new products that help people, another incentive for volunteers at Data Jams is the possibility of being invited to annual showcase Datapaloozas, like the one hosted by the Energy Department last October. As demonstrated by the roster of upcoming Data Jams, the Federal government is not required to be "at the table" in order to host a Data Jam. Data Jams can be held wherever there are people willing to convene innovators with a bias-for-action. In the next few months, Energy Data Jams will include a vehicles-focused Data Jam with the automotive industry in Detroit, the Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, NC, Boston Cleanweb, and New York City Energy Week.
