23/09/2014

Datactics Named Winners Of NI Open Data Challenge

Enterprise Minster Arlene Foster and Finance Minister Simon Hamilton have congratulated Datactics, the winners of the inaugural Northern Ireland Open Data challenge.

The competition, which was run jointly by DETI and DFP, in conjunction with the CultureTech festival in Londonderry, offered a £5,000 prize for the best idea for an app using open data from the public sector.

Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Arlene Foster said: "I am pleased to congratulate Datactics on their success. This contest has showcased the depth of analytical capability in Northern Ireland’s digital community. The standard of the six finalists was extremely high and the wide variety of ideas gives us a clear idea of how our local digital talent can use open data for public good. The use of Open Data and challenge prizes are highlighted in the Executive’s Innovation Strategy as ways to drive innovation in the economy. Applications for the competition covered a wide range of topics with the winning pitch by Datactics showcasing an app which helps make tourism data more usable for tourists, tourism providers and policy makers."

Mr Hamilton added: "This open data challenge has demonstrated that we can use public sector data and utilise challenge prizes to harness the skills and creativity of our community. I am determined to use approaches such as this to create a more innovative public sector in Northern Ireland. I would like to thank all of those who submitted ideas through the competition and also like to thank InnovateUK, NESTA and the Open Data Institute for their role in making the competition such a success."

(CD/IT)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

15 October 2015
Plans For Two New Data Centres Announced
Plans for two new data centres in Northern Ireland have been announced by Finance Minister Arlene Foster MLA. The data centres will house much of the IT services, not only for the Northern Ireland Civil Service but also the wider public sector.
19 December 2019
Startup Fundamentals Workshop Announced
A free interactive start-up workshop for local entrepreneurs and people interested in tech start-ups is to take place next month. The Catalyst workshop provides the opportunity to hear from some of the leading tech start-ups in Northern Ireland.
31 July 2014
NI Football League Signs Contract With TRACKCHAMP
The NI Football League has announced they have signed a long-term contract with TRACKCHAMP, a joint venture between bwin.party digital entertainment and Chyronhego, to be their Official Streaming and Data Partner.
27 September 2012
Acksen Wins Its First Business In Chile
Acksen, the Whiteabbey-based manufacturer of Electrocorder data loggers for monitoring electricity supply, has won its first business in Chile as part of an international campaign to drive sales forward faster.
03 October 2011
Search Giant Creates 230 Irish Jobs
An investment from an Internet search giant will create 230 jobs in Dublin, it has been announced. In what is being hailed as a significant boost Google has announced plans to invest €75m into a new data centre in the capital, creating 30 permanent jobs and 200 temporary jobs.