Helsinki is a goldmine of open data

Aerial photo of Selkämerenpuisto on Jätkäsaari, where a blue cycle path winds through the park before crossing an orange bridge over Välimerenkatu.
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Hundreds of datasets, from open interfaces to giant spreadsheets and CSV files to old map images. Long-term statistics, precise location data and real-time traffic information. Helsinki has huge amounts of open data that can be utilised to improve the quality of life and stimulate deeper participation. It also provides the basis of new profitable business.

Three examples of open data success stories

Whim is a new mobility app that has been created by a local startup in Helsinki. The app utilises the city’s open data and can be used already in Helsinki to order and pay for public transport, taxis and rental cars with either a monthly fee or one-off payment. The startup behind Whim is Maas Global, which raised over 10 million euros in funding in July 2017. Over the next five years the company aims to expand its services to cover all forms of mobility around the world.

BlindSquare is the world’s best GPS smart phone app for the visually impaired. It already has over 10,000 users in 130 countries. The app was developed in Helsinki and is based on open data, speech synthesis technology and the VoiceOver screen reader that is available on Apple devices. According to its inventor, Ilkka Pirttimaa, BlindSquare has already won just about every award there is, including “Best Mobile Health Product or Service” at the GSMA’s Global Mobile Awards

Parkman is a mobile app that enables drivers to find and pay for parking easily in just seconds. Once a suitable parking place has been found, the app directs you there and informs you of the price automatically. The app was awarded already back in 2011 for the best utilisation of open data in the Apps4Finland competition. Parkman works throughout Finland in all urban centres where you have to pay for parking. Outside of Finland, Parkman is currently available in 20 cities, and the service is being expanded all the time.

Data available openly and for free

Helsinki Region Infoshare (HRI) is an open data service that offers free-of-charge data related to Helsinki and its neighbouring municipalities. The data can be utilised by citizens, developers, reporters, companies, universities, schools and research institutes, as well as by municipal decision-makers and employees.

One of the most popular forms of data offered by the HRI service is a real Excel monster: a spreadsheet of all of the City of Helsinki’s procurements updated monthly since 2012. Over the years this data has been used regularly by journalists and data visualisation professionals.

Search, suggest, develop, test

The HRI data catalogue contains over 600 datasets that can be accessed by anyone and combined to find new creative solutions. The website is also used to share ideas about apps that their inventors have not had time to implement. For example, could the data be used to design better locations for a chain of coffee shops?

If you cannot find the data you are looking for, you can also suggest that it be made available. For example, HRI is currently working on providing data about parking interfaces and maps. This data could then be used to develop mobile phone apps to help drivers and reduce congestion.

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Helsinki has huge amounts of open data that can be utilised to improve the quality of life and stimulate deeper participation. It also provides the basis of new profitable business.