AMdEX: Trusted data sharing
If data is the new gold, a key question is how we all may profit of the new possibilities. Amsterdam Data Exchange (AMdEX) is a possible answer, as initiated by the Amsterdam Science park and the Amsterdam Economic Board. This initiative, as illustrated in the report below, aims at trusted data sharing for companies, public bodies and the public at large. Inspired by the European Commission’s Open Science Cloud, the initiative wants to reach out to similar developments elsewhere in Europe. And finally, to become part of a global movement to facilitate data sharing.
Institutes in the Amsterdam Science Park, with their expertise on technological innovation and digital connectivity, coined the approach of AMdEX to facilitate a trusted and secure digital market for data. Margo Keizer of ASP explains: “Data sharing is a practice in our institutes, however mainly informally. Now we are combining different initiatives for a common approach, which includes attention for infrastructural and legal issues.” This is exactly what AMdEX intends to realize.
Transparent and trusted
“The question is how to work efficient with all available data?”, says Wouter Los with his extensive experience in European research infrastructures and studies on the function of data marketplaces. “We want to move to an open and democratic playing field” as he explains. “Our model – different from the present-day monopolistic models – is based on the principle that data reside with their owners and that they decide which data may be shared with selected others, and according to the owner’s conditions. As such, we are building a market model allowing market participants to consult available data and to use in agreement with data owners at a transparent and open way. This can be realized by enforcing these principles in software and hardware, also different from current practices”.
“The municipality of Amsterdam has since 2011 an open data policy. City data belongs to the community and has to be available for everyone, unless it conflicts with privacy”, says Ger Baron, Chief Technology Officer of Amsterdam. “We learned in the past year how to best open up data. As for example, panoramic photos are freely accessible through our data portal. Also, we share data with market entities allowing for example to find parking places. We like to share data, but only according to clear conditions. This is exactly what AMdEX will facilitate”.
Currently, the vision of an open market for data is being put into practice while learning from a number of use cases.
Willem Koeman of the Amsterdam Economic Board says: “Data sharing is key for addressing our 21st century challenges. The Amsterdam Data Exchange is a frontrunner”.
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