Connecting the dots between data stakeholders in the impact arena

Gary A. BollesCEO, Xigi Inc.

Co-founder, SoCap – Social Capital Markets

Development & Information Mapping Summit

Oct. 27, 2010

Why are we here today?

• Discover who’s in the room• Describe who’s doing what• Demonstrate some cool technology• Discuss what needs to be done• Define a set of shared goals• Determine followup steps

The “impact ecosystem” is broad and diverse…

…And many are represented in this room

BoozAllen

Hamilton

NetHope

William and MaryUniversity

Winrock

WorldBank

Xigi

Google

Ushahidi

OpenAction

SoCap

OPIC

U.S. Dept.of State

UnitedKingdom

USAID

ESRI

FHI

William and MaryUniversity

InterAction

FAO

EuropeanUnion

NationalGeographic

SocietyBusiness

CivicLeadership

Center

ClintonGlobal

Initiative

• AID DATA• Architecture for Humanity• BCLC• Blue Raster• Booz Allen Hamilton• CGI• Crisis Commons• ESRI• FAO• GeoCommons• GIS Advisor• Google• Intel• National Geographic• NetHope• Open Action

• OPIC• OUSFDA• SIS• soc.mil• UNDP• United Kingdom• Univ. Minnesota• Universities 4 Ushahidi• US Dept. of State• US Southern Command• USAID• WEF• William & Mary U• Xigi

Why has it historically been so disconnected?

• Strong incentive to publish only positive outcomes• Many point-in-time research initiatives, but few dynamic,

ongoing, comprehensive efforts• Little rooting in the social graph

In a word: Silos.

How do we help to break them down? In a word: Data.

But accurate, up-to-date, & complete information is hard to find.

• Data exists about these initiatives for impact – but it sits in silos– In Web sites– In proprietary databases– In documents on local hard drives

• And where the information exists, it’s not connected– Linking entrepreneurs and sources of funding– Linking initiatives and the people they’re intended to serve– Linking intended outcomes with what actually happens

“Data are the new platform for change.” – Lucy Bernholz, “Disrupting Philanthropy 2.0”

What are the layers of the data?• Constituents

– Beneficiaries. Recipients. Receiving partners.

• Problems– What are the issues that are intended to be impacted?

• Places– Where are the resources coming from? Where will they be located? Where

will they be applied?

• People• Organizations• Resources

– What’s being applied to the problem? Where does it go?

• Initiatives– How are the people, organizations & resources being focused?

• Impact– What were the intended outcomes? What were the actual outcomes –

intended or unintended?

What do people want to do with that data?

• Whenever an individual or an organization intends to help solve a local or global challenge, they go through the same process:– They want to DISCOVER who else shares

the same focus, in the same region– They want to COORDINATE their efforts, to

reduce duplication and increase impact– They want to COLLABORATE with others

• But one huge challenge stands in their way: Sharing information.

“Who’s focused on

food security in Muslim-majority

countries??”“Which startup should I invest in focused on

mobile payments in

India?”“How can we band together into an action

network?”

Geospatial mapping is “the place” to start

• Much existing data has a geographical component– (though not in all cases comprehensive)

• Location is of critical importance to many stakeholders• Information is often more easily understood

…But “impact mapping” covers a range of data visualization &

consumption• Search interface

– Unstructured data

• Data regression• Collaborative Research• Data normalization

We need to find ways to linkthe wide range of data sources…

• Imagine being able to easily find information about people, organizations and initiatives– From a wide range of sources– For the broad range of impact

initiatives– Up to date

• And imagine if it was accessible…– In a variety of industry-standard

data formats– On any device– In any location

Universities

Social/EntrepreneurPrograms &

Degrees

SocialEntrepreneurs

Volunteers For-ProfitEntrepreneurs

sources ofcapital

sources ofaction

philanthropic

governmentconnectors

debt

services

glue

InformationExchanges

SupportOrganizations

Cross-CategoryConsortia

Governments

NationalRegional

StateLocal

Citizens

U.N. Community

DevelopmentAgencies

FamilyOffices

Faith-based

IndividualDonors

DonorPlatforms

NGOs/Non-Profits

SocialEnterprises

For-profitEnterprises

FinancialExchanges Market

PlatformsCompetitions

APIsMobile

Platforms

Metrics

CorporateFoundations

PrivateFoundations

VenturePhilanthropy

Social VentureFunds

equity

AngelInvestors

LimitedPartners

InvestorPlatforms

Fundsof Funds

VentureFunds

InvestorConsortia

TraditionalCorporations

Intrapreneurs

Multi-nationalBanks

LocalBanks

LendingPlatforms

Micro-credit

Tax-AdvantagedDebt Funds

MembershipOrganizations

Events &Social Networks

Media

Statistics

…In an “information fabric” that would allow others to build new services…

PORTALS

SOCIALNETWORKS

STAKEHOLDERMAPS

ACTIONNETWORKS

MARKET-PLACES

INVESTMENTPLATFORMSDONOR

PLATFORMSMENTORING &CONNECTION

SERVICES

BUSINESSMANAGEMENTAPPLICATIONS

…and make new connections

KANECT

Tell your story.

#kanectqueryWho else cares about mobile payments in Uganda?Find others

interested in the same issues.

Post information about yours &

others’ activities

Initiative: PlantAFishFocus: Ocean preservationFounder: Fabian Cousteau

Create new “action

networks”

Connect entrepreneurs

& capital

! $! $

There needs to be a healthy“attention marketplace”

• All data contributed into the information fabric will be openly available

• Data providers will have access to special tools to help with the sharing and use of the data

• The information provided can power…– Local portals & social networks

• Example: All organizations focused on mobile health in Uganda

– Funding groups• Example: An investment group supporting Internet cafes in Nepal

– Market platforms• Example: A social capital marketplace in Thailand

– Action networks• Example: A group of like-minded individuals seeking new

approaches to anti-malaria vaccines

The potential results from this new information fabric are nearly limitless.

• Greater engagement by individuals & organizations– Help to channel the passion for change to existing & new initiatives

• More efficient use of resources– Capital can be aggregated from numerous sources – and applied

where it’s most needed• Better partnering between major – and not so major – players

– Stop funding duplicate efforts, and start funding the most effective solutions

• Better public policy– The better we know where resources are going, the better we can

allocate them• More widespread understanding of the need for social justice

– Sharing data about initiatives can show a global audience what’s being done to bring people together to solve problems around the world

Vertical Arena + Regional Focus = “Entrepreneur Hubs”

Poverty Food security

Water Health Social justice

Education Shelter Fair Trade Mobile

Sub-Saharan Africa

Mobil-Active

Middle East

MAPPING MAPPERS

Eastern Europe

India & Pakistan

China

Pacific Rim

Latin America

“The Platform”

North America

Fandf.org

It’s really about connecting much of what is already there.

• There are many existing groups, organizations and initiatives with a broad range of information– Membership organizations & fellowships (SVN, Skoll, TED,

Ashoka and more)– Emerging volunteer & sharing sites (Jumo, etc.)– Market & donation platforms (GSIX, Kiva and more)– University social entrepreneur programs (Stanford,

UCBerkeley, Columbia and more)– High-visibility platforms (Clinton Global Initiative, World

Economic Forum)– Foundations (Gates, Acumen, Rockefeller, Kauffman and more)– Government agencies (State Department, USAID, IADB)– Collaboration initiatives (ANDE/PULSE, GIIN/IRIS, and more)

• Each will have varying levels of interest in sharing data – but as the platform grows, many will see the value in contributing as much as possible

Yes!I want to share my data.

email info@kanect.netfor more

Nobody can do it alone.• Critical roles in the development of this information fabric

– Data Providers• From individuals & startups to large foundations & government

organizations: Commit to sharing your data

– Data Users• From individuals & startups to large foundations & government

organizations: Commit to using the data

– Catalysts• People and organizations who can bring broad attention to the

initiative

– Catalyst Funders• Provide seed & expansion capital to support the initiative

– Technology Partners• Provide key resources to release and integrate information

– Conveners• Bring stakeholders together to help them connect

We have examples to point us to “a way forward.”

National Broadband Strategy

Coalition

bb4us.net

Let’s get busy.

• Discover who’s in the room• Describe who’s doing what• Demonstrate some cool technology• Discuss what needs to be done• Define a set of shared goals• Determine followup steps