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
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 [email protected] 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