Landgate has new insights into how to make government data more accessible to budding entrepreneurs after an exciting weekend at GovHack Perth 2015.
A record number of 140 data hackers registered for the event at the Spacecubed co-working and innovation centre where they used government information as the creative spark for new and original projects.
The event coincided with the release of Western Australia's new whole of government Open Data Policy. The policy encourages the public sector to make more of its valuable data assets available in forms that enable the information to be re-used by others.
Landgate's Most Innovative Use of Location Information Prize was awarded to Synergising Synergies for Sitizens for its solar power project.
The group used Landgate and other data accessed through the Shared Location Information Platform (SLIP) to determine which suburbs could generate enough solar power through rooftop panels to meet their electricity needs as well as generate a net positive for the grid.
Landgate's Director of WALIS Damian Shepherd attended the event and said sponsors and organisers were impressed by the quality of the entries.
"It was inspiring to see most of the teams make good use of data available through SLIP, including a significant number of new datasets published recently by agencies through WA's new Open Data Policy," Mr Shepherd said.
"As in previous years, working closely with the teams gave us great insights into the information users need about how to access and understand the data published through SLIP."
GovHack organiser Keith Moss said it was wonderful to see more non-programmers participate in the event.
"The amount of support and involvement we're receiving from across government now is tremendous, and really goes to building links between communities of people who we wouldn't ordinarily meet," Mr Moss said.
Learn more about the WA Government's Open Data Policy.