Copenhagen launches world’s first city data marketplace

City Data Exchange provides public and private data – for a price

Jun 8, 2016

Copenhagen has launched the world’s first marketplace for city data, the City Data Exchange. The exchange will provide public and private data, focusing on challenges in the city.

The data will offer information about things like traffic patterns and citizens’ energy consumption, which companies can use to develop solutions to create smarter cities. Copenhagen’s new City Data Exchange launched on May 18.

Copenhagen’s is the first platform to monetise data – meaning that some information is only available at a price.

“There are now vast data sets available at the Copenhagen City Data Exchange, which Danish and foreign companies can use to build new and innovative solutions, supporting city functions such as green infrastructure planning, traffic management and energy usage,” said Claus Lønborg, the head of Copenhagen Capacity.

Millions of bytes
In co-operation with Hitachi, 65 sources of open data on Copenhagen have already been found including demographics, weather and crime statistics. This will be combined with information submitted by businesses and citizens.

The platform was built in partnership with the city of Copenhagen, the Danish Capital Region and other partners. The Copenhagen city government contributed 4 million kroner and the Capital Region put up 5 million kroner. Hitachi Consulting won the tender to lead the project and started working on the project in May 2015.