Opendata.ch, which represents the Open Knowledge Foundation in Switzerland, has launched the Business Innovation food.opendata.ch programme, with the goal of building an open and public database on food and nutrition data. The programme is also funded by the Swiss food industry, represented by Migros – via its funding arm Engagement Migros.
The database aims to gather open data that can be re-used in applications or services by scientists, start-ups, or creative projects, opendata.ch said. “The programme aims to provide a public database on foodstuffs, develop innovative solutions that make sense, and scientifically accompany the public exploitation of data in entrepreneurial projects”, the organisation said in a statement.
“What kind of food is right for me now? Is what’s on my plate ecological, kosher, vegan, fair trade or compatible with my allergies?” are cited as examples of information the database will contain.
A hackathon as a central event
This three-year initiative will be supported by a hackathon called Open Food Hackdays on February 10 and 11 2017. The event will take place simultaneously in Lausanne and Zurich. Two hundred developers, engineers, nutritionists, designers, civil servants and entrepreneurs are invited to attend.
Prior to this, preparation sessions will be organised to help those who “are not yet that familiar with hacks days, open data and food”, the website of the project notes. Then, promising projects identified during the hackathon will start a three-month incubation period.
“The food.opendata.ch innovation programme creates a large public laboratory that enables new applications, new wealth creation models and new business models”, Florian Wieser, the community manager of the programme, said.