Public digital data free for Stockholm app makers

In a bid to improve transparency and boost the number of mobile app and IT service companies, the city of Stockholm has made large amounts of digital information available for free.

“Stockholm is among the best cities in the world to use and develop ICT,” noted the website Open Stockholm. “In order for us to be even better, we want to offer those who want to create new apps and IT services easy access to public data that the city has collected and stored electronically.”

To kick-start the process of making information available, the city will launch an app contest to find the best Stockholm apps created using the new data.

Mayor Sten Nordin said the value of information increases when it is shared with more people and used in new ways. Making digital information freely available also improves transparency, he added.

“With the launch of the new platform “Open Stockholm”, which aims to share the city's statistics, digital information and records, raw data and more, we take a natural step to secure Stockholm's position as a modern capital with solutions for the modern citizen," Nordin said in a statement.

Over the years, Stockholm has won countless awards for its e-service work, with the aim of making the city a round-the-clock authority for its residents.

This article was published in collaboration between Stockholm Business Region and The Swedish Wire.