Guest post by HUB Raleigh and Forward Impact

todd-parkHUB Raleigh and Forward Impact will host the nation’s first-ever regional DataPalooza beginning on April 22, 2013 from 12:00-6:00pm. Data Jam will kick off with an opening reception, lunch, and prestigious speakers, including Todd Park, the Chief Technology Officer for the United States.

DataPalooza is an open data competition sponsored by The White House that connects local experts, innovators, and entrepreneurs to relevant, clean data drawn from federal, state, and local resources.  This open data is used to develop applications and solutions that catalyze positive community and economic impact. Previous events have taken place in Washington, DC, using open data to spark innovation in the fields of health, education, and energy.

The inaugural NC DataPalooza will be a two-part event, beginning with the NC DataJam competition at HUB Raleigh on April 22 and culminating with a celebration in September.

NC DataJam will feature a reception and speakers such as Todd Park, CTO for the United States government, but the day’s focus will be the open data competition. Breakout groups will work alongside expert facilitators to develop innovative applications using education, health, and green data. On August 1, the leading ideas will be selected for a 30-day accelerator, granting the team access to resources like business coaching and technology.

Part two of the event, the NC DataPalooza celebration, will take place during Triangle Entrepreneurship Week on September 12th. The event will feature keynote speakers, presentations by the competitors, and an announcement of the winning applications.

By hosting the first-ever regional DataPalooza, the Triangle will be recognized as a center for open data, collaboration, and entrepreneurial innovation, furthering our goal to make this region a top five entrepreneurial community in the country.

HUB Raleigh and Forward Impact would like to thank Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and SAS for their generous contributions to NC Datapalooza. Without their support, expertise, and technical assistance, this event would not be possible.

Find the event on Twitter, @NCDataPalooza, and follow the conversation at #ncdatajam.

Limited invites are available for those interested in participating and have expertise/interest in health, education, and/or green energy.

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