Actuatr
Today, Actuatr (http://www.actuatr.com)
Any data provider can upload their data in a format they are familiar with, such as a spreadsheet, in one step. The Actuatr platform immediately begins hosting the dataset in the cloud and creates a simple, documented API that developers can use to immediately begin creating innovative applications. Some common examples are map mashups, Twitter mashups, visualizations, and iPhone apps.
"People have come to rely on the many innovative apps created by innovative developers all over the world," says Actuatr's developer, Adeel Ahmad. "Probably the greatest barrier is the technical challenge in getting the data in a format that developers can actually use. This platform removes all of that complexity and provides a simple bridge between data provider and developer."
The platform is early in a beta phase while it competes in the NYC BigApps competition. Public voting begins December 15 and ends January 7. During this time some features are still limited publicly but under active development. A full-version beta will appear in January.
With growing momentum and pressure for governments and other organizations to provide more data, the launch of such a platform is very timely. Just last week, the White House announced the Open Government Directive with instructions to government agencies to begin making their data public in 45 days. Such moves not only increase transparency but also can reduce costs by allowing open-source developers to build tools to make better use of the data. To learn more about how Actuatr can help, just go to http://www.actuatr.com.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
