opencage data and sustainable business models for open data

A meta-geocoding API

Ed Freyfogle - @freyfogleAPIconUK - 25 Sept. 2014

http://opencagedata.com@opencagedata

Problem

Where are we?

(c) OpenStreetMap contributors

51.5007703,-0.1164174

London!

London!

Lambeth!

London!

Lambeth!

Waterloo!

London!

Lambeth!

Waterloo! England

York Road

Zone 1SE1 7UT

United Kingdom

Westminster Bridge Rd

placename long/lat

placename long/lat

forward

placename long/lat

forward

reverse

Yes!

Yes! but …T&Csexpensive at volume

OpenStreetMap

Yes!

Yes! but …not for high volume usevariable coverage

Yes!

Yes! and …one API, many geocodersfree as in freedomannotations

You Geonames

and more

Open datause with any map you like cache as long as you likefix itget creative

Annotationstimezones OS gridrefs geohashwhat3wordsmore coming, suggestions welcome

Start geocoding:opencagedata.com

Free as in freedom

What does it cost?

Bigger question

Can we build a sustainable, scalable product business around an open data API?

not scalable

What is the differentiator?

The Moat

Competition

Competition is any way that consumers address the problem.

Direct and indirect competition

Direct - other API providers (closed and open)

Indirect - build it themselves

Indirect - do nothing

But how exactly?

Direct

ProductPricePlacementPromotion

Indirect

EducationAwarenessReduce trial barrier

Product

- add to the open data- curating the open data

Annotationstimezones OS gridrefs geohashwhat3wordsmore coming, suggestions welcome

"timezone" : { "name" : "Europe/London", "now_in_dst" : 1, "offset_sec" : 3600, "offset_string" : 100, "short_name" : "BST" }

Very common use case

Go niche

"OSGB" : { "easting" : 530711.341, "gridref" : "TQ 307 797", "northing" : 179728.745 },

Viewed globally, the UK is niche

Not niche to them

Keep it simple

Can we get their help?

Our goal:1 + 1 > 2

Value through curation / editing

You Geonames

and more

Too much of a good thing

spendnetwork.com

Where?

Berlin

NOT “Berlin, Berlin”

Our goal:1 - 1 > 0

Partners/Allies?

Enemy of my enemy is my friend

The enemy is business as usual

what3words

epic.limit.diary

Pricing?

Consider many models

traditional model

usage

cost

The enemy is business as usual

“The fee is based on the formula (number of users * $0.001), so the earlier you join, the less you pay.”

pinboard.in

Final points:

Start geocoding:opencagedata.com

See you at #geomob4 Nov. geomobldn.org

theodi.org

http://opencagedata.com@opencagedata

Thanks! Questions?

Ed Freyfogle - @freyfogleAPIconUK - 25 Sept. 2014