The Open Data Foundation
The Open Data Foundation is a Tucson-based non-profit that builds open-source tools and metadata standards under the High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) to make high-value datasets FAIR-compliant and machine-actionable for public-sector data custodians, scientific communities, and AI systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersTucson, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What The Open Data Foundation does
The Open Data Foundation is a U.S. non-profit organization founded in 2010 and headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, dedicated to advancing the adoption of global metadata standards and the development of open-source solutions for high-value data. It operates the High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) project, which is built around the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and serves three horizontal user segments: public-sector data custodians publishing government and societal datasets, technical and scientific communities conducting research and analysis, and machine systems — including AI — that require machine-actionable metadata to discover and consume data.
The foundation's core technology comprises two primary products. Data Artifex is an ecosystem of Python-based open-source packages that enables datasets to be exposed through FAIR-compliant open data APIs accompanied by structured metadata. HVDNet is the hosted services layer that complements public data APIs with standards-based metadata and tooling. Both products are anchored in a standards framework that integrates W3C Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT), DDI Codebook and DDI Cross-Domain Integration (CDI), Frictionless Data Package v2, MLCommons Croissant, RO-Crate, SKOS, and schema.org, and are positioned under the Cross-Domain Interoperability Framework (CDIF). The foundation maintains open repositories on GitHub (github.com/dataartifex) as its primary developer-distribution channel.
The foundation operates on a non-profit model with no publicly disclosed pricing, revenue model, or funding sources. It sustains its work through strategic and technology partnerships with CODATA, the DDI Alliance, datHere/QSV, Dreamfactory, and Metadata Technology North America (MTNA). The organization runs with a small team of 1-10 employees, and the HVDNet platform is self-described as being in early development with preview features, signaling active product build-out rather than mature commercial operations.
The Open Data Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Open Data Foundation
- Website
- https://opendatafoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Open Data Foundation is a Tucson-based non-profit that builds open-source tools and metadata standards under the High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) to make high-value datasets FAIR-compliant and machine-actionable for public-sector data custodians, scientific communities, and AI systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Open Data Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Open Data Standards & Metadata Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metadata, Catalog & Semantic Layer for Data Platforms (HDAEABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Data Governance Platforms (Policies, Stewardship, Workflows) (HDAEADAB), Data Modeling & Semantic Layer / Business Glossary (HDAEADAJ), Dataset Discovery, Marketplaces & Licensing (HDAAALAE), Data Sharing, Data Exchange & Data Marketplace Platforms (HDAEABAH)
Keywords
Where The Open Data Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tucson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Open Data Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The Open Data Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Open Data Foundation builds and maintains open-source tools and standards-based metadata infrastructure to make high-value data discoverable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable by both humans and machines. Its core offerings are the Data Artifex Python package ecosystem (FAIR open data APIs with metadata) and the High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) of hosted public services that complement public data APIs with standards-based metadata and AI integration. The foundation also curates and applies community metadata standards such as W3C DCAT, DDI Codebook/CDI, Frictionless Data Package, MLCommons Croissant, RO-Crate, SKOS, and schema.org under the Cross-Domain Interoperability Framework (CDIF).
Product overview
The High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) is a multi-component platform built by The Open Data Foundation to make high-value data equally discoverable, accessible, and usable by both humans and machines. The ecosystem consists of HVDNet (hosted public services and tools that provide standards-based metadata and complement public data APIs), Data Artifex (Python-based packages for FAIR data access and metadata management), and Data & Machine Intelligence (the strategic approach combining machine-actionable data with AI and open tools). The platform is unified by metadata standards and best practices grounded in FAIR principles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Data Artifex: An ecosystem of Python-based packages to ensure datasets can be accessed through FAIR open data APIs and is accompanied by relevant metadata.
Products and services
- High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) Hosted public services and tools that complement public data APIs with standards-based metadata, facilitate common data-user tasks, and integrate with AI systems to make high-value data discoverable and machine-actionable for data custodians, researchers, and AI/digital agent systems.
- Data Artifex An ecosystem of Python-based open-source packages that enables datasets to be accessed through FAIR open data APIs and ensures they are accompanied by relevant metadata for interoperability, aimed at developers, data scientists, and data custodians.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supports millions of individuals across sectors and borders who rely on high-value data for decision-making, research, and analysis
Companies that use The Open Data Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Open Data Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Open Data Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CODATAcoreCODATA is listed as a key strategic partner supporting the High-Value Data Network project. CODATA promotes data policies and practices that advance science and society.
- DDI AlliancecoreDDI Alliance is listed as a key partner providing expertise in data documentation standards including DDI Codebook and DDI Cross-Domain Integration (CDI) specifications.
- datHere / QSVcoredatHere and its QSV tool are listed as technology partners providing data processing and query capabilities integrated with the HVDNet ecosystem.
- Metadata Technology North America (MTNA)coreMTNA is listed as a technology partner providing expertise in metadata management and standards implementation.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Open Data Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Alation: Enterprise data catalog and metadata management platform. Broad incumbent with overlapping data discovery and metadata capabilities, but commercial and enterprise-oriented rather than open standards-driven.
- Collibra: Enterprise data catalog and governance platform. Broad incumbent with overlapping metadata/catalog/governance capabilities, but focused on commercial enterprise deployments rather than the open-source public-sector niche.
- OCLC: Global library cooperative providing metadata standards, cataloging infrastructure, and identifiers (ISNI, etc.). Broad incumbent with deep expertise in metadata standards and cross-domain interoperability, thematically comparable as a metadata-standards steward.
- Informatica: Enterprise data integration and governance platform including catalog and metadata management. Broad incumbent operating across the data governance stack, addressing similar data cataloging and metadata use cases at enterprise scale.
Direct peers
- Data.world: Collaborative data catalog platform emphasizing knowledge graphs, metadata, and standards-based data sharing. Directly comparable as a metadata-centric data catalog platform serving both human and machine consumers.
- DataCite: Non-profit organization providing DOIs and metadata registration for research data. Directly comparable as a non-profit metadata infrastructure provider enabling data discoverability and citation, anchored in community standards.
- Open Knowledge Foundation: Non-profit promoting open data and steward of Frictionless Data, one of the standards explicitly integrated by the foundation. Closely comparable as an open-source/open-standards open data advocacy organization.
- Zenodo (CERN): Open research data repository operated by CERN with FAIR-aligned metadata for datasets. Directly comparable as a hosted public service enabling FAIR data publishing with standards-based metadata for research and scientific communities.
- Dataverse Project (Harvard IQSS): Open-source research data repository software with metadata cataloging built on Dublin Core, DDI, and other standards. Directly comparable as an open-source platform for FAIR research data publishing with a similar non-profit/governmental orientation.
- CKAN (Open Knowledge Foundation): Open-source data management system providing a catalog and portal for open government and research data. Directly comparable as an open-source ecosystem for publishing FAIR/standards-based datasets, targeting the same data custodian segment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Open Data Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Open Data Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Open Data Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Open Data Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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The Open Data Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about The Open Data Foundation
What does The Open Data Foundation do?
The Open Data Foundation builds and maintains open-source tools and standards-based metadata infrastructure to make high-value data discoverable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable by both humans and machines. Its core offerings are the Data Artifex Python package ecosystem (FAIR open data APIs with metadata) and the High-Value Data Network (HVDNet) of hosted public services that complement public data APIs with standards-based metadata and AI integration. The foundation also curates and applies community metadata standards such as W3C DCAT, DDI Codebook/CDI, Frictionless Data Package, MLCommons Croissant, RO-Crate, SKOS, and schema.org under the Cross-Domain Interoperability Framework (CDIF).
When was The Open Data Foundation founded?
The Open Data Foundation was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Open Data Foundation based?
The Open Data Foundation is headquartered in Tucson, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The Open Data Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Alation, Collibra, OCLC and Informatica. Direct peers are Data.world, DataCite, Open Knowledge Foundation, Zenodo (CERN), Dataverse Project (Harvard IQSS) and CKAN (Open Knowledge Foundation).
Does The Open Data Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Open Data Foundation.
What industry is The Open Data Foundation in?
The Open Data Foundation's product category is Open Data Standards & Metadata Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEABAJ, Metadata, Catalog & Semantic Layer for Data Platforms, with a secondary code of HDAEADAB, Data Governance Platforms (Policies, Stewardship, Workflows). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7370.