OpenNorth
OpenNorth is a Montreal-based not-for-profit founded in 2011 that provides data governance, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, and data-sharing consulting to municipalities and civic organizations across Canada, alongside free practical guides and an online courses platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What OpenNorth does
OpenNorth (also known as Nord Ouvert) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. It provides data expertise services to governments — primarily municipalities — and to civic-minded organizations, focused on building organizational capacity to manage data responsibly across its full lifecycle. Its core service portfolio comprises four consulting lines: Data Management Services (data maturity assessments, management plans, implementation support), Cybersecurity Services (risk assessment, security plans, implementation support), Privacy Compliance Services (aligned with Canadian federal and Quebec Law 25 requirements), and Data Hub Development Services (inter-organizational data sharing, governance frameworks, digital infrastructure for data collaboration).
Beyond consulting, OpenNorth distributes a self-serve knowledge layer through an online courses platform covering Indigenous Data Sovereignty, civic tech, open smart cities, and data governance, and publishes free, openly accessible practical guides. Recent guides address AI deployment in municipalities (co-developed with IVADO), generative AI risk for SMBs, mobility-sector data anonymization, personal data flow mapping, and Quebec Law 25 privacy compliance.
Revenue is generated through professional services engagements (Town of Bridgewater, City of Montreal via the Montreal en Commun program, and the Community Solutions Network), grant funding from programs such as the Canadian Privacy Commissioner's Contributions Program and SSHRC's "AI for the Rest of Us" project, and historically corporate sponsorship (Google). Pricing for consulting is not publicly disclosed; resources and guides are provided free of charge. The go-to-market combines direct consulting sales into government and civic organizations with content-driven demand generation through free guides, online courses, and active participation in international open-government networks (Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Open Government, Code for All, International Open Data Charter).
OpenNorth firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OpenNorth
- Legal name
- Open North
- Website
- https://opennorth.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- OpenNorth is a Montreal-based not-for-profit founded in 2011 that provides data governance, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, and data-sharing consulting to municipalities and civic organizations across Canada, alongside free practical guides and an online courses platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OpenNorth industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civic Technology and Data Governance Consulting
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Computer Training (61142)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cybersecurity & Identity Consulting (BPAHAEAG)
Keywords
Where OpenNorth is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
OpenNorth business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Services: Consulting services for data governance, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, and data hub development provided to governments and civic organizations
- Grants and Funding: Funding from government programs such as the Canadian Privacy Commissioner's Contributions Program and SSHRC for research projects
- Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship support (previously from Google)
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
OpenNorth product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open North provides consulting services in data management, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, and data hub development to governments and civic-minded organizations. It also operates an online courses platform and publishes freely accessible practical guides on topics such as AI governance, data anonymization, and cybersecurity for small and medium-sized organizations.
Product overview
Open North is a not-for-profit organization that provides data expertise services rather than a unified software product. Their core service portfolio consists of four main consulting service lines: Data Management Services, Cybersecurity Services, Privacy Compliance Services, and Data Hub Development Services. These services support governments and civic-minded organizations in managing data throughout its lifecycle. Additionally, Open North operates an Online Courses Platform providing training on data governance, digital strategy, and civic technology topics. The company also publishes various practical guides and resources including the AI Serving Municipalities Guide (co-developed with IVADO), Cybersecurity for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations Guide, Mobility Data Anonymization Guide, and Generative AI in Your Organization Guide. The services and resources collectively focus on building organizational capacity for data governance, privacy compliance, cybersecurity, and digital transformation to advance the common good.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Data Management Services Consulting services to help governments and civic-minded organizations establish foundations for responsible, effective, and sustainable data practices. Includes data maturity assessment, data management plan development, and targeted implementation support.
- Cybersecurity Services Consulting services helping organizations identify and reduce cybersecurity risks while protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their data. Includes cybersecurity risk assessment, security plan development, and implementation support.
- Privacy Compliance Services Services helping governments and civic-minded organizations establish regulatory compliance to protect personal information holdings. Includes privacy compliance assessment, compliance plan development, and targeted implementation support.
- Data Hub Development Services Services helping governments and civic-minded organizations improve inter-organizational data sharing, build partnerships with stakeholders, and launch data collaboration programs. Creates governance frameworks and develops digital infrastructure for secure, effective data sharing.
- Online Courses Platform Online learning platform offering courses on data governance, digital strategy, open smart cities, and civic technology. Courses include 'Fundamentals of Indigenous Data Sovereignty', 'Resident Engagement in Open Smart Cities', 'Civic Tech for Open Smart Cities', and other data-related topics, with certificates issued upon completion.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free resources downloaded and used by organizations across Canada and internationally
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use OpenNorth
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
OpenNorth technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature2 records
OpenNorth partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Open GovernmentcoreOpen North serves as a Civil Society Member in Canada's Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Open Government, contributing to open government initiatives at the national level
- City of MontrealcorePartner in charge of data governance project for Montreal in Common program, working on data governance workstream with civic-minded organizations
- Code for All Global NetworkcoreMember of international network of civic technology organizations working on open government and civic engagement
- IVADOcoreCo-developed AI Guide for Municipalities with IVADO, translating AI complexity into practical recommendations for municipal digital transformation
- Rogers Cybersecure CatalystminorPartner in cybersecurity initiatives supporting small and medium-sized organizations
- International Open Data ChartercoreMember of Implementation Working Group, advancing open data principles internationally
- TIESScorePartner in producing resources on social utility trusts and data partnerships for organizations
- NumanaminorParticipates in Connected Health Advisory Committee addressing digital health governance
- Canadian Privacy Commissioner's OfficecoreReceived funding through the Contributions Program to explore intersectional privacy risks in data sharing between police and municipalities
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
OpenNorth competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sunlight Foundation: US nonprofit advocating for open government, transparency, and open data. Comparable nonprofit structure and focus on government transparency, open data standards, and civic engagement through digital tools.
- GovLab (NYU): Research and action lab at NYU focused on using data, technology, and governance innovation to improve public-sector decision-making. Directly comparable mission around data governance, civic technology, and government modernization.
- Code for America: US nonprofit that builds digital services and advocates for open data and civic technology with municipal and state governments. Closely comparable civic-tech nonprofit serving similar government clients with data, privacy, and digital-service expertise.
- Open Data Institute: UK-based nonprofit that convenes governments, businesses, and civic organizations around open data, data trusts, and responsible data use. Highly comparable mission, nonprofit structure, and consulting-driven engagement model serving public-sector clients.
Broad incumbents
- Deloitte Government & Public Services: Global consulting firm with a large public-sector practice covering data governance, cybersecurity, and digital transformation for governments. Competes for the same municipal consulting mandates with vastly greater scale.
- Granicus: Govtech vendor providing communications, records management, and data platforms to municipal and state governments. Overlaps with OpenNorth's data-governance and open-government positioning, but at much larger scale and via software products.
- Accela: US-based govtech software vendor providing SaaS for permitting, licensing, and civic data to municipalities. Competes for municipal data and digital-transformation budgets with a broader software portfolio rather than advisory services.
- 18F: US federal-government technology group that builds digital services and advises agencies on data, procurement, and open government. Broader scale and federal scope, but overlapping methodology around open data, civic technology, and government consulting.
Regional players
- Code for Canada: Canadian nonprofit (later renamed Civic Futures) that worked with governments on digital service design and civic technology. Same country and adjacent mission to OpenNorth's municipal data work.
Others
- IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals): Global nonprofit that provides privacy training, certifications, and resources to professionals. Comparable in offering privacy training/certification content, but serves a broad professional audience rather than municipal governments specifically.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
OpenNorth social profiles
Digital presenceOpenNorth financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OpenNorth leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
OpenNorth funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OpenNorth M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OpenNorth
What does OpenNorth do?
Open North provides consulting services in data management, cybersecurity, privacy compliance, and data hub development to governments and civic-minded organizations. It also operates an online courses platform and publishes freely accessible practical guides on topics such as AI governance, data anonymization, and cybersecurity for small and medium-sized organizations.
Is OpenNorth a public or private company?
OpenNorth is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was OpenNorth founded?
OpenNorth was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is OpenNorth based?
OpenNorth is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does OpenNorth make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are grants and Funding and corporate Sponsorship.
Who are OpenNorth's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sunlight Foundation, GovLab (NYU), Code for America and Open Data Institute. Broad incumbents are Deloitte Government & Public Services, Granicus, Accela and 18F. Code for Canada is listed as a regional player. IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals) is listed as an others.
Does OpenNorth have an API?
No public API is recorded for OpenNorth.
What industry is OpenNorth in?
OpenNorth's product category is Civic Technology and Data Governance Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAEAG, Cybersecurity & Identity Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54169 and its SIC code is 8742.