Bringing open data and smart people together for a better Colorado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R0ODG9Z29o

If you like Colorado already, just wait until we turn over a cache of our open data to more than 160 smart people. It’s Go Code Colorado, and it’s a brilliant bunch of hackers working on behalf of the government to turn their statistical assets into a golden opportunity. In only its second year, over thirty teams are competing for one of three $25,000 contracts to make Colorado’s business, transportation, government and education function more efficiently. But they have to work for this prize. Go Code spans six weeks, five cities, and the kind of coding intensity that funds the caffeine industry. These are big issues, too, with beasts like Colorado’s traffic problems screeching for solutions. Can a springtime hackathon provide answers on how to be more responsive, intelligent and efficient? Not only is the state of Colorado banking on it, but so are the dozens of businesses who have contributed cash and product to make Go Code go.

Name.com has offered domains and hosting for the opportunity to be a part of this incredibly innovative event, and we’ll be there tonight helping host the closing ceremonies. It is tonight that the secretary of state will pick from the semi-finalists to award the three $25,000 contracts. It’s exciting and it’s downright humbling that people take time from their already busy lives to make Colorado a better place to live and work. We’ll keep you updated on our Twitter as to who wins and who … who is ready to come back next year and Go Code even better.