Since our first event on co-operatives and open data, we've seen two developments:

• Co-operatives UK has released its annual report that shows the co-operative economy is growing.
• Government have published a White Paper on open data.

Join us to explore the benefits of co-operative business models for the open data world.

• Structures - what are the different co-operative models?
• Rewards - how can co-operatives incentivise producers and consumers of data?
• Engagement - how can co-operatives facilitate feedback and involvement?

Speakers will include legal experts in cooperative models and case study examples of successful businesses alongside discussion and workshops around open data.  Continue the conversation on why co-operatives should open data; and how a co-operative can provide the organisational structure to deliver open data in a fair and transparent way.

Co-operative News has taken the first steps with Open Data Manchester to establish an open data community for co-operatives to share information for the benefit of the Movement. Discussions around open data will take place on the Co-operative News Global News Hub (www.thenews.coop/open), as well as a pilot project to establish how open data can be used.

Co-operatives UK is ideally placed to lead the way, bringing co-operatives together, to define a co-operative open data code of practice.

The event is aimed at developers, data owners and those active in the open data and co-operative movements and those with an interest in co-operative governance. Places are extremely limited.

This event is facilitated by Open Data Manchester, Co-operative News and Co-operatives UK. Arrival from 11.30am for coffee, event start 12 noon.

Event #hashtag is #opencoops.