Information Policy

Google creates $4M fund for data-driven climate projects

• Google announced plans to launch a $4 million fund in partnership with ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability to help nonprofits and academic institutions in Europe and Latin America work on data-driven projects to fight climate change.

100+ Million Invested In Civic Tech Sector Over Last 3 Years: Village Captial & CIIE.CO

The ‘Catalyzing Civic Tech in India’ report by CIIE.CO, Omidyar Network India, and Village Capital highlights the opportunities for impact in civic tech space.

GSMA Launches Inclusive Tech Lab

London: The GSMA today announced the launch of the GSMA Inclusive Tech Lab, which will take a hands-on approach to research, testing and development of the inclusive technologies of the future. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has provided three years of funding for the GSMA Inclusive Tech Lab, and will sit on the Advisory Group alongside industry representatives including GoPay, IDEMIA, KaiOS, Mowali, Telenor, the University of Washington, VEON and Vodafone.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Partners on New Civic Innovation Hub

In a rare bit of international news for the What’s New in Civic Tech weekly roundup, Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced a partnership that will see the scaling of one of its civic innovation programs in Israel.

Air pollution could be measured on every street corner

Air pollution is responsible for 550,000 premature deaths a year in Europe – and 7 million worldwide, according to the WHO. Measuring it can be a challenge, however, as the equipment tends to be large and expensive. But soon, this may change, thanks to a small, optical nano-sensor, developed at Chalmers, which can be mounted onto an ordinary streetlight.​