Netsquared Mashup Challenge Posted

The folks at Netsquared hosted a great conference call last week on the Netsquared Mashup Challenge, which is the theme for the 2008 Net2 conference. As one of the Netsquared Houston Meetup organizers I thought it was cool they were including us (also on the call are my partners in crime with Houston net2 Katie and Jason.)

So... I have been waiting to see this posted on the Netsquared site, and now here is the skinny:

Get Ready for The NetSquared Mashup Challenge!

Do you have an idea for how a mashup that could be a tool for social change?

Do you look at all of the data available online, and imagine ways to combine and connect it to increase awareness about an issue?

Do you see projects like MAPLight.org or chicagocrime.org and think, I've got an idea for something like that, I just need a little help getting it off the ground?

If you answered yes, then join the NetSquared Mashup Challenge!  We've created the Challenge because we believe you have great ideas for how data can create insight, and we want to create a platform to facilitate those kinds of mashups being built. Plus, we've got cash prizes to award to the folks who come up with the most innovative mashups for social change.

There are three parts to the Challenge:

1. Applications
Individuals working to create change will share with the NetSquared Community what change they are trying to make, as well as the information/data sources they believe can be married to help create that change. Applications will be available online February 1 and accepted until March 14, 2008.

(KEEP READING HERE)

The big take away is that you can submit starting on Friday. I know I'll be pestering some of our past Netsquared speakers to submit their organizations. I suggest YOU do the same!

Comments

[Marnie Webb]

Thanks for being on the call, Ed, and for the work on Net2 Houston.

[Nathaniel Whittemore]

Hi Ed,

I saw that you were writing about the Netsquared Mashup challenge and I wanted to share a little bit about our Mashup Challenge entry: Assetmap.org/uganda. You can read more at http://www.assetmap.org/uganda

The question behind the project is this: with peace on the horizon after 20 years of war in northern Uganda, and the big NGOs soon heading off to other war zones, who is going to support community organizations and northern Ugandan civil society as it transitions to peace time?

By mapping information about ongoing community-led philanthropic partnerships in northern Uganda, assetmap.org/uganda helps American citizens aggregate their resources to support post-conflict transformation.

We hope to facilitate collaboration among American donors and volunteers by providing a digital tool that:

•maps project locations so you know who's working where
•tags information about the specific issues projects and organizations seek to address
•links tagged and mapped projects to the facebook and LinkedIn profiles of participating donors or volunteers

If you're interested in supporting us, please visit and vote for us here:
http://www.netsquared.org/2008/conference/projects/assetmap-org-uganda

Thanks!

Nathaniel Whittemore
Director, Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement
www.mycge.org
globalengagement at gmail