Hello DataKinders!
Wow, what a year it’s been! The world has changed so much. AI is now a mainstay in the terminology, ethics is the hottest topic since data privacy, and so many tech companies have started providing more pro bono services. It’s been a wild ride, but one thing has stayed constant: you all have shown up every day, in your limited spare time, committed to dedicating your data science skills to the greater good. You all have done incredible data science work all around the globe, and we’re once again bowled over by the sheer volume of activity you all have created, as well as the thoughtful, humble, and expert way you’ve delivered it.
Indulge us for a bit as we reflect on our incredible journey together to date. From our extraordinary Chapter Leaders scaling our impact worldwide to completing over 250 DataKind projects and delivering $25 million in pro bono data science services to social change organizations. And most importantly, to the over 30,000 of you that continue to drive the Data for Good movement forward and donated 120,000+ data science hours to more than 150 organizations, 2018 has been a stellar year to say the least.
But we’re just building momentum. This year, as in all years past, you all committed your endless support and unwavering dedication to harnessing the power of data science and AI in the service of humanity. As we look across all of our wins from 2018, we see huge opportunities to build on them to create even more scalable solutions, more research, and more opportunities to bridge the gaps in the data science for good “market” than ever before.
To celebrate just some of what we’ve accomplished together this year, and in the spirit of “a picture is worth a thousand words”, we’ve compiled below DataKind’s best moments from 2018. Whether you volunteered your time and skills, used data to advance your organization’s mission, or supported efforts through partnerships, donations, or word of mouth, thank you for a 2018 full of innovation, collaboration, gratitude, and growth.
Now, let’s take a look at all the great faces, events, and initiatives that made up DataKind 2018. Here’s to the many more wins ahead and much more adventures to come in the new year.
See you in 2019!
