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Euromaps becomes Alphamaps

EU Datathon finalist turns prototype into a full-scale data mapping service

At the 2019 EU Datathon, Gregory Ruessmann presented ‘Euromaps’, a prototype app to turn open data into maps that visualise complex topics such as climate change or international trade in such a way as to make the stories hidden within the data obvious for anyone to see. ‘Euromaps’ made it to the finals of the competition and won the 2nd prize. 

After integration of initial feedback and fully automating the service, the team has taken the project to the next level. Under the new name ‘Alphamaps’, they are launching a full-scale universal data mapping application that turns EU open data into instant geopolitical insights. The maps inform policymaking through innovative data visualisation, automated data analysis, storytelling, and social media techniques. 

On top of visualising current and historical data, Alphamaps offers data projections for the future.

‘We take existing trends and predict what the data might look like in the medium to long term if the trend continues. For example, if you’re interested in knowing what solar power generation looks like in the EU, you can have a map that shows you what the situation was like in 2000, 2010 and 2020, but also what it will be like in 2030. This gives you a clear picture of where things started and how they’re developing’, says Gregory.

The maps can be both static and animated, which gives a good and immediate sense of how certain phenomena evolve over time. 

What can be mapped? Any publicly available dataset as well as private data can be visualised – in the colour scheme of your choice. Alphamaps offers a ready-to-use selection of maps, but in the end, the service is all about customising.

How do you make use of EU open data? We’d love to hear from you.

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