The U.S. Census Bureau will showcase 15 new innovative projects at a technology demonstration day created through a federal initiative called The Opportunity Project (TOP). These new digital products highlight how the Census Bureau is leading open data innovation across the government to address challenges like investing in the workforce, catalyzing investment in communities, and kickstarting an innovative economy in places across the country. The resulting products also support the 2020 Census by creatively engaging hard-to-count populations, bridging the digital divide, promoting digital literacy, and helping to promote 2020 Census jobs.

TOP is a collaborative effort between government agencies, technology companies and nongovernment organizations to translate open data into user-friendly tools that solve real world problems for families, communities and businesses nationwide.

This year’s event focuses on two themes, “Investing in the American Workforce” and “Innovating the 2020 Census.” To date, more than 15 federal agencies and more than 100 technology companies have come together with universities, local communities and experts to develop solutions that improve access to economic opportunity and solve problems for people using open data and technology. The Census Bureau continues to lead innovation in working with the public and improving access to data through collaboration.

The event will include lightning talks, keynotes from senior administration officials and grassroots leaders, and a two-hour live demonstration expo during which participants can test the new technologies and interact with the teams that designed them.

At this demo day, the fifth in TOP’s history, the Census Bureau will announce the winners of the first ever TOP prize challenge, which will award up to $100,000 to the most promising and effective uses of open data.