Streamr, the blockchain-based data platform based in Zug, Switzerland, launched their real-time data Marketplace on May 16, 2018, during a presentation at Consensus 2018. This was followed by an announcement of partnerships with Nokia and OSIsoft.
The Streamr Marketplace connects data producers and consumers through a web-based application where data consumers can pay for access to real-time data streams listed by data providers. For example, a recent partnership between Streamr and Hewlett Packard Enterprise will allow vehicle data to be monetized in real-time. Vehicles generate data that is usable to third parties — it might be used to gauge traffic through a geographic region, or to fine-tune traffic signals, or to schedule road work, etc. Rather than just giving that data away for free, vehicle owners can make use of the Streamr Marketplace to monetize and trade that data.
The use of the Streamr cryptographic token, DATA, will make it possible for data streams around the world to be freely tradable. The terms of use, pricing schedules and more are currently coded in Ethereum smart contracts, though Streamr has plans to support additional networks. The Streamr platform does not charge a transaction fee, but external fees from the blockchain network being used may apply. People acting as nodes on the network for Streamr will earn DATA as a reward for supporting the Marketplace and making it possible to make data a freely traded commodity around the world.
Streamr’s agreement with Nokia — a multinational telecommunications, information technology and consumer electronics provider — will focus on developing the next generation of mobile base stations and allow Nokia customers to monetize their data through a range of IoT sensors and devices. The integration of Nokia’s Kuha transportable base stations into the Streamr Marketplace will allow users of the base stations to buy and sell data worldwide.
Martti Ylikoski, radio system evolution lead at Nokia, commented, “Providing smart mobile coverage for up to four billion individuals across the world is a major challenge and current solutions don’t go far enough.”
Ylikoski noted that there has been a growing movement of empowered mobile customers who want to control and monetize their own data. “Our partnership with Streamr reflects our firm belief in the platform, as well as our commitment to better serve our customers.”
Meanwhile, Streamr’s partnership with OSIsoft will aim to enable new business cases and data sharing solutions not yet available on the market. OSIsoft is an industry leader in operational intelligence, delivering an open enterprise infrastructure to connect sensor-based data, systems and people.
The OSIsoft PI System is a suite of data-collection software with the ability to analyze, visualize and share data, as well as compare historical and real-time information, resulting in key insights that help companies to improve, optimize and transform their business.
Richard Beeson, CTO of OSIsoft, said, “By integrating OSIsoft’s PI System with the Streamr Marketplace, we take a step toward offering our customers the ability to share and monetize their operations data. The partnership with Streamr demonstrates how the PI system can plug into an open source platform and highlights our commitment to empowering our customers to maximize the value of their business operations data. Together with Streamr, we can be the enablers of innovation in the ever-evolving data market.”