In the age of connected devices and digital ecosystems, data has become one of the most powerful resources of our time. Yet too often, valuable data remains siloed—locked inside corporate systems, unused for public benefit.
That’s where data altruism comes in.
Under the EU Data Governance Act and EU Data Act, organizations and individuals are now encouraged to voluntarily share data for the public good, through officially registered Data Altruism Organisations. This model promotes ethical data sharing while ensuring that user consent and privacy are respected.
Learn more from the European Commission:
EU Policy on Data Altruism
Why This Matters for Universities and Innovators
Academic institutions, startups, and public-interest researchers often struggle with limited access to the high-quality datasets needed to build AI models, test innovations, or conduct impactful research.
Data altruism opens the door.
Through partnerships with companies willing to share anonymized and consented data, universities and research labs can now:
- Train AI models with real-world data
- Study societal patterns (climate, mobility, energy, health)
- Drive innovation in underserved sectors
- Accelerate public-interest R&D without breaching user rights
How the EU Data Act Supports This
The EU Data Act, entering into force in September 2025, enhances the legal framework by ensuring that data from connected products can be made accessible, shareable, and portable—with the user’s consent.
This means that data collected from everyday smart devices (from factory machines to electric vehicles) can be shared with altruistic organisations, provided users opt in. And thanks to the EU’s structured approach, this is now possible in machine-readable, interoperable formats.
A Small Shift With Huge Impact
If just a small fraction of data collected by connected services was shared voluntarily for public good, the ripple effect could be massive—from improving traffic systems to accelerating medical breakthroughs.
Now is the time for companies, researchers, and regulators to collaborate.
At Steelbridge, we support this mission by building platforms that ensure secure, consent-based data sharing—whether it’s for commercial or altruistic purposes.
Let’s build a digital Europe where data serves everyone—not just the bottom line.
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