OpenCorporates is the largest open database of companies in the world, with over 40 million companies and over 50 jurisdictions. Not only does this increase corporate transparency and understanding it also is an important tool, for anyone dealing with cross-border corporate information, from journalists, to regulators, to campaigners to other companies. We have also worked with governments and official bodies to improve access and quality of data, including helping UK Companies House with its linked data URIs, the EU/W3c ISA programme with the Business Vocabulary, and the G20 Financial Stability Board on its global LEI programme. All this from a micro-startup that's been going less than 18 months.

OpenCorporates is the largest open database of companies in the world that has grown in little over a year to over 40 million companies and over 50 jurisdictions. This presentation will explain why open company data is important for all groups, from companies to citizens, governments to journalists, how we grew so quickly with the help of the open data community, and why we think our innovative business model is a way to make open data sustainable.