Anu Garg
A visionary Indian technologist who pioneered big data solutions for global development challenges through her company Infochimps.
Anu Garg: Democratizing Data for Global Good
Anu Garg (born 1972) is a computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Infochimps in 2008, a groundbreaking platform that provides open-access data solutions for social impact projects. Operating from India with global reach, Garg's work has transformed how organizations tackle issues like poverty, climate change, and healthcare access through data-driven strategies.
Early Innovations
Garg's career began with software engineering at Microsoft, where she developed early machine learning algorithms. Witnessing the digital divide during India's IT boom inspired her to create Infochimps as a 'data commons' - a repository of curated datasets from governments, NGOs, and private sectors made freely available to researchers and activists.
Impact Areas
Key projects include:
- Healthcare Analytics: Partnered with WHO to map disease outbreak patterns in sub-Saharan Africa
- Agricultural Intelligence: Developed drought prediction models for Indian farmers using satellite data
- Urban Planning: Created open-source tools for slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai and Nairobi
Technical Breakthroughs
Infochimps' innovations include:
- First blockchain-based data sharing protocol for sensitive humanitarian data
- AI-driven data curation system reducing prep time by 70%
- OpenAPIs used by 12,000+ developers worldwide
Global Recognition
Garg's contributions have earned her:
- MacArthur Fellowship (2015)
- UNESCO Chair in Open Data Governance (2018-2022)
- Featured in WIRED's '100 Innovators Shaping the Future'
Philosophical Vision
Garg advocates for 'data as a public utility,' arguing in her TEDx talk "The Right to Data" that equitable data access is essential for global justice. Her Data4All initiative provides training programs for under-resourced NGOs, having trained over 5,000 professionals in 47 countries.
Challenges and Adaptations
Key challenges included:
- Navigating data privacy laws across 150+ jurisdictions
- Creating user-friendly interfaces for non-technical users
In response, Garg developed:
- Language localization teams for 12 non-English interfaces
- Partnerships with Mozilla to ensure browser compatibility
Legacy and Future
With over 100TB of open data now available through Infochimps, Garg's work has directly influenced:
- UNICEF's polio vaccination campaigns
- Climate resilience projects in Bangladesh
- Education equity initiatives in Brazil
Her current focus is expanding into AI ethics, co-chairing the International Council on Computing Ethics. Garg's vision continues to redefine how technology can be a force for equitable progress.