What we do

We make data work
harder for impact

Governance, trust frameworks, and policy mechanisms at market scale

We enable trusted, interoperable data sharing for private sector, public and environmental benefit by designing and operationalising the governance, trust frameworks, and policy mechanisms that make it possible. Icebreaker One (IB1) is a UK-headquartered, neutral, public benefit non-profit.

Non-profit Sector-neutral Open standards Public-benefit

We live in the best of times and the worst of times: we see huge increases in intelligence thanks to our technology revolutions, and yet we are staring down systemic risks as the systems upon which we all rely stress and stretch to breaking point.

The wealth of data we have must now be made usable to help us address economic, social and environmental sustainability, including climate, nature-based and related risks: to radically improve our investments in, and planning and management of our global infrastructure.

While there is an ocean of available capital, the lack of scalable data-flows are leading to misallocation of resources and missed opportunities on our global balance sheets.

Our data infrastructure is now as important as our physical infrastructure in addressing our clear and present risks.

Services

Collaborate on the rules, compete in the game

IB1 enables trusted data sharing through three integrated services. Each builds on the last: connect with the network, co-design the rules, then implement them at market scale.

IB1 Constellation

Connect with an expert network of professionals across sectors. Free to join, no approval required. The entry point to IB1’s ecosystem and the community from which programmes emerge.

Icebreaking

Engage in governance-led discovery and co-creation of Schemes (data sharing rulebooks). IB1 convenes organisations to co-define the rules, roles, and responsibilities that govern data sharing within and across sectors.

IB1 Trust Services

Trust Services enable you to implement Schemes at low cost in your business at market scale. It is part of the operational, legal, and technical data infrastructure that makes safe, scalable, assurable data sharing possible between organisations.

NB: No IB1 services ever see, store or process the data being shared: it is the rules that are centralised whereas the data is decentralised (shared directly peer-to-peer). All services are delivered as ongoing processes, given that the rules of data sharing evolve and change over time.

“Outstanding research, implementation and programme delivery” – Funder (7-figure programme)

Market-scale governance

Making data work harder to deliver impact

IB1 is a non-profit facilitator that helps enable data sharing at scale. Based on a mandate from the market, we help organisations convene, co-design and implement data sharing Schemes using Trust Services. Collaborating on the rules makes it easier for everyone to share data, enabling scalable, trusted relationships that unlock efficiencies, innovation and competition.

IB1 three services: Constellation, Icebreaking, Trust Services

Icebreaking creates the rulebooks

Our Icebreaking process collaboratively defines what, why and how data can be shared. It applies a robust governance approach that brings organisations together to co-design the rules. The rulebook is called a Scheme and includes definitions of use cases and the legal, technical, policy and communications approaches that support implementation.

Trust Services implement the rules

A system that codifies the rules and controls how they are followed. This uses a Trust Framework, supporting services and tools (e.g. assurance, sensitivity analysis) that enable market participants to automate their data sharing within a robust legal and technical framework.

IB1 governance flow: defines and iterates
IB1 governance architecture
Sector-independent

Which sectors can this apply to?

Our approach is sector-independent. We work with you to design and operate solutions for any one sector, or across sectors. As each sector has its own needs, sector-specific Trust Frameworks and Schemes address their particular rules, while enabling cross-sector data flows.

IB1 modular architecture across sectors
Live
Energy

Energy Sector Trust Framework, leading in the UK with Open Energy as the pioneering programme.

Live
Water

Water Sector Trust Framework, with Stream consortium as the pioneering Scheme.

Live
Finance

Cross-sector Core Trust Framework, with Perseus programme unlocking sustainable finance for SMEs using assured smart meter data.

Exploring
Built World, Transport, Agriculture

New work across the built world, transport and agriculture with partners to unlock opportunities across the economy. All programmes are connected to the financial sector.

Our approach

Connect don’t collect

Data must be collected for analysis, but it is spread across millions of systems, organisations and billions of sensors. Our approach harmonises the rules, standards and governance first. This is a cost-effective, secure and scalable process that enables scale, security and proper controls.

Governance first, not last

Most initiatives start with tech and add governance later. In our experience, this is high friction and high cost. It does not yield truly open markets that can scale. Starting with governance accelerates adoption and mitigates risk.

Non-profit by design

IB1 is a non-profit. It operates a membership model to fund and deliver services. Its use of funds is public and subject to scrutiny by independent bodies as part of its transparent governance processes.

Open standards, open markets

Openly licensed standards, shared and common processes are made compulsory for cohesion and interoperability across markets. The compulsion to adopt open standards must be continuous and work to a predictable cadence to enable commercial planning.

Adaptive to change

There is no endpoint to data innovation. Systems-level governance must be adaptive to a rapidly changing landscape: IB1’s architecture enables rules to evolve based on real-world evidence from live Scheme implementations.

Get involved

Ready to make data work harder?

Whether you want to observe, shape, or implement, there is a level that fits. Start with the free Constellation or talk to us about Icebreaking and Trust Services.