Information management · Data sharing · Interoperability
I help the public sector share data that actually makes a difference.
Björn Hagström has worked with the web, open data and information management in the Swedish public sector since 1997 – from local government and the national e-Government Delegation to Digg, RISE and the European work on data spaces and MIMs.
Since 2009
working with open data, locally, nationally and at EU level
26 cities
publishing open data the same way in ÖDIS
MIM6
leading the development of Securing Data in OASC
4.7 out of 5
participants’ rating as a speaker at GOTO10
Latest delivery · SVADA · October 2026
A data space you can try yourself – from model to city decision
In the Swedish Water Data Lab, DHI shares data on combined sewer overflows with the City of Gothenburg through a real data space. Open data is delivered automatically. Protected data is released only after the city’s water utility, Kretslopp och Vatten, approves – and the contract can be revoked.
- 13 real components, including Eclipse Dataspace Components and the Dataspace Protocol
- Terms in ODRL and verifiable credentials for membership and roles
- Assessed against MIM3 Exchanging Data and MIM6 Securing Data
My role: Creating and running workshops to set up the data space, and developing and communicating the PoC.
- The model creates the data product DHI
- DHI offers the product with terms
- A contract is negotiated, the data owner says yes or no
- Data is delivered and checked
- The city stores it with provenance
- The city uses the data for analysis and decisions
01 — What I do
The goal is for data to be used far more. Three areas lead there.
Focus
Data spaces & MIMs
Interoperability for cities and agencies based on OASC and Living-in.EU – from MIM analysis and platform requirements to taking part in European data spaces.
Open data & high-value datasets
Organisation, processes and guidance for publishing open data. Interpreting the Swedish Open Data Act and the EU implementing act on high-value datasets (HVD).
Information management & change
Metadata catalogues, roles, routines and a culture of openness. Needs-driven development where users’ needs decide what comes first.
02 — Selected work
Results others have built on
RISE · OASC · Living-in.EU
MIMs and data spaces for Swedish cities
Gathered Swedish cities’ input on the MIMs, channelled it to Living-in.EU and secured major changes. Now leads the work on MIM6 Securing Data.
Shaped the European direction.
ÖDIS · NSÖD · 2018–2022
Cities publishing open data the same way
Processes, specifications, licensing and training for 26 cities in ÖDIS, later scaled nationally in NSÖD. A shared CKAN-based metadata catalogue was built.
Became the basis for Digg’s national guidance.
Digg · 2019–2020
Government mandate on open data and data-driven innovation
Principles, guidance and needs analysis. Part of creating dataportal.se, Digg’s community and an open data action plan for the government.
Much of the action plan has been implemented.
Swedish EPA · Sida · 2022–
Environmental information in Kosovo, aligned with the EU
Supporting Kosovo’s environmental protection agency and some ten authorities based on INSPIRE and the Aarhus Convention. A CKAN-based metadata portal has been procured and deployed.
Capability that stays in the organisation.
Selected clients
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency · Digg · Lantmäteriet · RISE · Swedish Enforcement Authority · SKR · Swedish Internet Foundation · Sambruk · City of Gothenburg · City of Stockholm · City of Helsingborg · Örebro · Varberg · Karlstad
About Björn: almost 30 years where information, technology and organisations meet.
Insights
Thinking about data spaces, MIMs or open data?
Get in touch and we’ll start with a conversation about where you are and what a sensible next step looks like.