Data Cooperatives and Their Impact on GovTech as a Regional Development Approach for Digital Transformation at a Local Level

A data cooperative is a legally organized cooperative whose purpose is the collective collection, management, and use of data collected by its members. In contrast to other data pools, it can act as a democratic self-governing organization in which each member has a say in how data is collected, shared, and analyzed. The members retain control over the data they contribute. They collectively benefit from the resulting data services, for example, through new insights, innovative services, or economic advantages. As a forward-looking model, the data cooperative enables smaller players to access reliable data infrastructure and data resources that would otherwise remain inaccessible. It promotes data sovereignty and strengthens trust in data-driven cooperation. Here, the definition of data derives from the field of business informatics, which gives a scientifically sound typology of data, systematized on several levels. The following elaboration offers conceptual clarification and presentation of central data types. Depending on the context and processing purpose, their classification is essential for business informatics, as they form the raw material for information systems and business processes. Data cooperatives are gaining in importance as a cooperative form of organization enabling democratic co-determination, community benefit, and equal access to data for regional actors.