Fostering innovation is a key element of the Abidjan Postal Strategy and Business Plan for 2021–2025. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for innovation within the postal sector. Although postal operators manage an enormous amount of data, the value of this data in the generation of innovative solutions remains largely untapped. Collaboration will be critical to unlocking this potential. 

In order to breathe life into partnerships between postal operators, technology companies, academic institutions and other experts, with a view to addressing challenges and jointly creating solutions based on the wealth of postal data, the UPU hosted the first edition of the Postal Data Hackathon in Berne, Switzerland, on 23 and 24 June.

For the first time ever, the UPU made available data (excluding all personal details) from 30 postal operators, covering the movement of mail items, as well as other related postal data. This provided a unique opportunity to analyze the movement of goods around the world through postal networks, and to combine this information with other relevant trade or transport-related data, in order to explore major issues, challenges and innovations leading to a sustainable, green and data-driven future for all.

See on UPU Website