Every week we covered millions of high-tech startups and millions of funding, only about 90% of them failed miserably. The truth is that some of the most successful startups today do not sell products or services. They make millions by organizing free public data and presenting it in ways that are useful for businesses and consumers.
Public data is information that is often released by governments, organizations, and institutions, and anyone who is available to anyone. Instead of leaving it scattered across multiple sources, smart entrepreneurs are packaging in what people are willing to pay for.
This includes:
Government databases (crime reports, business registration, foreclosure) Public health records (water quality, food pollutants) Educational performance data (school rankings, university scores) e-commerce trends (most viewed products, trend sales) Local business information (company registration, corporate application)
Here’s how seven startups are turning this free information into serious cash:
Seven startups that produce free public data by millions
1. OASIS Water App – Water Quality Data ($1 million per year)
Business Model: Oasis Water extracts publicly available water quality reports from cities and bottled beverage companies. This app allows users to scan their water bottles and instantly check the list of contaminants.
How They Make Money: Subscription-Based Access Why It Works: People want transparency about their drinking water.
2. Spotcrime – Crime Data Mapping ($7 million per year)
Business Model: Spotcrime collects police reports and crime statistics and presents them on interactive maps. Users can enter their postal code to see the crime trends in their area.
How They Make Money: Advertising Revenue and Premium Data Access Why It Works: Crime Data is highly relevant to local communities, real estate buyers, and law enforcement agencies.
3. Nomad.com – Best City for Remote Work ($500,000 a year)
Business Model: Formerly known as the Nomad List, the platform ranks digital nomad cities based on cost of living, Wi-Fi speed and safety.
How they make money: Why fees and sponsorships work: Remote work is growing, and nomads need data-driven insights.
4. Watch Count – eBay Trends ($48,000,000 per year)
Business Model: WatchCount scrapes eBay’s public data to show you the most viewed products on the platform.
How They Make Money: Why the eBay Affiliate Committee works: ecommerce sellers and shoppers want real-time insights into trending products.
5. Great Schools – School Rankings ($2.5 million a year)
Business Model: Greatschools brings together public education data and ranks schools by location and performance.
How they make money: Advertising and school sponsorship Why it works: Parents rely on school rankings when deciding where to live.
6. OPENCORTATES – Business Registration ($5 million per year)
Business Model: OpenCORTOR compiles new registered businesses with tracks and sells data to businesses targeting new business owners.
How They Make Money: Why Paid API Access and Data Sales Work: Law Firms, B2B Companies, Investors Want Early Access to New Business Leads.
7. Foreclosures.com – Real Estate Lead ($2 million per month)
Business Model: foreclosures.com scrapes foreclosure lists and sells subscription access to real estate investors looking for distressed property.
How They Make Money: Why a subscription-based model works: Investors want real-time updates to find opportunities first.
Where can I find the public data?
If you’re thinking about leveraging public data from a startup, here are some sources to check out:
Government Portal Business Registration and Corporate Data Education and School Ranking Great Schools – US School Performance Data IPEDS – US and University Statistics Ecommerce and Consumer Trends Ebay API – Sales and Trends Product Data Amazon Bestsellers
How AI makes this easier than ever
AI and no-code automation tools allow businesses and consumers to easily scrape, analyze and present public data in ways they find useful.
Public Data Startup Tools
Web Scraping Data Structure ChatGPT – Organize and improve Scrape Data Google Sheet & Openai API – Automatic Replicate Data Processing Websites and App Builder – Creating No Code Apps Zapier – Automate Workflows
Final thoughts
The public data is an unexplored gold mine. Whether you track food safety, lost pets, housing trends, or consumer behavior, there are endless ways to package and sell useful information.
This article was inspired by Tim Richard’s insights that highlighted how startups benefit from free public data. His analysis helped him to focus his attention on the power of structured information in building profitable businesses.
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Seven websites that create millions using free public data
Below is Tim Richard’s YouTube video. We discuss seven websites that make millions using free public data.
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