About StatSilk

StatSilk is the producer of the award-winning StatPlanet software. Our clients and users include organizations such as Cisco, Dell, FAO, Inter-American Development Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, NASA, Samsung, Siemens, UNESCO, UNICEF, USA Dep. of Homeland Security and WHO.

StatSilk is based in Melbourne, Australia and was founded by Frank van Cappelle in 2009. The StatPlanet software has a longer history and has been under development since 2006. From 2008 to 2010 it was part of a research project at the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) to improve the accessibility of research findings. This provided the opportunity for critical feedback from a highly talented group of researchers and statisticians. The research project was undertaken for the SACMEQ research programme which has kindly hosted the StatPlanet software for many years.

Frank is a regularly invited speaker on data visualization at international conferences and workshops. In addition to his visualization work he is also an international consultant working in the fields of education and international development, and has worked in this capacity for UNESCO and UNICEF.

Press

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The StatPanet software has been featured in the New York Times, the Guardian, Google Magazine Think Quarterly, Australian newspaper The Age, Austrian newspaper Wirtschaftsblatt and Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad.

Business model

Circe Team Shape.

StatSilk employs a unique business model which seeks to promote the use of data visualization by non-profit and government organizations and organizations in low income countries. It also aims to promote the use of visualization for research and educational purposes. The business model is based on the following five pillars:
  1. Visualize open data: Increasingly government institutions and organizations are releasing data free of charge. Through StatSilk’s StatWorld and the first-prize winning StatPlanet World Bank, interactive visualizations of thousands of indicators can be explored and analyzed. A desktop version is also available (no installation required), so lack of Internet connectivity does not need to be a barrier.
     
  2. Enable anyone to freely and easily produce interactive data visualizations: StatPlanet, StatPlanet Lite and StatTrends are free for any kind of use, both commercial and non-commercial. They can be redistributed and published online without restriction.
     
  3. Support data visualization in low income countries: All StatSilk software, both desktop and web versions, are completely free for use by local organisations and government institutions in low income countries.
     
  4. Support data visualization by non-profit entities: The desktop versions of StatPlanet Plus and StatTrends Plus are free for use by non-profit entities, such as government agencies, educational institutions and charities, as well as for personal use. The web versions of StatPlanet Plus and StatTrends Plus have reduced license costs for non-profit entities. See also the license terms.
     
  5. Support evidence-based decision making: Improvements to StatSilk software are made with evidence-based decision making in mind - addressing the need to have easy access to data in the format that best serves your needs. Paid customizations to the software are included in the next software update so that everyone can benefit. User feedback is welcomed and many suggestions for improvement have been incorporated over the past few years. Customizations which are prioritized are those that are most likely to benefit current and future users.

Feel free to contact us for more information or to request a quote for software customizations.

 

Business details

ABN (Australian Business Number): 56482517109
Location: Canning st., Carlton, Melbourne, 3053 VIC, Australia

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