We are a scientific center of reference in Latin America, developing frontier and multidisciplinary research on the fundamental problems related to data. Our research ranges from the origin of data, as a complex computational unit, to its use and social impact. To address these problems in a comprehensive manner, we bring together experts in computer science, statistics, political science and communications.

The Millennium Institute Foundational Research on Data is housed at the Pontificia Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile, with research nodes at Universidad Federico Santa María, Universidad de Concepción, Universidad de Talca, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Universidad San Sebastián and Universidad Mayor.

We are funded by the Millennium Science Initiative: The Millennium Institutes are Chilean centers with legal autonomy that develop scientific and technological research at the frontier of knowledge in their respective disciplines. Through these centers of excellence, of which the Millennium Institute Foundational Research on Data is part, we promote the strengthening of high-level scientific and technological capabilities at the national level, and the dissemination and transfer of knowledge to different sectors of society.

Our independent, scientifically based and multidisciplinary work seeks to address the data in all its dimensions and also to advance in the understanding of a digital universe that reflects the phenomena and profound changes occurring in our society, thus having tools to detect and visualize critical needs and emerging phenomena. Our Innovation and Technology Transfer Department is working to apply these techniques, based on cutting-edge science and technology, to extract value from data to enhance the development of Chile and the region, providing data solutions for industry, the public sector and society.

We hope with this to contribute to the strengthening of research in data science, to the formation of human capital specialized in the emerging problems in the area, and to the strengthening of a culture that understands and promotes the valuation of accurate, secure and transparent digital information. We firmly believe that this will help to promote probity, data-driven decision making, improve public management at the service of the country and strengthen democracy.

Our institute is an evolution of the Semantic Web Research Center, which has positioned itself during its trajectory as one of the benchmarks in the area.

The internal work of the institute is organized through directories. The IMFD Board of Directors is in charge of all strategic decisions and is made up of the leaders of the Flagship Projects, in addition to the directors. The Executive Board is in charge of operations and tactical decisions. The Advisory Board consists of renowned scientists who provide advice and guidance on the research we carry out, and on academic training, networking and outreach, with the aim of developing the scientific potential of the institute in the best possible way.