The future of data science research just got a significant boost through a new collaboration. The Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) has joined forces with 2i2c, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening open-source tools for researchers and educators. This partnership, announced on October 16, 2025, recognizes Berkeley’s history of innovation in open-source software—including vital tools like NumPy and scikit-image—and aims to foster a more connected and collaborative data science ecosystem. By becoming 2i2c’s first premier member, BIDS hopes to share its expertise and accelerate the development of standardized, scalable solutions that benefit the entire research community.
BIDS and 2i2c Formalize Partnership
The Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) and 2i2c have formalized a partnership aimed at strengthening the open-source ecosystem for research and education. BIDS has become the first premier member of 2i2c’s new community network, recognizing Berkeley’s established commitment to developing tools like NumPy, scikit-image, and JupyterHub. This collaboration will allow BIDS to more effectively share its experiences and knowledge with a wider network, while 2i2c seeks to build connections between academic and nonprofit groups creating open-source solutions. According to Kirstie Whitaker, BIDS executive director, the partnership will facilitate communication across groups, and Chris Holdgraf, 2i2c executive director, emphasized a focus on standardized building blocks and disseminating improvements across projects—moving beyond individual project support to scalable, collaborative connections. Holdgraf’s prior work developing open-source capacity at Berkeley, including contributions to JupyterHub and Jupyter Book, laid the groundwork for this expanded, community-focused initiative.
Goals for Open Source Improvement
A key goal emerging from the partnership between the Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) and 2i2c is a focused effort to improve the open-source ecosystem through standardization and wider dissemination of improvements. Rather than solely addressing specific project needs, 2i2c aims to build “standardized building blocks” and replicate successful models to benefit a broader range of research and educational communities. This approach, championed by 2i2c executive director Chris Holdgraf, seeks to move beyond isolated software engineering support – which 2i2c has provided for five years – toward scalable connections between organizations, fostering learning and collaboration. By generalizing improvements made on projects like NumPy, scikit-image, and JupyterHub, the partnership hopes to ensure that innovative tools are effectively shared and adopted across institutions, ultimately accelerating scientific progress and educational opportunities.
Building on Berkeley’s Open Source History
Building on a rich legacy of open source contributions, UC Berkeley’s Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) has formalized a partnership with 2i2c, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting open source tools for research and education. This collaboration recognizes Berkeley’s longstanding role in developing foundational software like NumPy, scikit-image, and JupyterHub, and aims to strengthen community-driven development of these essential resources. BIDS is the first premier member of 2i2c’s new community network, allowing for broader communication and knowledge sharing across institutions. According to BIDS Executive Director Kristie Whitaker, the partnership will facilitate sharing experiences and supporting the open source ecosystem, while 2i2c’s Chris Holdgraf envisions a future with standardized building blocks and effective dissemination of improvements—benefiting not just Berkeley, but the wider scientific and educational communities. This collaboration extends Holdgraf’s previous work at Berkeley, including co-creating the DataHub service and contributing to Jupyter development, demonstrating a continued commitment to open science and collaborative innovation.
