Our Story
Do you know the awful feeling you get when you wake up and have to go to work every morning? Well, we don’t. We’re crazy about what we do and you feel this in every detail when collaborating with us.
But things were different when we were just starting.
We started doing data visualization back in the time when no one else in our country and the broader region even knew what it was. Frankly, we didn’t know either. We were doing things mostly intuitively and learning through the process.
After working for five years as a team on different exciting data communication projects, we felt it was time to start a new chapter. And we founded ForSet.
ForSet is a Tbilisi-based creative enterprise on a mission to strengthen change-makers using data, design, and technology. Founded in 2017, it is one of the first organizations of its kind in Georgia and unites the country’s some of the best designers, illustrators, animators, researchers, journalists, and web developers to uncover stories behind vast data and to visualize them.
And we are immensely proud to have the best designers, illustrators, animators, researchers, journalists, and web developers working with us today.
Our work has garnered recognition and appreciation through numerous prestigious awards. For instance, in 2023, we were honored with the Grace Hopper Award for our commitment to diversity as an organization. Additionally, during the same year, our project skGov.ge emerged victorious in the Copenhagen Democracy Tech competition.
What we do
Always with a keen focus on data, we work in four domains: Storytelling; Education; Civic Tech; Community Building.
Data storytelling
Some people think they can’t understand complex data. This is not true. Once filtered carefully, structured wisely, and visualized correctly, everyone can see stories behind data.
That’s why we take complex information and turn it into understandable, engaging visuals such as a factograph, infographic, newsletter, report, interactive visualization, and animation.
Educational programs
We believe that knowledge sharing brings significant positive change. So we run different educational programs to teach others about data collection, data cleaning and analysis, and data communication.
Those programs have empowered thousands of students, journalists, activists, and data scientists not only in Georgia but also in the region, providing them with the opportunity to learn how to collect, analyze, and communicate data.
Civic tech
This focus area is dedicated to creating and advancing technologies that serve the public interest. By developing web applications, user-friendly data portals, and educational games, we aim to enhance the accessibility of data and technology for the general public.
For example, we created the platform Askgov.ge, which enables any citizen to request data from public agencies easily, without encountering excessive bureaucratic procedures.
Community building
This direction aims to establish and nurture a robust professional network. We strive to bring together individuals passionate about data, which is why we organize numerous meetings, workshops, hackathons, and festivals. By fostering an environment filled with enjoyment and new experiences, we aim to unite people from diverse professions and cultivate a vibrant professional network.
A clear example of this is DataFest Tbilisi, which we have been hosting since 2017. It stands as the largest data festival not only in Georgia but also across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The festival brings together people from different professions into one space, providing an opportunity to communicate and cooperate with each other.