StartupIowa is hosting a three-day competition starting tonight called OpenIowa. Described as a “code-athon,” the event is challenging developers to take publicly available government data and make it easier to use for Iowa residents, visitors and businesses.

The event, which is the first of its kind in Iowa, is tailored after a national event in 2008 called Apps for Democracy, which led to the creation of 47 iPhone, Facebook and Web applications. For more information, click here.