Rumblings about monetizing passive data have been part of the tech sector conversation for years.

Until recently, however, it hasn’t been easy to point to concrete examples of companies making their passive data work for their bottom line. That’s now changed, and one front-running example is Uber’s Driver API.

With over 1.5 million Uber drivers on the road, logging trip, financial, rating and profile information, there is an obvious market for developers building driver-experience-enhancing apps: a direct, practical step toward monetizing passive data.

This applied data isn’t only boosting Uber’s profile: It’s creating opportunities for enterprise, giving established players and up-and-coming developers a huge market to tap into, and a chance to partner with a massive startup success.

As TechCrunch reports, Uber has already reached out to developers interested in creating tools. Drivers can access a CV-building tool, track their tax owings, or connect to an auto repair rewards system.

Uber’s step into monetizing data won’t just endear them to developers eager to enter a new market. This is a partnership-building tool, and a vanguard example to other companies looking to transform data into new business opportunities.