Open research geodata is crucial for many research fields, ranging from environmental science to social studies. The FAIRGeo project aimed to improve researchers' access to, and sharing and publication of, this data. We aimed to transform the established geodata portal at ETH Zurich, GeoVITe, into a more open and collaborative platform guided by the FAIR principles, which make data findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. This will bridge the gap between official data providers and the specific needs of the academic community. Throughout the project, we successfully implemented significant technical and community-driven advancements. We placed a strong emphasis on co-creation, engaging directly with the research community through two highly successful workshops (in March 2025 and April 2026) and surveys, in order to tailor the platform to the specific needs of users. Technically, we upgraded the core server infrastructure to support modern open standards. A significant accomplishment was the complete opening of the GeoVITe service, eliminating previous login barriers and providing direct access to research data. We also implemented URL-based data visualisation and queries, a crucial step for linking datasets with persistent identifiers such as DOIs. Furthermore, we enhanced the underlying metadata structure to facilitate connection with external search catalogues such as Geocat, and successfully developed the ”GeoVITe Data Manager” prototype — an uploading tool that empowers researchers to effortlessly publish and manage their own geospatial datasets. Having successfully reached these milestones, the project has laid a robust foundation for open research data practices in the geosciences. Looking beyond the project's funding phase, we will sustain the established community exchange through regular newsletters and annual community meetings. The newly developed open repository features and the data uploader will undergo continuous long-term testing in everyday research operations, ensuring GeoVITe remains a sustainable, user-focused hub for the Open Science community.