Leveraging data to change industry paradigms

Much of the conversation on "big data" is centered on data technologies and analytics platforms and how established companies apply them. While those technologies and platforms are certainly very important for industry incumbents, data analytics is also often a key building block for new start-up entrants looking to disrupt industry verticals. In many cases, the best examples of novel applications of data to create new services and competitive advantage require a complete rethinking of organizational design in order to create feedback loops and rethink cost structures. The company I founded, SignalFire is applying data for competitive advantage in my own industry, venture capital, but there are myriad examples of this trend across industries such as transportation, financial services, retail, media and many other markets. In this talk, I will discuss how we analyze these trends as venture capitalists and will look at a few case studies of specific companies leveraging data to innovate in their industries.