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KPMG LAUNCHES BIG DATA ANALYTICS INVESTMENT ARM TO GAIN RAPID MARKET ENTRY

Ewan Dunbar our consultant managing the role
Author: Ewan Dunbar
Posting date: 11/11/2013 8:12 AM

KPMG, the global accountant and consultant has announced the formation of KPMG Capital, which will invest in big data and data analytics companies in Europe and beyond.

Headquarterd in London, KPMG Capital says it will primarily invest in big data and analytics businesses through strategic acquisitions and technology partnerships.

A growing fund

The initial value of the fund is believed to be worth $100 million (£66 million), and when required the KPMG Capital fund will be topped up with cash from its parent company.

Click here for the article on the web.

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With over 10 years experience working solely in the Data & Analytics sector our consultants are able to offer detailed insights into the industry.

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The Reliability Of Sleep Trackers For Sleep Data

One in three of us regularly suffer from poor sleep. By this we mean not entering the correct stages of the sleep cycle often enough. During the optimum eight hours of slumber, we should be getting per night, the body should enter three different stages of sleep on a cyclical rotation: light, deep and rapid eye movement (REM). The most important stage of this being deep sleep, of which a healthy adult should be entering for around one to two hours.  Unfortunately, it is often the case, for a vast number of reasons, that many adults struggle to wake up feeling refreshed. From absorbing too much blue light from screens before bed, poor dietary habits or increased levels of stress, there are many factors into why good sleep eludes nearly a third of us daily. Over the past year especially, as a direct result of the pandemic, our sleepless nights have become increasingly worse. It seems anxiety related to COVID-19 has spiked our inability to get good rest. What are the dangers of persistent low-quality sleep? Continual restless nights can have profound effects on both our bodies and our minds. It can place immense stress on the immune system, increasing the risk of becoming seriously ill. Other life-threatening diseases also linked with poor sleep include obesity, heart disease and diabetes.  Our mental state can also be incredibly damaged by consistent poor sleep. Not only does our ability to concentrate reduce, but our susceptibility to mental ill-health, such as depression, increases too.  It is no surprise then that, as a global population, our obsession with the amount of sleep we get per night has skyrocketed in the past few years, consequently seeing the boom of sleep tracking technology. From wearable tech such as the Fitbit and Apple Watches, to other bedside devices and bed sensors, the market for sleep trackers is estimated to reach $62bn in 2021 alone. But is this technology a reliable source of data for our sleep patterns? The problems with sleep trackers Wearable technology can only go so far when it comes to measuring our quality of sleep. Watches especially can usually measure aspects of our body such as heart rate and movement – all of which can be used as indicators of restfulness. However, their consistent accuracy is questionable. According to research, sleep trackers are 78 per cent accurate when it comes to identifying whether we are awake or asleep, which is a pretty good statistic for developing technology, however, this drops dramatically to 38 per cent when estimating how long it takes for users to fall asleep. For true accuracy, sleep should be measured through brainwave activity, eye movement, muscle tension, movement and breathing – all of which can only be looked at through a medical polysomnogram.  Additionally, much like many other sources of technology, sleep trackers have become a troublesome culprit for obsessive behaviour. In 2017, scientists coined the term Orthosomnia, the recognition of a real problem many were, and still are, having with become obsessive, to the point of mental ill-health, around tracking sleep. As stated by neurologist, Guy Leschziner; “If you have a device that is telling you, rightly or wrongly, that your sleep is really bad then that is going to increase your anxiety and may well drive more chronic insomnia." However, sleep trackers aren’t all bad. While not a tool to be used for sleep disorder diagnosis, they can be useful gadgets to help rethink our sleep habits to aim for a better night’s sleep.  The positives of sleep trackers While questions around the accuracy of this technology are prominent, trackers, overall, are pretty good when it comes to recording total sleep time. If used as a guide rather than an aid, sleep trackers can help users get into better sleep habits which in turn will undoubtedly improve their quality of sleep.  If the data is showing that users are only achieving five hours of sleep per night, and they are going to bed very late and rising early, then users may be encouraged to practice better sleep hygiene. From removing any blue light from the bedroom space, to taking an hour before bed to engage in less stimulating activities, such as reading, and practicing methods such as mindfulness or meditation to induce relaxation.  Sleep data from trackers can also be a useful tool to begin conversations with health professionals. Someone who regularly finds themselves groggy in the morning, with the notion that their sleep is badly disturbed, may find solace in sleep tracking data and it may give them the confidence to seek relevant help. While this sort of technology and its data will not be the end point for a diagnosis, it may give both the user and their doctor insight into any potential problems or issues they may be having with sleep.  Ultimately, those using sleep trackers shouldn’t be losing sleep over the data they present. Instead, ensure you are taking the analysis provided with a pinch of salt, and explore this in tandem with how you feel in yourself to assess whether you need to make changes to your sleep routine or seek help for a potential sleep disorder. Data is an incredibly important too, but using this in the right way is absolutely critical. If you're looking for a new role to get you out of bed in the morning or to build up your dream data team, we may be able to help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

Lauren Harris

Lauren Harris

04. March 2021

How Are Data & Analytics Professionals Mapping COVID Trends With Data?

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted industries across the globe. There’s no ignoring that simple fact. This disruption (most notably) caused devastating effects in two strands: to our health and to business operations. As the virus spread, the health and wellbeing of people in society worsened, and businesses felt the strain of projects being placed on hold, and work slowing or completely grinding to a halt. As of the 24th February 2021, the disease has infected more than 112,237,188 people, with 2,487,349 reported deaths. For Data & Analytics professionals, it soon became evident that they could use their skills to help. Using the mass of data available, professionals and researchers turned to big data analytics tools to track and monitor the virus’s spread, along with a variety of trends. Here’s how: Genomics and sequencing Life science is a significant application within Data & Analytics and explores the study of all living things on earth. One particular section of this study looks at the concept of genomic sequencing.  Genomic sequencing is significant as it allows us looks at the entire genetic code of a virus – in this case, COVID-19. Most importantly, the technique means that researchers and analysts can identify dangerous mutations and track movements of specific variants. We know that the UK has the most advanced system for tracing covid variants too. Last year, Britain launched one of the world’s largest coronavirus sequencing projects, by investing £20 million in the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium. In a group that included NHS researchers, public health agencies, academic partners and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, they set out to map the genetic code of as many strains of the coronavirus as possible. And the buy-in paid off. It took the US approximately 72 days to process and share each genetic sequence, compared with 23 days for UK researchers, according to figures compiled by the Broad Institute with data from Gisaid. Tech giants stepping in Ultimately, your organisation is more agile than you think it is. Regardless of the size of the business, or the industry in which it operates, the sector’s response in applying analysis and data to track the coronavirus was nothing short of miraculous. Google introduced a series of features such as popular times and live busyness, COVID-19 alerts in transit, and COVID checkpoints in driving navigation in order to keep their one billion (and growing) app users safe. They also introduced the COVID layer in Maps, a tool that shows critical information about COVID-19 cases in a given area, allowing their customers  to make informed decisions about where to go and what to do. Apple also released a mobility data trends tool from Apple Maps. This data was shared in order to provide insights to local governments and health authorities so that they could support mapping specific covid trends. These first-hand examples indicate the influence and power of using data to better our understanding of the virus. Before the coronavirus pandemic, professionals, businesses and industries alike worked in siloes. What we have witnessed since has been very much the opposite, as experts quickly came together to begin mapping out data requirements and supporting the world’s focus to improve the public’s health and get businesses back on their feet. Without Data & Analytics, none of this would be possible. If you're looking to take the next step in your career or build out a diverse Data & Analytics team, we may be able to help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

Amy Topcakan

Amy Topcakan

25. February 2021

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