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A Pick Of Our Top Data Stories From 2020

David Farmer our consultant managing the role
Author: David Farmer
Posting date: 12/24/2020 10:21 AM

It has been a year packed with news and views. We’ve seen it all, from buzz words like ‘Big Data’ through to in-depth research about automation and machine learning; 2020 has showcased the rapidly changing pace of the Data & Analytics market.

In our increasingly data-driven world, the working landscape has been dramatically transformed as a result of the way in which the sector has scaled. We are more reliant now on data than ever before, as data and analytics have been supporting leaders to make difficult decisions, especially in a period of uncertainty. When you combine this continued growth with the impacts of the pandemic, it’s no surprise that the Data & Analytics market continues to be in the spotlight.

As a direct response to the pandemic, we’ve seen remarkable innovation and transformation across the sector. We have picked out a few of the most striking stories in data and analytics from the past year. Take a look below.

Google acquiring Dataform


At the end of the year, we saw Google Cloud acquire London-based start-up Dataform. As a business that has seen continued growth in their mission to make day-to-day business processes cheaper and simpler for organisations, Dataform was a significant scoop for the tech giant. However, this isn’t the first time this year that the global corporation has snapped up another data-based company.

Earlier in the year they also took on Business Intelligence platform Looker, in a bid to enhance its data analytics services for multi-cloud customers. That’s as well as Actifio and Cornerstone too. But what do these moves mean for the future capabilities of Google Cloud?

Using the strengthening data capabilities added by the series of acquisitions, there continues to be added functionality and accessibility to the cloud’s platform, allowing a range of services for individuals and businesses alike to be streamlined. All we can say is, watch this space.

Read the full article here.

Data startups securing more funding


In a year of highs and lows, it’s exciting to have seen a great range of data-focused startups securing much-needed funding, in some cases, repeatedly. 

Take Skyflow for example. The startup that helps companies to protect personal data raised $7.5 million early on in May, and in its latest round, secured an additional $17.5 billion. With plans to target specific markets such as finance and healthcare, (areas that are notorious for holding sensitive data) it seems the sky is the limit for this startup.

Disciplines within Data & Analytics are innovators, adapting to the needs of their customers and building up (and securely managing) datasets in a range of forms. It will be interesting to watch how these organisations scale in the next year, and how their teams of talent grow to propel them forward.

Read the full article here.

Accelerating the use of data & analytics across varying industries


In recent months that have been shrouded by uncertainty, what has been remarkable is the swift and progressive response of the Data & Analytics sector to the effects of the pandemic. In this report from Information Age, there is mention of the significant value add that data and analytics has brought to businesses in the past year.

We know that the adoption of more efficient technologies has been supported by the use of data across a range of industries. From retail, government and media, all the way through to healthcare, industries are expanding their use of data and analytics in meaningful ways.

Ultimately, the response to the pandemic has been sped up by the implementation of both data and technology. It is the convergence of these powerful tools that has streamlined processes, supported industries to crossover and innovate change, and provided some much-needed optimism and direction for concerned business owners. The transformative performance of our increasing use of data and technology means that, together, they can drive the most impactful changes, regardless of business size or sector.

Read the full article here.

There is no doubt that there has been a truly impressive range of news from the world of Data & Analytics this year. One thing that these stories share is that with this change comes great opportunity for engineers, analysts and data specialists to take on new roles in supporting organisations in their growth plans. We are certainly looking forward to what 2021 has in store for the sector.

The Data & Analytics market is one full of exciting and dynamic opportunities. To learn more about our work in this space, take a look at our latest roles or get in touch with us at info@harnham.com.

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