Since 2016, demand for data services has increased while, at the same time, schools and universities have begun producing knowledgeable graduates in the basics of data science and analysis, allowing companies to hire their own data teams more easily. This resulted in lesser demand for low-end analytics and business intelligence. Companies that operate at the higher end of machine learning and data engineering processes continue to flourish, particularly those that can implement flexible infrastructure such as hybrid cloud environments.
CirroLytix Research Services is a social impact data analytics company that leverages data to make a positive data-driven change in the world. The company offers innovative solutions that work best in hybrid cloud environments. The Founder and CTO, Dominic Vincent Ligot established CirroLytix with a mission to help governments, non-profits, researchers, international and local organizations succeed at addressing collective social problems worldwide by harnessing the full power of their data.
The Notion behind CirroLytix
The motivation behind the inception of CirroLytix was to address a glaring gap witnessed by Dominic while he was working as established data science and IT consultant. He noticed that IT vendors were too focused on pushing technology and licenses than solving problems for clients. On the other hand, consulting firms had a lot of paper ideas but lacked the ability to execute them with technology. Furthermore, data science, big data, and artificial intelligence were common buzzwords used by firms. However, Dominic rarely encountered firms who were really knowledgeable beyond dabblers in the scene.
Meanwhile, the dynamic leader has already built up substantial practical experience using data analytics from working in HSBC and ANZ global banks. Later as a Data Science Lead for Teradata Corporation, he figured he could offer an alternative in the market. “My motivation was to push the envelope with clients to embrace cloud-based technologies, go beyond data experimentation, embed automation and predictive modeling methods in their business, and maximize the use of big data. Clients embraced our hybrid approach: combining data science, consulting, and training, but without making technology the centerpiece, instead we discussed real solutions,” shares Dominic. As a result, CirroLytix came into existence.
Today, as the CTO, Dominic still calls much of the shots in terms of the company’s technology vision. But, as the company grows, he interacts with younger team members who are more knowledgeable with the latest emerging tech and just as passionate about social impact. “Finding like-minded people committed to solving social problems is the biggest reason I do what I do, especially once it translates to positive change for our clients and beneficiaries,” says Dominic.
Venturing Into New Domain
After back-to-back productive years in 2017-2018, Dominic felt a new domain was calling him: the UN Sustainable Development Goals. So in 2019, CirroLytix joined the Break The Fake hackathon organized by YSEALI and sponsored by USAID. The goal of this program was to use technology to help fight fake news. In this event, the CirroLytix team designed Troglodyte, an algorithm to map and tag conspiracies in fake news and won the Southeast Asian grand prize beating AI contenders in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Shortly after that, CirroLytix won the NASA International Space Apps Challenge with Project AEDES. It is a solution that combines satellite data, climate data, social listening, and predictive modeling to help monitor and detect mosquito hotspots that caused dengue fever, as the Philippines was suffering a dengue epidemic at the time. “These experiences would prove educational for us and instrumental in our evolution to become an SDG-driven data firm,” asserts Dominic.
Standing out from the crowd
After achieving success in Break The Fake and NASA hacks, CirroLytix shifted its focus from commercial analytics work to the social impact sector. The company would bring its track record in marketing, financial, human resources, and operations applications to make a difference in projects such as public health, food security, disinformation, and human rights.
Furthermore, because of its emphasis on the entire data value chain: data sourcing, storage, analysis, and data products, CirroLytix is differentiating itself from others. Most of its peers mostly focus on data science. But, it has covered data engineering, combining data such as sensor feeds, public sector datasets, remote sensing (satellite data), and social listening with artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve its services.
Connecting AI With Data
“AI at a high level is still a loose coalition of research technologies such as computer vision, NLP, statistical modeling, and process automation,” says the CEO Dominic. He believes that over the next years, there will be advances and further integration of these methodologies to come up with solutions for humanity. He further states that the future of AI will depend on the next generation of practitioners who are not just knowledgeable with the algorithms and data structures but also the ethics of using AI.
Emerging Challenges To Address
CirroLytix believes after COVID-19 is resolved, people will have to face numerous obstacles in a radically different world where oil has less value, virtual work is the norm, health and ecology are paramount, and data ethics is top of the agenda. Therefore, the company’s approach is to bring cutting edge technologies such as AI, remote sensing, and social listening to bear on social problems. It hopes to leverage its recent experience using data to address COVID-19 and public health-related challenges towards solving other social problems.
Developing New Projects, Enhancing Existing Services
The past success with hackathons inspired CirroLytix to conduct the Bangsamoro Data Challenge, an initiative that generated solution prototypes and data research projects for the public sector. The company currently supports Data Ethics PH, a monthly podcast that tackles pressing ethical issues such as data privacy, security, data poverty, disinformation, AI discrimination, AI liabilities, and algorithmic justice. CirroLytix is collaborating with public health practitioners on epidemic modeling and pandemic risk assessment on the health front. It also supports the CoronaTracker, a WHO-recognized initiative to monitor the coronavirus statistics globally and also COVID-19 research. The company will continue to refine and promote its hackathon products: Troglodyte and Project AEDES.
Working With Global Funders and NGOs
COVID-19 has certainly brought pressure to bear on commercial firms to secure deals. Its social impact focus has uniquely positioned CirroLytix to work with global funders and NGOs in providing data-driven interventions for the COVID-19 crisis. CirroLytix Research Services is currently involved in various capacities from epidemic modeling, social listening for food security and human rights, remote sensing for pandemic monitoring, and research.
