Enabling UK businesses to unlock the value of big data

Working with techUK, the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Hartree Centre sponsored a series of Big Data in Action Roadshows to demonstrate the value of big data analytics and encourage adoption of these technologies in UK industry.

Challenge

Over the next five years, it is estimated that the value of big data and data analytics to the UK economy could accumulate to £322 billion. Businesses across the country are facing the pressures of a data overload, with organisations of all sizes routinely collecting data but many unsure how to extract the most value from their datasets. This is coupled with a big data skills gap as companies struggle to find the right skills to implement new data analytics strategies and practices2. The Hartree Centre, home to myriad big data analytics technologies and expertise, is always looking for ways to drive data innovation and foster a culture of knowledge sharing about big data in industry.

Approach

Alongside the Federation of Small Businesses, Pro-Manchester, Manchester Informatics and Business Cloud, the STFC Hartree Centre provided sponsorship for a series of techUK Big Data in Action Roadshows. Held in Bristol, London and Manchester, these regional events provided the opportunity for SMEs to develop a greater understanding of big data tools and techniques – and of how they can be used to gain value for their business. One-to-one sessions with experts were available for delegates, and case studies highlighted how big data analytics is already making a difference in many industries, such as greater diagnosis accuracy in the healthcare industry.

Benefits

This series of Big Data in Action Roadshows encouraged UK business leaders from large and small organisations alike to take the first steps to implement big data strategies in their companies and sectors. The events helped to ensure that businesses attending had an opportunity to gain access to the knowledge and support needed to form big data collaborations, and provided a springboard to put big data into action across various UK regions and industries.

“The techUK Big Data in Action roadshows brought together local digital communities, industry and academic experts and big data specialists to discuss challenges, share learning and identify areas that offer great potential for big data and data analytics. The attendees have taken away an understanding of big data that will allow them to apply these technologies in their businesses and reap the economic benefits.”

​Michael Gleaves, Hartree Centre​

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