Datascope Analytics

Datascope Analytics, or Datascope, is a data-driven consulting and design firm based in Chicago, IL.^[1] The firm was founded in 2009 by co-founders Mike Stringer and Dean Malmgren after the two realized the lodes that could be extracted from data science.^[2] In addition to analyzing massive amounts of data, the firm builds useful tools for people, organizations and companies to learn from data, and be more quantitative in how they approach different problems. Their data science services include strategy consulting, software development and training.

History

Datascope was founded in 2009 by Mike Stringer and Dean Malmgren. Stringer received a BS in Engineering Physics from the University of Colorado and a PhD in Physics from Northwestern University. Malmgren received a BS from the University of Michigan and a PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Northwestern University, where he was a research fellow alongside Stringer. It was during their time at Northwestern that they began to realize the lodes that could be extracted from data science, more specifically, the useful tools they can provide people, organization and companies.

The company has worked with industry leaders like Thomson Reuters, Procter & Gamble, Motorola,^[3] Kaplan, Daegis, and the Detroit Pistons,^[4] to emerging tech companies and nonprofits.

In 2011, Datascope began the Data Science Chicago Meetup,^[5] which now has over 3,635 members, as well as Data Science Madison,^[6] founded in 2014, which currently has 363 active members. The group discussions range from tutorials on new technologies and their applications to success stories from practitioners, as well as cutting-edge academic data science and social activities. In 2016, they founded a Chicago Women in Machine Learning and Data Science team.^[7] The Meetup discusses machine learning and data science in an informal setting with the purpose of learning about top-notch research and technology, while building a community around women in these fields.

In 2014, Datascope launched a data science boot camp for New York-based Metis, part of the Kaplan education network, helping others accelerate their data science careers. Datascope helped create the curriculum. Recently, Kaplan expanded their data science boot camp into the San Francisco and Chicago market, still utilizing Datascope's curriculum as a basis.^[8]

Culture

Bootstrapped since their inception, Datascope worked out of Northwestern University's Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation their first year in business. Unlike most companies that have predetermined hierarchy, Datascope quickly adopted a completely flat company structure, which gives each employee the same monthly salary, and allows each employee the opportunity to take on a leadership role.^[9] These roles are chosen based on whichever employee finds a particular project to be the most mentally and creatively stimulating. To ensure this, Datascope custom-built an operating agreement to retain a flat organizational structure that reflects the company's culture.

References

1. "Data Scientist: STEM Boys Club Open To Women - InformationWeek". InformationWeek. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
2. "Why P&G turns to this little firm for big data analysis". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
3. "How Motorola Uses Big Data Analytics to Improve Its Smartphones". Datanami. 11 November 2014.
4. "Analytics guru Wolf helps Pistons cut through data thicket". Detroit Free Press.
5. "Data Science Chicago (Chicago, IL)". Meetup.
6. "Data Science Madison (Madison, WI)". Meetup.
7. "About the Chicago Team - WiMLDS". WiMLDS.
8. "Metis Officially Expands Its Data Science Bootcamp to Chicago". chicagoinno.streetwise.co.
9. Elahi, Amina. "Why one Chicago company gives employees the same title and salary". chicagotribune.com.