#TeamDataminr's 2021 Real-time Data Impact Stories

The months of 2021, like the year before it, were defined by volatility. We suspect that 2022 will follow suit. That said, we all learned a lot from 2020’s most impactful moments including the COVID-19 pandemic, the killing of George Floyd, and the SolarWinds hack. In 2021, we saw businesses prioritizing public health safety planning, nearly 95% of organizations launching DEI initiatives, and greater investments in cybersecurity to strengthen business resilience.

It’s hard to imagine a bigger shift in public safety and business priorities, or a year where businesses center cross-functional efforts around ensuring their culture and operations are resilient. Whether influenced by shorter economic cycles, extreme weather events or the severely battered global supply chain, businesses were forced toward in-the-moment decision making. The ones that best operationalized around this shift are those that adopted real-time information to detect and respond to impending, dynamic crises and risks to their business.??

In fact, the past 12 months are replete with examples of companies that leveraged real-time information to not just continue operations, but to innovate and even save lives.?

At Dataminr, we often engage with customers to learn how our real time alerts helped them save lives, protect critical assets, and maintain business operations in the face of impediments.

In retrospect, we’d have a hard time thinking of a major, critical moment in 2021 that Dataminr did not alert on.

While not an exhaustive list, here are a few examples of moments that had a significant impact on businesses, our lives and local and global communities.

US Capitol?

January 6

When protestors stormed the U.S. Capitol, in an attempt to overturn the 2020 U.S. presidential election results, the mayhem that ensued spilled over into surrounding areas. This put both businesses and passersby in close proximity under threat. Dataminr Pulse surfaced over 500 alerts to give our corporate customers a clear picture of how to protect their employees and initiate response protocols.

Texas Power Outages

February 15?

The devastating impact of extreme weather was witnessed first-hand in Texas with dangerous and unusually cold temperatures and ice storms that caused power outages and loss of life. Dataminr Pulse customers at regional utility companies were alerted in real time to the infrastructure effects of the storm allowing them to take immediate action. This included rerouting crews, issuing employee warnings and—as was the case at one major utility—using Dataminr alerts to deliver critical updates on potential water contamination across 254 Texas counties.?

Suez Canal

March 23

When the Ever Given vessel got stuck in the Suez Canal, shipping along that route came to a grinding halt. The economic impact was massive: a nearly 6% rise in oil prices and $64 billion in losses due to the delays. Dataminr Pulse surfaced the earliest indication of the incident, ahead of media coverage, via maritime traffic sensor data—enabling customers to quickly understand the impact to their supply chains and take appropriate action.

Evacuation of Afghanistan?

August?

In August of this year, when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the lives of many were suddenly at risk.?This included the lives of the Afghan girls robotics team, their family members, and more than 150 female students from Asian University for Women. Dataminr NGO partner Direct Relief used Dataminr’s real-time alerting solution, in conjunction with other cutting-edge technology, to get the women to the Kabul airport and airlifted to safety. Thankfully, not one of the women in the group was left behind.?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel Steps Down

September?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stepped down after a 16-year tenure. She was her country’s first female chancellor and as well as the first leader to be raised in the former East Germany. Merkel led her country through some of the biggest events of the early 21st century, including the 2008 financial crisis, the 2015 migrant crisis, Brexit and the global pandemic. The transition from Merkel to new Chancellor Olaf Scholz—and the events that led up to it—are geopolitical shifts that businesses need to be aware of in real time given their impact on social and economic stability.?

Judge Terminates Britney Spears' Conservatorship

November 12

The end of pop star and singer Britney Spears’ conservatorship garnered significant global interest. Much of it was generated by the media and social networks, both of which played a large role in resetting the standards of accountability around Spears’ fight to be free of her conservator. The reporting which included investigative social posts from fans and documentary filmmaking influenced a more balanced story than had been heard before, leading to calls that ultimately influenced the decision to “free Britney.”

US Midwest Hit by Deadly Tornadoes?

December?

Six U.S. states were hit with catastrophic tornadoes December 10 and 11, including one that stayed on the ground for a record 227 miles. Kentucky was hit particularly hard and had the highest number of fatalities. Dataminr Pulse provided customers with the critical real-time information needed—more than 200 alerts as the situation unfolded—to direct employees to safety, track tornado paths and spot unforeseen risks in their disaster recovery response.?