Ed Lavery discusses his new role at Placer.AI, focusing on location data strengths. The conversation covers the significance of location data, alternative data's development, and his plans from his previous role. Additionally, they talk about the challenges and potential in tracking revenue, costs, and profitability in the alternative data market, as well as the collaboration between Placer and Bloomberg for the Audigo product.
Placer.ai offers top-tier geolocation data with a privacy-centric approach, attracting over 3,000 corporate customers.
The alternative data market shifts towards nuanced insights, demanding comprehensive data beyond basic predictive capabilities.
Deep dives
Ed's transition to Placer.ai
Ed Lavery moves from SimilarWeb to Placer.ai, a location analytics data provider driven by foot traffic data. Placer.ai, similar to his previous company, targets significant growth opportunities in the data industry. Ed sees Placer.ai as the offline equivalent of SimilarWeb, noting similarities in trajectory and potential.
Placer.ai's business model and differentiation
Placer.ai operates as a location analytics data player, boasting over 3,000 corporate customers across various sectors like retail, real estate, and municipalities. The company stands out for its top-tier geolocation data offerings, a privacy-centric approach, and financial stability with over $150 million in investments. Ed leverages his SimilarWeb experience to adapt to Placer.ai's established playbook for product development and market strategies.
Evolution of the alternative data market
The alternative data market witnesses a shift as more sophisticated buyers move beyond simple data correlation metrics. Buyers now seek nuanced insights and data sets that support broader hypotheses rather than just predictive capabilities. Placer.ai's focus on providing actionable, detailed data sets aligns with this growing demand for comprehensive data analysis beyond basic predictions.
Placer.ai's data sources and macro use cases
Placer.ai gathers location analytics data from 25 million US mobile devices, offering insights into foot traffic patterns, demographics, and consumer behaviors. The data's potential extends to macro-level applications, such as tracking migration trends, analyzing industry-specific foot traffic, and aiding real estate and credit investors in gauging market movements and investment opportunities.
In this episode I invite back Ed Lavery, to discuss his new role at Placer.AI, the US location data provider, following his previous appearance on the Similarweb episode.
In our conversation, Ed and I discuss the strengths of location data, alternative data’s development and what he plans to bring with him from his previous role.
Separately, I will be hosting the macro panel at Battlefin in London tomorrow, so come and say hi if you’re there.
DISCLAIMER
This podcast is an edited recording of an interview with Ed Lavery recorded in September 2023. The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of Ed Lavery and Mark Fleming-Williams and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of either CFM or any of its affiliates. The information provided herein is general information only and does not constitute investment or other advice. Any statements regarding market events, future events or other similar statements constitute only subjective views, are based upon expectations or beliefs, involve inherent risks and uncertainties and should therefore not be relied on. Future evidence and actual results could differ materially from those set forth, contemplated by or underlying these statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that these statements are or will prove to be accurate or complete in any way.