Experian PLC is opening a DataLabs location in Singapore, the fourth location of its type that the company says helps businesses solve strategic marketing and risk-management problems through advanced data analysis.
It’s an important development for its North America unit based in Costa Mesa, where all the products and service developed at these labs ultimately gets funneled, a spokesperson told the Business Journal.
DataLabs established its first location in 2010 in San Diego and expanded into a new facility there in 2016. It started a U.K. office in 2014 and in São Paulo the following year.
The labs, which are typically about 10,000 square feet, employ more than 100 scientists, engineers and innovation experts.
The Singapore lab, its first in Asia, is primarily focused on developing applications to help the one billion consumers in that region who lack access to traditional forms of finance and to provide them data on their smartphones.
In a separate application to ride the booming adoption of Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant in its Echo and Dot speakers, the company is developing technology that converges voice, display and artificial intelligence to make purchases anytime from anywhere, and enable consumers to verbally access instant credit.
Experian is one of three major credit reporting agencies operating in the U.S. Its parent, which is incorporated in Dublin, posted revenue of $4.6 billion in its fiscal year ending in March, according to its annual report. Experian North America posted revenue of $2.6 billion during the same period.
Engineers are Coming!
A massive undertaking to host the International Science & Engineering Fair in OC in 2020 is underway.
A committee from the annual event hosted 200 local leaders on Dec. 11 at Discovery Cube OC in Santa Ana, highlighted by a short keynote from Henry Samueli, chief technology officer at Broadcom Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGO) and chairman of the Broadcom Foundation.
ISEF, considered the Super Bowl in science, technology, engineering and math, has never taken place in OC. The showcase, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center May 10-15, 2020, will pit more than 1,800 competitors from 80 countries competing for $4 million in prizes. About 30,000 students from around the globe funnel into the competition from local, regional and state fairs.
The Broadcom Foundation, headquartered in Newport Beach, donated $200,000 for Public Showcase Day May 14, 2020, when more than 10,000 middle and high school students in Southern California will get a chance to meet the finalists and participate in STEM activities from local organizations and universities.
The Orange County Science & Engineering Fair sent six competitors this year to the fair in Pittsburgh.
The local chapter is asking for help to put on the show as the event requires 1,000 judges, 200 translators and 500 other volunteers from OC. If interested, visit: oc.isefvolunteer.com.
HyperX Puts Logo on Rooftop
We’re getting closer to tech’s biggest extravaganza of the year with CES just around the corner. The Business Journal will be in Las Vegas Jan. 7 to 11 to cover the industry’s biggest consumer electronics show, which draws more than 182,000 visitors from 160 countries.
Most fly in from around the globe, and for those that do, they’ll be able to see the latest logo from Kingston Technology Inc.’s sponsorship on the top of the Allied Esports’ global flagship property.
The newly christened HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas will feature a prominent HyperX logo on the roof of the former LAX nightclub site at Luxor. The Esports Arena made a splash in 2015 with the establishment of the first dedicated gaming venue in North America in downtown Santa Ana. It typically draws hundreds of members from around the world for weekly events and competitions.
HyperX, the gaming unit of OC’s largest consumer electronics maker, is planning several events around a three-year sponsorship during CES week when Vegas is overrun by tech analysts, commentators, startups and blue chippers trying to cut through the clutter, traffic jams and crowded showroom floors.
Fountain Valley-based Kingston, which has an estimated revenue of $6.7 billion last year, will be among the 100 or so OC tech companies that will pitch their products and services in Sin City.
