What motivated your company to participate in the Global Tech Awards?

Our motivation to participate in the Global Tech Awards stems from our commitment to advancing the boundaries of spatial analytics. At CARTO, we’re pioneering a future where spatial data is central to smarter, faster decision-making. With location data transforming everything from consumer behavior to supply chain logistics, we’re driven to provide a solution that empowers organizations to solve complex spatial problems at scale, enabling them to gain actionable insights more quickly. Being part of the Global Tech Awards allows us to join a broader industry conversation related to technological innovation, in addition to showcasing how our cloud-native platform is setting new standards for spatial analysis. This recognition validates our efforts and amplifies the impact of Location Intelligence as a critical tool in today’s data-driven world.

Could you share an overview of the project or innovation your company submitted?

We submitted our cloud-native Location Intelligence platform, CARTO, to the Insurtech category. CARTO is a comprehensive cloud-native spatial analytics platform designed for data scientists and data analysts. By integrating data, advanced analytics, and developer tools, CARTO empowers insurers of all sizes to gain critical insights to thoroughly assess portfolio risk, model catastrophes, and deepen their understanding of insured consumers and businesses.

What impact do you anticipate your innovation will have on the tech industry or society at large?

CARTO’s journey began with the belief that maps and data could fundamentally change how we understand our world, a vision rooted in our founders' backgrounds in environmental science and biodiversity; since inception, we’ve continued to deliver products and insights that help us make that belief a reality for users in any field. We’re excited about the ongoing impact our innovation will have on both the insurance industry and society at large. In the insurance and reinsurance sectors, data scientists spend around 80% of their time on tasks like gathering, cleaning, and preparing data instead of analyzing it to derive insights. This is a real challenge for this industry because it takes valuable time away from using that data to make informed decisions. We’re tackling this issue by streamlining those processes and eliminating the need for multiple tools, giving data scientists the ability to focus on what really matters—providing valuable insights that drive action. By doing so, we’re helping insurers make more accurate loss predictions and respond swiftly to policyholder needs. By visualizing critical data insights in real-time, our platform enables better resource allocation and personnel distribution during natural disasters. Beyond insurance, our platform is also helping organizations leverage spatial data and analysis for more efficient delivery routes, better behavioral marketing, strategic store placements, and more.

How does your company foster a culture of innovation?

At CARTO, we’re committed to empowering pioneers and fostering a culture of innovation however we can. To support this mission, we have a Start-Up Grants program that awards grants to small nonprofit organizations with limited resources. These grants go to groups working to combat climate change, promote environmental stewardship, and advance social initiatives through data education, advocacy, and activism. We also believe in the power of partnerships and collaboration. We work with a global network of partners to help organizations unlock the potential of spatial analysis, ensuring they have the tools and insights they need to succeed. For example, we partner with other cloud platforms to make it easy for customers to use geospatial analytics right where they are, boosting their data access and efficiency. We also have a great channel partnership program that helps us spread the word and get our geospatial intelligence solutions into the hands of those who need them.

What are your company’s future goals, and how do you plan to drive advancements in your industry?

The industry is vast and growing but still largely dominated by legacy vendors. Spatial analysis has often been viewed as too complex for general use, leaving it disconnected from the broader business environment and limited to a niche group of GIS experts. As data science expands and companies seek to become not only data-driven but also spatially aware, we’re entering a new era of Spatial Data Science. This shift means new users require new data to perform various analyses. Organizations are already facing a shortage of data science professionals, with even fewer having expertise in spatial analysis. That’s where we come in! We're focused on driving our growth through strategic partnerships and helping organizations modernize their existing GEO/GIS solutions. By doing this, we aim to make spatial analysis more accessible and impactful for everyone.

Are there any emerging technologies or trends your company is particularly excited about?

We’re excited about the innovation that Location Intelligence is driving across industries. Spatial Data Science offers many benefits that are being used to solve real-world problems, such as improving network coverage, assessing climate change risks, optimizing public transport infrastructure, and much more.  We’re also eager to see the development of specialized tools that leverage AI models and how AI technology will mature, especially for Spatial Data Science. 

To dive deeper into CARTO's award-winning work, visit their website at https://carto.com/