Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Pitch

Cambridge Semantics eyes partners for data analysis software

By Lynette F. Cornell

Cambridge Semantics
Headquarters: Boston
Phone: 617-299-9762
Email: rob@cambridgesemantics.com
URL: www.cambridgesemantics.com
Founded: 2007
Employees: 15

In the company’s own words:
“Cambridge Semantics helps data-intensive enterprises in industries such as pharmaceuticals, financial services and energy, among others, and their knowledge management teams conduct ad hoc data analysis to answer a wide variety of business questions. The key advantage provided by Cambridge Semantics’ Anzo suite is that it enables business users to not only define their own reports, but to act on them and adapt their business processes as needed. Whereas a BI solution ends at a report, an Anzo solution doesn’t stop until the business is ready to move onto the next thing.”

About the technology:
Cambridge Semantics has developed a suite of semantic knowledge base software designed to help non-technical users, including research scientists, financial analysts, marketing directors and field teams, to create sophisticated queries and manage the underlying data using simple tools such as Microsoft Excel and the Internet. The software’s structured semantic search tools allow users to look for information based on how it relates to other pieces of information and based on its meaning, rather than on keyword matching alone. The reporting tools make it possible to conduct analysis of data pulled from multiple sources and domains and then share those reports, along with comments, with colleagues or index them for future reference. The Excel-specific tools give users the ability to quickly contribute and organize data in collaborative projects along with the option to personalize the data entry tool to each user.

People behind the company:
Emmett Eldred, CEO, previously served as CEO of Beacon Photonics LLC, a venture development firm affiliated with the Photonics Center at Boston University. Alok Prasad, president, is also the founder and chairman of MZI Services Inc., an Internet marketing and software company. Sean Martin, chief technical officer, worked formerly as a founder of IBM Corp.’s Advanced Internet Technology group. Michael Anthony, vice president of sales, was previously a senior partner at the Waltham-based management consulting firm PRTM. Lee Feigenbaum, vice president of technology and client services, worked as an engineer with IBM’s Advanced Internet Technology Group. Simon Martin, vice president of engineering and support, was a lead engineer for IBM’s Enterprise Data Management Solutions. Steve Kludt, vice president of marketing, was formerly president and CEO of SRK Consulting Partners Inc. John O’Sullivan, vice president of finance and operations, was formerly the president and CFO of biotech company Chemogen Inc. in Portland, Maine.

The pitch:
Cambridge Semantics is looking to develop new business partnerships with consulting companies and systems integrators. The company currently has partnerships with Patni, an India-based global systems integrator, and smaller firms including Orbis Technologies Inc., ICUBE, TrustFort and DNA HealthLink Inc.

The market:
The company is pursuing the enterprise decision management market, which it estimates is worth over $10 billion.

The competition:
The company’s current competitors include Oracle, SAP, IBM and relational organizations, all of which have existing solutions.