Dentsu invests in unstructured-big data analysis provider

Headquartered in Palo Alto, Sensai’s focus is on the analysis of unstructured data. According to a statement from Dentsu, the company offers business analysts “a powerful tool to ask questions and get answers from non-traditional data”.

Dentsu expects the technology, which uses artificial intelligence and other systems, to make it easier to analyse big data and ultimately alleviate “the current data analysis bottleneck”.

In particular, continued the statement, Sensai will help develop marketing business strategies using “the more comprehensive consumer data” that will surface with the growth of the Internet of Things and wearable technology.

Sensai offers its services in three packages: Sensai Research, a big data analytics tool for businesses and government agencies; Sensai Anti-Fraud, which helps identify and analyse fraudulent transactions; and Sensai Governance, to assess whether a company is operating according to corporate governance and internal control systems.

Sensai is led by Jonas Lamis, who co-founded the social fundraising platform Rally in 2008. As an investor, Dentsu said it will support Sensai’s global expansion and the development of new businesses.

Dentsu Ventures was established in April and is a vehicle for the company to invest in startup companies not necessarily directly related to the field of advertising. This marks its fourth investment. Previous companies Dentsu Ventures has invested in include Nextbit, a US smartphone developer; Jibo, a US social robot development startup; and Agolo, which specialises in summarising web and social network content.

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