PredictifyMe
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Predictive Analytics |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usmani, Rob Burns |
Key people |
Robert Burns, CEO Zeeshan-ul-Hassan Usmani, Chief Data Scientist Marcy Bucci, President Jeff Frazier, Advisor |
| Website |
predictify |
PredictifyMe is a predictive analytics company with headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.[1] The company uses advanced algorithms and data sets to predict outcomes of social and commercial problems. Its products are based on the research and doctoral thesis of co-founder Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usmani during his studies at Florida Institute of Technology.[2] It works primarily in the fields of security, retail, education, insurance and healthcare.[3]
History
PredictifyMe was founded in 2012 by Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usmani and Rob Burns. Both of whom were previously Eisenhower Fellows and met during Eisenhower networking.[1] Usmani had completed his Ph.D. at Florida Institute of Technology where his thesis involved a predictive model of suicide bombings that is used for forensic investigations and prevention tool.[4] Burns received his M.B.A. from George Washington University and spent 15 years studying how kids' lives are impacted based on the location where they are born.[5] Burns and Usmani worked together for two years, adapting Usmani's predictive model to predict social and commercial impacts for various regions of the world.[1]
PredictifyMe started with seed round funding of approximately $250,000.[3] The company tried to raise $1 million, but stopped asking for funding due to the number of clients it signed up minimized the need for extra capital.[3] The final amount of funding totaled $305,263 according to its Form D filing.[6] PredictifyMe was officially launched in 2014.[5]
Products and services
PredictifyMe's initial products included Hourglass and its various versions for different verticals. Soothsayer (predictive modeling software) and SecureSim (simulation software). Originally developed by Usmani and known as BlastSim, the software is the work of his research project and thesis during his doctoral studies at Florida Institute of Technology,[7] and was the basis of his 2011 book Simulation of Suicide Bombing: Using Computers to Save Lives.[8] The software predicts when and where suicide bombings may take place,[9] including providing recommendations for reducing potential injuries in the event of such attack such as providing safe distance recommendations.[4] It is accurate to 91%for predicting injury and fatality rates under various conditions.[4] Based on predictive outcomes, preemptive measures can be taken to help minimize injuries.[4]
The company ventured into the healthcare market in 2015, developing its Hourglass software.[3] The software predicts potential medical outcomes such as the anticipated number of pregnancies in a particular area. It also assists in optimizing healthcare spending, predicting healthcare demands based on preemptive healthcare. Hourglass Retail is part of the software that measures impact of marketing dollars in the retail industry.[10]
Partnership with the United Nations
On March 18th, 2015, UN special envoy for global education and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Partnership of United Nations with PredictifyMe. The sole purpose of Partnership was to involve the technical abilities of PredictifyMe to counter terrorist attacks on educational institutes all over the world. Mr. Brown pledged to fight terrorism and related causes that hinders the basic right of education to children.
He said “Among the new developments to address the children’s crisis, I can announce today a 1,000 school pilot in Pakistan in a partnership between the government, UNICEF and the Global Business Coalition for Education, spearheaded by a pro-bono technology contribution from Predictify.Me, a US-based data sciences and predictive analytics firm. The partnership will deliver state-of-the-art technology and simulation software to assess the level of risk preparedness of schools and generate recommendations for school and community safety plans. Each school will receive specific recommendations for improving the school’s set-up to become safer and recommendations for community measures and ongoing risk forecasts". [11][12][13]
PredictifyMe is taking its brand of counter-terrorism to the international level. Most recently, Soothsayer, together with SecureSim – the Blast Sim’s older cousin – were part of a joint effort with the United Nations to improve the security of schools in violence-ridden countries.
References
- 1 2 3 "American and Pakistani Fellows Launch Groundbreaking Company". Eisenhower Fellowship. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ Wright, Tom (19 June 2010). "Using Science Against Suicide Bombs". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Baum, Stephanie (16 January 2015). "Big data analytics startup adding healthcare channel". Med City News. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Siddiqui, Salman (26 July 2010). "Learning from suicide blasts". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- 1 2 "Our Story". PredictifyMe official website. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ "PredictifyMe Inc. Form D filed January 8, 2015". Find The Company. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ "Pakistani scholar aims to better better homeland". Florida Today. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ Usmani, Zeeshan-Ul-Hassan (2011). Simulation of Suicide Bombing: Using Computers to Save Lives. iUniverse. ISBN 9781440194412.
- ↑ Kasakove, Sophie. "Running The Numbers". InduyRunNumber. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ "Products and Solutions". PredictifyMe official website. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ http://educationenvoy.org/press-release/
- ↑ http://www.exitevent.com/article/dat-from-raleigh-startup-stops-suicide-bombings-in-pakistan-150318
- ↑ https://www.techinasia.com/predictifyme-un-technology-fight-terrorism/