Earth Networks and Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative Collaborate To Advance Weather-Driven Analytics Research

Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative (WCAI) Research Center will tap Earth Networks proprietary weather intelligence to expand commercial use cases of rich weather data assets

Germantown, MD – July 25, 2017 — Earth Networks today announced a new collaboration with the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative (WCAI), based at the University of Pennsylvania, to provide the Penn community and academic researchers from around the world with advanced weather and lightning data from its proprietary data networks. As a result, WCAI can significantly expand the research surrounding the use of rich weather data assets across new industry use cases.

WCAI is among the world’s preeminent academic research centers focusing on the development and application of customer analytics methods. Through its innovative Research Opportunity program and R&D “crowdsourcing” approach, WCAI enables academic researchers from around the world to help companies understand how to better monetize the individual-level data they collect about customers through the development and application of new predictive models.

The Earth Networks proprietary weather observation network includes more than 10,000 exclusive and professionally managed weather stations updated with live data every two seconds. And with over 1,500 sensors in more than 90 countries, Earth Networks Total Lightning Network is the most extensive and technologically-advanced lightning network in the world. Through this relationship, WCAI will leverage Earth Networks’ weather intelligence for a broad range of use cases, including:

• Research to advance analytics across weather-influenced industries such as telematics, aviation, insurance, retail, and many others.
• Faculty-advised projects for undergraduate and graduate students within the University of Pennsylvania and among university-affiliated researchers around the world.
• Development of innovative analytic models and software solutions with the potential to be deployed to commercial sectors.
• Integration into formal course curricula, lesson plans, or assignments.

“We are excited to join the Wharton School Customer Analytics Initiative to put advanced weather intelligence and lightning data in the hands of top researchers and students committed to improving the use of weather data within analytical applications.,” said Anuj Agrawal, Chief Marketing Officer at Earth Networks. “Real-time and location-based insights are increasingly critical for organizations to address the growing importance of weather on their operations, and this collaboration aims to address this challenge.”

“Our relationship with Earth Networks is a game-changer in providing our faculty and student researchers with access to real-time weather data and analytics,” added Professor Eric T. Bradlow, Chairperson of Wharton’s Marketing Department and Co-Director and Co-Founder of WCAI. “The combination of Earth Networks weather intelligence data and our data analytics resources will spur the development and application of new applied predictive models for a wide range of commercial sectors, and offer the University of Pennsylvania community unprecedented weather data access.”

About Earth Networks
Earth Networks has been Taking the Pulse of the Planet® for more than 20 years. We help organizations mitigate financial, operational and human risk by providing environmental intelligence from the world’s largest hyperlocal weather network. Schools, airports, sports teams, utilities and government agencies rely on our early warning solutions to safeguard lives, prepare for weather events and optimize operations. Companies across all industries use our weather data to automate decisions regarding risk management, business continuity, and asset protection.

About the Wharton School

Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 95,000 graduates.

Media Contact:
Brian Lustig, Bluetext PR for Earth Networks
+1 202.469.3608
brian@bluetext.com