Almost three years after inception, the Explore Data Science Academy is preparing to expand to the UK.
The Explore Group, the mother company which founded consultation arms − Explore AI and Explore fintech − and educational institution, the Explore Data Science Academy, has announced expansion plans that include new market opportunities internationally.
The plans include the setting up of Explore AI offices and a campus of the Explore Data Science Academy in London, UK.
Founded in 2017 by data scientists Shaun Dippnall, Dave Strugnell and Aidan Helmbold, the Explore Data Science Academy bills itself as the largest data science academy in Africa.
The academy, which was initially based in Cape Town, has over the years expanded to Johannesburg and Durban, with the UK-based campus expected to be its fourth home, as it prepares for its first intake for the 2021 cohort in the first half of next year.
Explore AI and Explore fintech specialise in solving complex business problems by implementing artificial intelligence (AI), fintech and data science projects for clients. The businesses, which already have leading UK and European clients, will set up offices in the UK next year to grow their footprint beyond SA.
The expansion plans seek to position Explore as a global player in data science over the next five years, according to the company.
Dippnall explains the expansion of both the consultation business and the academy is fuelled by the tremendous shortage of data scientists across the globe.
“We now plan to grow from a small data science teaching institution with a purely SA focus, to an international player in the data science and data management universe,” notes Dippnall, co-founder of Explore Group and CEO of EDSA.
“COVID-19 has accelerated the process of digitisation in businesses. This proliferation of need for digital presence, as well as the application of data for competitive advantage, provided a sweet spot for data science talent development and competence. We are also being increasingly asked to assist with the integration of data science as part of corporate business strategy and implementation.”
Explore AI offers data science consultation services as well as an SMME credit risk division, to clients within Explore Group’s founding shareholder Lombard Group, who are based at Thames Water in the UK.
Since the launch of the 12-month data science learnership programme, EDSA says it has trained close to 1 000 data scientists over the last two-and-a-half years.
Explore currently has 60 data scientists in its employ and projects to have 100 on board by the end of this year.
Once the UK-based interns successfully complete their studies, they will be afforded an opportunity to apply for positions within Explore AI and Explore fintech.
The academy says it is hoping to train approximately 5 000 data scientists within five years, adding that it is confident all of these candidates will find work given the shortage of data science skills in SA and globally.
The training institution has also expanded to offering online courses and interventions at corporate level.
Early in 2019, Explore AI was appointed by UK’s largest water utility, Thames Water, to deliver the analytics involved in monitoring the water levels of over 150 000km of water, waste and collection piping. The information will enable the utility to pre-empt blockages that result from flooding or pollution.
“The Explore story demonstrates how a small South African tech start-up, given favourable market opportunities and a core staff of skilled, committed and hard-working people, can become a world-class operation−- even given the trying circumstances we have experienced this year.
“Our international growth plans are founded on the premise that much of our project work will be done here in SA which, given our rand pricing against global currencies, has substantial cost advantages,” concludes Dippnall.
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