How Optimat maps complex sectors with The Data City

A core part of Optimat’s work is identifying and analysing sector landscapes. However, traditional approaches made this both inefficient and unreliable.

Deborah explains “because SIC codes don’t align, particularly in sectors like advanced manufacturing or life sciences, companies often have to allocate themselves to a code that isn’t a good fit with what they do.”

This lack of alignment meant that accurately identifying a company base was difficult. In many cases, the only alternative was a bottom-up approach and manually building datasets company by company.

Beyond classification challenges, there were also limitations in available data. Smaller companies often do not report detailed financial or employment information, making it more difficult to estimate sector size and structure.

Ultimately, these challenges increased the time and effort required to deliver robust analysis and, in some cases, limited how far insights could be explored using traditional approaches.

Optimat began working with The Data City during its early development, initially collaborating on a project for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. One of the objectives was to better understand the advanced materials and advanced manufacturing landscape in the region.

Together, Optimat and The Data City developed some of the first bespoke taxonomies for these sectors, enabling a more accurate and scalable way to identify relevant companies.

This approach replaced reliance on SIC codes with a more intelligent and flexible classification system. It allowed Optimat to quickly map sectors at both regional and sub-sector levels, while also enabling deeper analysis.

Over time, as the platform evolved, additional capabilities further strengthened its value. These included estimated data on employment and turnover, giving Optimat a more complete picture of sector composition even where official data was limited.

The platform now enables Optimat to explore sectors at a high level and then layer in their own expertise, drill down into sub-sectors and supply chains, and identify regional strengths and opportunities with greater confidence.

This combination of data and consultancy expertise allows Optimat to move from initial mapping to detailed, insight-driven analysis more efficiently.

The introduction of The Data City has significantly improved both the speed and efficiency of a lot of Optimat’s work.

“It just makes our life so much easier. It saves us so much time.”

What was previously a manual and time-intensive process can now be achieved through rapid filtering and exploration. The platform enables first, second and third pass analysis, drastically reducing the need for manual data gathering.

This efficiency gain allows the team to focus on higher-value work rather than administrative tasks.

However, the impact extends beyond internal efficiency. Without The Data City, Optimat would need to spend significantly more time building datasets manually, which would affect how time and resource is allocated across projects.

By reducing the time spent on data gathering and initial filtering, The Data City allows Optimat to focus more on applying its expertise, strengthening the depth and quality of insight delivered to clients, particularly in complex and emerging sectors where traditional data sources fall short.