About The Data City
Our mission is to build the new standard industrial classification system.
Trusted by
Who are we?
We tell you what companies do.
That might sound simple. It should be. But for decades, the way the world has understood companies has been broken. Outdated SIC codes. Patchy datasets. Endless Google searches. Static classifications trying to describe a fast-moving economy.
The Data City fixes that.
We build data infrastructure using the web, apply explainable machine learning to classify companies in real time, and develop software that makes sense of it all.
To build the new standard industrial classification system.
We believe that everyone working to help companies thrive can do a better job when they understand what companies do and how well they are doing.
So, instead of classifying companies by the SIC code that the company chose when it registered, we classify companies by what they say they do on the web. Then we enrich that data with how many people a company employs, where it operates, what its turnover is, and much more, including up to six years of historical financial information. Finally, we help you to explore, analyse, and map those companies, their finances, and their activities using our unique tools.
Our methods are innovative. They are increasingly proven in peer-reviewed papers, in use by national statistics agencies, and by our customers. They are improving rapidly. The answers to the questions that you have today will be great. In a year they will be even better.
Improving classifications since 2017
A look at our journey so far…
2017 The spark
The Data City was founded in Leeds as a spinout from the Open Data Institute (ODI) Leeds node.
It was born out of frustration with outdated company classification systems like SIC, and the realisation that there was no modern, scalable solution to understanding what companies actually do. to.
2018 Building the foundations
The team begins development of what would become the Industry Engine
Early prototypes focused on combining website text, company financials, and third-party data to generate accurate company profiles. In the early days, building an ML list could take almost 2.5 hours. During this period, the concept of Real-Time Industrial Classifications (RTICs) was formed.
2020 The launch
The Industry Engine platform officially launches to early partners and collaborators.
RTICs become the beating heart of the product, enabling users to build custom sectors in minutes. What once took almost 2.5 hours to build can now be done in around 15 minutes, dramatically speeding up sector discovery and analysis.
2021 Government backing
We win key contracts with central and local government bodies.
The Industry Engine matures rapidly with additional features like the ML List Builder and custom taxonomies. What once took hours can now be done in around 12 seconds, giving users near real-time access to highly targeted company lists.
2023 Recognition
Trusted by major players like EY, DSIT, NatWest, Allianz and Lloyds.
The Industry Engine now tracks 9M+ UK companies with 400+ RTICs and over 90 data points per company, from funding to trade, ownership, and innovation scores.
2025 Global Expansion
£2m investment secured from Oxford Economics
With its UK model validated and in use by hundreds of stakeholders, The Data City starts planning for international expansion. The platform continues to evolve at speed. The ML List builder that once took almost 2.5 hours can now be done in just 3–4 seconds, transforming how quickly users can identify and analyse emerging sectors.
Who we are
9M+
Companies classified
500+
Sector classifications
31
People
6
Countries covered
3
Offices
£2m
Investment
