Raw data is just the beginning for location intelligence. Without a robust infrastructure to clean, process, and refine it, even the largest datasets are unusable. Adtech, software, and consulting companies need high-quality, structured data, but building and maintaining massive data processing systems can be incredibly expensive and time-consuming.
At Unacast, we do the hard work of building enterprise-grade data infrastructure so our partners don’t have to. Instead of just selling data, we invest heavily in the technology and processes that make location intelligence usable at scale.
Raw Data is a Burden, Not a Solution
Processing location data at scale is an expensive, technically demanding challenge:
- Volume Overload: A single data provider can generate tens of billions of signals daily, requiring immense computing power to filter, clean, and process.
- Data Quality Variability: Not all data sources are equal. GPS accuracy, device coverage, and noise levels vary widely.
- Infrastructure Complexity: Storing, indexing, and querying high-velocity geospatial data requires specialized infrastructure that most companies aren't built to handle.
- Compliance & Privacy Risks: Processing personal location data requires adherence to strict privacy laws, adding legal and operational complexity.
For most companies, handling this in-house is impractical. The costs, technical expertise, and regulatory demands are prohibitive. But even for more complex enterprises with large data teams that have the capacity, this becomes an expensive line item that keeps data teams focusing on more important projects.
That’s where Unacast comes in.
Our Investment: Scalable, Enterprise-Grade Location Intelligence
Instead of placing this burden on our customers, Unacast has built a world-class data infrastructure to handle these challenges at scale. Our system is designed to ingest, process, and refine vast amounts of raw location data to transform it into curated data and analytics products, all so you don’t have to.
1. Massive Investment in Data Processing
We’ve spent years perfecting our data infrastructure, investing over $5 million annually in data acquisition, engineering, and processing to ensure that our partners receive data that meets or exceeds their quality standards. Our cloud-native architecture is optimized for efficiency, handling billions of location signals daily without compromising speed or accuracy.
2. Resilient Data Supply Chain
Relying on a single data provider is risky. Supply chains shift, privacy regulations change, and data quality fluctuates. Unacast continuously monitors and curates a diverse set of over a dozen vetted data sources to ensure data stability and resilience. Unlike platforms that depend on a single supply, our multi-source approach minimizes risk and provides a more complete and representative view of movement patterns.
3. Processing 60+ Billion Signals
Raw location data is complex, and not all signals are useful. Our proprietary data pipeline processes over 60 billion location signals daily, applying rigorous quality controls, filtering out noise, and normalizing data for accurate insights. We apply advanced fraud detection, anomaly detection, and signal verification models to ensure that the data our partners receive is clean, structured, and immediately usable.
Handling Data Processing at Scale, So You Don’t Have to
Beyond having to build a complex geospatial data infrastructure, companies then have to identify the useful analytics hidden in it all. Companies rely on Unacast to normalize and enrich data across multiple sources so you get a single, unified feed. This means Unacast’s datasets are ready to use and fit seamlessly into your analytics and modeling workflows. An essential aspect of this is our flexible delivery options, from batch files, APIs, and cloud integrations, so you can access data without managing excessive storage or processing.
Why it Matters: Faster Time-to-Value for Your Business
There are four key benefits of Unacast handling the complexity and burden of processing location data:
- Avoid massive infrastructure costs – no need to build and maintain a geospatial data pipeline.
- Reduce engineering overhead – your data science team can focus on insights, not cleaning raw data.
- Ensure reliable, high-quality data – with our vetting and enrichment, you don’t need to worry about gaps or inaccuracies.
- Stay compliant with evolving privacy laws – we handle regulatory requirements so you can use data with confidence.
Companies increasingly rely on massive quantities of data for their products and services. The ability to offload infrastructure challenges for location data becomes a strategic advantage that reduces cost and saves time. Unacast’s investment in enterprise-grade data infrastructure ensures that businesses receive high-quality, actionable location intelligence, all without the burden of building and maintaining complex data systems.
Want to learn more about how Unacast can power your location intelligence needs? Get in touch today.
To learn more about this process, read the second part in our series on building enterprise-grade data infrastructure.
