When asked what you would wish for the world, besides “world peace,” most people would probably say curing cancer. Most people know someone whose life has been touched by cancer, and just like world peace, curing cancer might seem like a far-flung goal that won’t be realized until we live in a world akin to The Jetsons, flying cars and all.

But Rob Bearden, CEO of Hortonworks, Inc., disagreed with that assessment during the Hadoop Summit 2015 kickoff keynote address. In fact, he said it’s very possible to see a cure within our lifetime, but more than just that, the best way to find the cure is using the very thing so much of the Hadoop Summit is concerned with: data. In his keynote address, Bearden announced a new partnership with numerous healthcare organizations, including Mayo Clinic.

Together these organizations and Hortonworks plan to form a healthcare consortium with the aim of curing cancer in our generation. How do they plan to do this? By building on and delivering an open-source platform that will accelerate the analysis of genomic sequencing. And through that analysis of the data, they will come to a new understanding of genetic diseases that will lead to not only better prevention, but ultimately a cure.

“We have the ability to leverage technology to save lives and cure cancer, and we have the ability to do that within our lifetime,” said Bearden. “That’s what technology is about.”

Closed-loop interactions with customers

But, while obviously a huge achievement for all of mankind, curing cancer isn’t the only change looming in the future. Back to the idea of flying cars, Bearden made the case that in 10 years transportation will be phenomenally different, thanks to data. He sees a future where any product we use – be it car, airplane or T-shirt – will be producing data. This data will then be monitored so they know how it’s functioning, if the customer is pleased, and so on. This will tighten the bonds with customers, creating closed-loop interactions.

And indeed, that is much the point of utilizing the data. “We need to understand the customer’s entire lifecycle with a product, not just the initial purchase,” Bearden asserted. When you know that, you can do more than just expand your customer base, you can also give customers more reason to be loyal. It helps the enterprise drive for a faster level of velocity.

The impact of a connected data program

Bearden gave the example of retail when discussing a connected data program. Currently, many retail enterprises have overly complicated and disconnected systems that involve multiple systems of records for customers, multiple inventory systems that are probably not integrated, so there is no single view of all the inventory. This results in a very fragmented back office. They may have loyalty programs, but the programs aren’t synced with the other information on any given customer, meaning the company has no view of its overall relationship with the customer.

That’s where a connected data program proves to be invaluable. You gain the ability to see all the relationships with any one customer across all platforms. Then retailers could review and monitor every interaction they’ve ever had with a given customer, whether done online or at a physical location, including click-throughs. Having this data be so manageable and accessible will generate more revenue with better margins. If you apply that from a velocity perspective, the result is a more targeted service, with less revenue being put into inventory.

“Many enterprises are just beginning their journey,” Bearden acknowledged. “Our job is to help you manage constraints, and we’ll help you transition from traditional data management.” With the traditional data management, velocity and movement are limited, with lots of overhead, and the data comes too late to have a real impact.

‘Data will define your future’

But things are changing rapidly. “In the new world, data is going to be everywhere and places it’s never been before,” said Bearden. He sees a future where it will reside across multiple clouds with a modern data architecture that brings all of the data together seamlessly, regardless of where it is. Instead of having to work through a complex system, you would be able to use analytics to the data as an event is happening or as the condition changes, in real time, Bearden added.

This data revolution is resulting in monumental changes that are happening rapidly. And at the core of that revolution, according to Bearden, is the fundamental value of capturing data, allowing organizations to do what has never been done before. Businesses will have to adapt and use data or risk becoming obsolete.

Bearden closed saying, “Data is every one of your products. Data is the product now. It’s your most leverageable asset. Data will define your future.”

Watch the entire keynote video below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of the Hadoop Summit.

Photo by SiliconANGLE