How can data science make a true market impact? Partnerships, particularly amongst open source communities. As IBM solidifies its enterprise strategies around data demands, two new partnerships emerge: one with Continuum Analytics Inc., advancing open-source analytics for the enterprise; and another with Galvanize, initiating a Data Science for Executives program.

Continuum Analytics, the creator and driving force behind Anaconda — a leading open data science platform powered by Python — has allied with IBM to advance open-source analytics for the enterprise. Data scientists and data engineers in open-source communities can now embrace Python and R to develop analytic and machine learning models in the Spark environment through its integration with IBM’s DataWorks Project.

The new agreement between IBM and Galvanize, which provides a dynamic learning community for technology, will offer an assessment, analysis and training element for Galvanize’s Data Science for Executives program. This program empowers corporations to better understand, use and maximize the value of their data. The program will support IBM’s DataFirst Method, a methodology that IBM says provides the strategy, expertise and game plan to help ensure enterprise customers’ succeed on their journey to become a data-driven business.

Joel Horwitz, director of Corporate and Business Development, Analytics, at IBM, and Travis Oliphant, CEO and cofounder of Continuum Analytics Inc., and Jim Deters, founder and CEO of Galvanize Inc., joined Dave Vellante (@dvellante), cohost of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, during BigDataNYC 2016. The group talked about these exciting new alliances and what they mean for all three companies.

Connecting advanced analytics apps

The discussion started with Vellante asking Horwitz to frame up IBM goals with these recent initiatives.

“We’ve been on a mission … to really accelerate what’s happening in the data science community. … We recognized that Spark … was at the forefront of this new era of data science and analytics. …The actual intention of Spark was machine learning. … It’s now coupled with Hadoop. How do you extend that core Spark framework and go beyond? That’s why we’re partnered with Continuum Analytics … to actually explore that and start broadening the community,” said Horwitz.

As further explained by Oliphant, “Python ‘fits in your head,’ and it helps connect the experts with what they’re trying to accomplish … at the same time, it delivers huge value. We’re real excited about the partnership with IBM, because what we’re trying to do is connect those advanced analytics applications that come from machine learning. … We want to connect that to the Spark system.”

Teaching for the 21st century

Vellante asked Deters what Galvanize is all about.

“We run a 21^st-century school where we teach data science, data engineers and software engineering. … We have a dedicated data science faculty, hundreds of students, hundreds of different members of corporate innovation partners. Think of this melting pot for learning; immersive education. … In addition to having open enrollment consumer products, we’ve been taking our curriculum and IP and centering it towards rescaling and modernizing corporations … to replatform themselves … as data companies,” said Deters.

The new Data Science for Executives program will include elements of both data science and data engineering. This program will give business leaders an understanding of both elements is key to developing and running a successful business data strategy, a must in today’s data-driven world, Deters said.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of BigDataNYC 2016.

Photo by SiliconANGLE