Companies today are shelling out millions and going to great lengths to secure and retain top AI talent. Taking note of this, Tom Hurd, a seasoned leader with a background in national security, created Zeki Data, a startup focused on leveraging data to identify the world’s top talent.

Hurd’s path to founding Zeki Data was shaped by his extensive background in government and security work. In his government career, Hurd led the UK’s Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security missions, with a strong emphasis on data-driven solutions and emerging technologies while managing high-stakes, complex initiatives.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he founded the UK government’s Joint Biosecurity Centre, an experience that underscored the urgent need to rapidly mobilize top scientific and engineering expertise to address existential challenges — a realization that ultimately inspired him to establish Zeki.

“During COVID, there was an urgent need to find top epidemiologists to help build a data model predicting the disease’s spread. However, there was little data on the performance of scientists and engineers. With funding, we launched a proof of concept to track and evaluate the best experts in the field,” Hurd says.

For Hurd, the need for a better way to assess and engage top talent in science and engineering became painfully clear during the pandemic. This experience laid the foundation for his understanding of how data could be harnessed to drive impactful outcomes.

Later, Hurd transformed his idea into a business. Now, his startup uses data to identify the top 1% talent in high-stakes fields like AI, machine learning, and biotechnology. Zeki Data was born out of this necessity to find and identify brilliant individuals earlier in their careers, even before they became established names.

“This data also helps assess the science and innovation talent of companies or countries, revealing fascinating trends, especially in India and the U.S. These individuals drive innovation, creating new technologies and intellectual property that fuel economies and shape the future,” Hurd says.

The problem Zeki Data solves

While companies often look at academic credentials or CVs, these traditional methods fail to provide a reliable measure of real-world impact or future potential. Zeki Data solves this problem by offering a sophisticated system that uses over 30,000 data sources to evaluate and score individuals in terms of their contributions to innovation.

The startup tracks over 50 different data points, including research publications, patents, career milestones, and participation in high-profile events like hackathons and academic competitions.

This wealth of data allows companies and governments to gain a deeper understanding of the talent landscape — helping them make informed decisions on recruitment, investment, and development strategies.

“We use AI to help match data — essentially ensuring that the information we’re connecting is accurate and aligned. Once we’ve identified what we believe is a match, we apply AI to validate that assumption and improve accuracy. We also train models to predict outcomes based on specific criteria. For example, we can assess how likely someone is to land a top job at a U.S. tech company, whether they might leave their current role in the next six months, or even if they’re likely to relocate for a new opportunity,” Hurd explains.

Who benefits from Zeki Data?

Zeki uses the data in three distinct ways, each offering unique insights to various sectors. At the individual level, the data helps major tech companies identify, engage, and hire top talent. “These individuals are essential to the success of these companies, especially in areas like AI, biotech, defense, or any field requiring cutting-edge research and innovation,” Hurd points out.

While he did not reveal any names due to non-disclosure agreements (NDA), he did state that some of the top AI companies in the world are his customers.

At the company level, the data shifts focus to individuals within specific organizations. This data is invaluable for the investment community — those who buy and sell companies. It provides insights into the quality of research and innovation talent a company has and highlights its specific strengths.

“Investors can use this data to gauge which areas of innovation a company is excelling in, providing a more informed decision-making process. This kind of data is rare in the market, making it a powerful tool for those tracking company performance and future potential,” he says.

Moreover, at the country level, the startup aggregates the individual data to analyze broader macro trends, particularly around talent movement. Hurd explains this data is useful for governments, think tanks, and policy makers who want to understand the global flow of talents.

“By examining these trends, governments can gain insight into the geopolitics and macroeconomic implications of talent distribution, which could influence national policies and strategies related to innovation and technology.”

The future of Zeki Data

Looking ahead, Hurd envisions Zeki Data as a transformative force in the way the world discovers and engages talent. As the platform continues to grow, Hurd and his team are focused on expanding their database, refining their algorithms, and offering more granular insights into the global talent landscape.

“In two years, we aim for the Zeki score to become a crucial tool, similar to a credit score, used globally to identify top scientists and engineers. Our mission is to promote science by increasing transparency, unlocking opportunities for hiring top talent to tackle big challenges. We want to empower organizations to confidently engage the best innovators for solving complex problems,” Hurd concludes.