Big data is fast becoming the most hyped business concept of 2016. Countless conventions and data summits prove that Big Data is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Below we’ll take a look at a few entrepreneurs that are looking to cash in on the excitement, and one that is looking to give the hardest working among us a guilt-free break from the office.

Anand Kulkarni – LeadGenius

For sales reps, having the right lead and the right solution to meet a client’s needs in the heat of the moment is worth its weight in gold. Kulkarni started LeadGenius to give salespeople the ability to crowdsource their leads and better curate their target list. With a focus on making content available quickly and reliably, LeadGenius combines a sales team’s existing knowledge of a prospective client with the information gathered from a variety of other sources, including other sales teams. After all, knowledge is power. Get hyper-accurate information on a target customer, or learning about an entirely new sales opportunity is what LeadGenius has specialized in.

Michael Stonebraker – Ingres

Ingres is a cross-platform database management system for government agencies and private organizations. It’s designed to provide access to proprietary information at lightning speed through a shared database of information. While the concept might not be all the exciting, the founder of the company is known as one of the biggest voices in the Big Data revolution. Mr. Stonebraker is both a professor at MIT and a cereal entrepreneur. He has galvanized the way we store and access information in a scalable environment.

Mark Gobins – Telenav / Goby

Companies that bring the world closer together are shaping the future of how we interact and get to where we’re going. For GPS companies, like Telenav, a natural focus is on where people might be interested in traveling to next. When you turn on your car and fire up the GPS system, having an onboard computer already calculate your most likely next destination was the focus of Goby. Using collections of data and user history, Telenav is using its recent acquisition to create the next generation of smart GPS systems.

Christopher Ahlberg –Recorded Future

Collecting information from the web is not only a Big Data industry, but a big money opportunity. If you can deliver insights to clients about emerging trends online, you’re in a position to help shape industries. For companies operating in competitive markets, knowing the future buying patterns of a consumer can prove invaluable. For Recorded Future, they’ve started digging deep into web behavior to discern patterns and trends as they develop. This data is analyzed and digested before being passed on to customers that subscribe to their reports.

Nikolaj Madsen – Refuga

For busy tech entrepreneurs, there’s nothing more important than stepping away from the office and restoring focus / drive. Refuga was founded by Madsen to give entrepreneurs the ability to travel without feeling guilty for taking time away from work. After all, if you’re seeing the world while meeting with other business contacts, aren’t you still kind of working? Guilt free vacations that expand networks and provide a mental break from the office have become a growing trend.