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Data visualization startup Virtualitics lands $37M investment on August 10, 2023 at 5:22 pm
Many companies grapple with data challenges. In a 2019 survey, Deloitte reports that 67% of executives aren’t comfortable accessing or using the data at their organizations. In a separate poll from NewVantage Partners, meanwhile, less than a third of firms identify themselves as being data-driven — despite significant investments in AI and business analytics tools.
According to Michael Amori, the problem often lies in tooling. He’s the co-founder of Virtualitics, a startup developing software to help companies visualize — and gain insights, with any luck — from their data.
“Common dashboard tools fall short of revealing the hidden insights buried in today’s intricate data,” Amori told me in an email interview. “And when bias, privacy and ethics are becoming even more important, having a solid understanding the data, outliers and patterns companies can create an environment of responsible usage.”
Virtualitics, launched in 2016, was born out of Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. A few years ago, Amori was introduced to George Djorgovski, a professor of astronomy and data science at Caltech, and Ciro Donalek, a computational staff scientist at Caltech’s Center for Data-Driven Discovery, which Djorgovski was heading at the time.
“Donalek’s expertise in AI, particularly in aiding Caltech astronomers with big data analysis, and his work in creating collaborative virtual spaces converged,” Amori said. “Virtualitics was born from this, focusing on three-dimensional visualizations to elevate data analysis beyond traditional methods.”
At a high level, Virtualitics uses 3D visualizations, knowledge graphs and AI to expose the relationships between different points of data. Given a data set (or several), optionally along with a question in plain English (e.g. “What drives credit card skimming?”), the platform can generate annotations and explanations, which can then be embedded in reports and dashboards and shared with stakeholders across an organization.
A customer in the financial industry could, for example, use Virtualitics to spot patterns of payment and wire fraud. Or a marketing company could leverage the platform to identify emerging customer segments and the marketing channels most likely to perform best.
But plenty of business intelligence tools visualize data. See Bayes, which Airtable acquired in 2021, and London-based, Canva-owned Flourish.
So what makes Virtualitics different? Well, its data visualizations can be viewed in VR and AR, for one. But Amori argues the platform’s also simpler to use and more powerful than most solutions on the market — and, perhaps most important of all, doesn’t require deep technical expertise.
Virtualitics’ 3D-centric data visualization platform.
“Traditional data exploration tools have limited capabilities in identifying and visualizing the complexity of today’s data,” he said. “Also, traditional analytic techniques and dashboards fall short in providing visually intuitive outputs, making it hard to truly understand what the findings mean or predict what lies ahead. All of this is combined with the fact that humans approach a data set already with a bias, a preconceived notion of what might be going on in the data and then they explore the data to see if their hypothesis was correct.”
The jury’s out on all that. But it’s certainly true that companies often struggle to drive internal use of whatever business intelligence software they’ve invested in.
In a 2020 business intelligence survey from 360Suite, companies said that the main challenges they face are managing user adoption and data quality control. Cost control and security were cited as the other major blockers in achieving data analytics goals.
“While Virtualitics may occasionally find itself categorized alongside business intelligence tools, our approach is substantially different,” Amori said. “Traditional business intelligence tools are built to ‘report the news,’ with the aim of making data more accessible through simple dashboard reports.”
In a testament to Virtualitics’ success — or at least the strength of its marketing efforts — the company’s year-over-year revenue has increased 370%. Amori credits Virtualitics’ recently-acquired government sector customers, which include the Department of Defense, with the growth.
“Virtualitics has partnered with the defense and national security community since 2017 on projects ranging from operational readiness, investment analysis and mission support and intelligence analysis, among others,” Amori said, noting that Virtualitics recently appointed a retired U.S. Army General, John Murray, and former U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, Timothy White, to its advisory board.
Gearing up for the next phase of expansion, Virtualitics today announced that it raised $37 million in a Series C funding round led by Smith Point Capital with participation from Citi and advisory clients of The Hillman Company. Bringing the startup’s total raised to $67 million, Amori says that the new cash will be put toward collaborations, customer success efforts and expanding Virtualitics’ headcount (which currently stands at 76 people).
“The motivation behind raising a Series C funding round was driven by two key factors,” Amori said. “First, our company has a strong track record of successfully collaborating with the Department of Defense on mission-critical programs, and this aspect of our business continues to experience significant growth and expansion. However, we also recognize the increasing demand for AI-driven analysis within the enterprise sector, as data size and complexity continue to grow exponentially. With the new funding, we will be able to accelerate our roadmap, integrating more AI and specifically generative AI technology into our platform, and further scaling our business to meet the evolving needs of our customers and the market.”
Many companies grapple with data challenges. In a 2019 survey, Deloitte reports that 67% of executives aren’t comfortable accessing or using the data at their organizations. In a separate poll from NewVantage Partners, meanwhile, less than a third of firms identify themselves as being data-driven — despite significant investments in AI and business analytics tools.
President Donald Trump says the United States might one day get rid of federal income tax because of money the government collects from tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs are extra taxes the U.S. puts on products that come from other countries.
What Trump Is Saying
Trump has said that tariff money could become so large that it might allow the government to cut income taxes “almost completely.” He has also talked about possibly phasing out income tax over the next few years if tariff money keeps going up.
How Taxes Work Now
Right now, the federal government gets much more money from income taxes than from tariffs. Income taxes bring in trillions of dollars each year, while tariffs bring in only a small part of that total. Because of this gap, experts say tariffs would need to grow by many times to replace income tax money.
Questions From Experts
Many economists and tax experts doubt that tariffs alone could pay for the whole federal budget. They warn that very high tariffs could make many imported goods more expensive for shoppers in the United States. This could hit lower- and middle‑income families hardest, because they spend a big share of their money on everyday items.
What Congress Must Do
The president can change some tariffs, but only Congress can change or end the federal income tax. That means any real plan to remove income tax would need new laws passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So far, there is no detailed law or full budget plan on this idea.
What It Means Right Now
For now, Trump’s comments are a proposal, not a change in the law. People and businesses still have to pay federal income tax under the current rules. The debate over using tariffs instead of income taxes is likely to continue among lawmakers, experts, and voters.
Former President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to declassify all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier whose death in 2019 continues to fuel controversy and speculation.
The order, signed Wednesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, instructs the FBI, Department of Justice, and intelligence agencies to release documents detailing Epstein’s network, finances, and alleged connections to high-profile figures. Trump described the move as “a step toward transparency and public trust,” promising that no names would be shielded from scrutiny.
“This information belongs to the American people,” Trump said in a televised statement. “For too long, powerful interests have tried to bury the truth. That ends now.”
U.S. intelligence officials confirmed that preparations for the release are already underway. According to sources familiar with the process, the first batch of documents is expected to be made public within the next 30 days, with additional releases scheduled over several months.
Reactions poured in across the political spectrum. Supporters praised the decision as a bold act of accountability, while critics alleged it was politically motivated, timed to draw attention during a volatile election season. Civil rights advocates, meanwhile, emphasized caution, warning that some records could expose private victims or ongoing legal matters.
The Epstein case, which implicated figures in politics, business, and entertainment, remains one of the most talked-about scandals of the past decade. Epstein’s connections to influential individuals—including politicians, royals, and executives—have long sparked speculation about the extent of his operations and who may have been involved.
Former federal prosecutor Lauren Fields said the release could mark a turning point in public discourse surrounding government transparency. “Regardless of political stance, this declassification has the potential to reshape how Americans view power and accountability,” Fields noted.
Officials say redactions may still occur to protect sensitive intelligence or personal information, but the intent is a near-complete disclosure. For years, critics of the government’s handling of Epstein’s case have accused agencies of concealing evidence or shielding elites from exposure. Trump’s order promises to change that narrative.
As anticipation builds, journalists, legal analysts, and online commentators are preparing for what could be one of the most consequential information releases in recent history.
What Happened at the United Nations
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, defending Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza. As he spoke, more than 100 delegates from over 50 countries stood up and left the chamber—a rare and significant diplomatic walkout. Outside the UN, thousands of protesters gathered to voice opposition to Netanyahu’s policies and call for accountability, including some who labeled him a war criminal. The protest included activists from Palestinian and Jewish groups, along with international allies.
Why Did Delegates and Protesters Walk Out?
The walkouts and protests were a response to Israel’s continued offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in widespread destruction and a significant humanitarian crisis. Many countries and individuals have accused Israel of excessive use of force, and some international prosecutors have suggested Netanyahu should face investigation by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, including claims that starvation was used as a weapon against civilians. At the same time, a record number of nations—over 150—recently recognized the State of Palestine, leaving the United States as the only permanent UN Security Council member not to join them.
International Reaction and Significance
The diplomatic walkouts and street protests demonstrate increasing global concern over the situation in Gaza and growing support for Palestinian statehood. Several world leaders, including Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, showed visible solidarity with protesters. Petro called for international intervention and, controversially, for US troops not to follow orders he viewed as supporting ongoing conflict. The US later revoked Petro’s visa over his role in the protests, which he argued was evidence of a declining respect for international law.
Why Is This News Important?
The Gaza conflict is one of the world’s most contentious and closely-watched issues. It has drawn strong feelings and differing opinions from governments, activists, and ordinary people worldwide. The United Nations, as an international organization focused on peace and human rights, is a key arena for these debates. The events surrounding Netanyahu’s speech show that many nations and voices are urging new action—from recognition of Palestinian rights to calls for sanctions against Israel—while discussion and disagreement over the best path forward continue.
This episode at the UN highlights how international diplomacy, public protests, and official policy are all intersecting in real time as the search for solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains urgent and unresolved.
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