Macroeconomic research specialist QuantCube Technology is targeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance with a new asset-mapping database aimed at helping financial institutions monitor the risk exposure of their physical assets. The tool focuses on the data gap faced by banks, insurance companies, asset managers, and corporates in assessing (ESG) risks at a granular level, particularly in preparation for the European Banking Authority’s Pillar 3 ESG risk disclosures due in early 2025.
The database provides precise geolocation data, including latitude, longitude, and boundary polygons of assets, enabling firms to run their own physical risk models. “We provide asset location with precise data, so they can run different kinds of risk models on top of that,” says Alice Froidevaux, Director of Product Development & ESG at QuantCube. “This allows them to have a complete picture of a firm’s physical asset portfolio.”
Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence techniques in computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), and graph theory, QuantCube collects and analyses data from alternative sources including satellite imagery and geolocation data. The system tracks over 500,000 physical assets owned by more than 10,000 companies globally across 11 key sectors, including oil and gas, real estate, and telecommunications.The incorporation of graph theory and NLP allows for a comprehensive understanding of complex ownership structures with multiple layers of subsidiaries. “We know that some corporations have very complex structures,” Froidevaux noted. “With our technology, we provide all the structure in a corporate group, and this allows them to highlight the assets that have the most important risk.”
QuantCube’s collaboration with the French Space Agency (CNES) provides access to high-resolution satellite data, enhancing the database’s accuracy and completeness. The real-time or near-real-time data updates enable users to monitor changes promptly. “Because this pipeline is automatic and collects information everywhere, it is really complete.”
Froidevaux explained how a macroeconomic research company serving the asset management community found itself in a new compliance sub-vertical: “When we started working on this ESG product and asset-mapping database, it was because our current clients wanted new data in order to align with the ESG regulation. And they told us, ‘Well, a lot of data that you are using to track macroeconomic variables matches the ESG requirement. Why don’t you provide more information for us to align with the regulation?’ So, at first, we focused on the ESG indicators based on the asset-mapping database, but very quickly we understood that they needed the database itself to run their internal physical risk model. When the regulator asks for more details, they have the data and can explain their model.”
QuantCube Technology specializes in providing real-time macroeconomic insights using artificial intelligence and big data analytics. Processing over 15 billion data points from diverse sources — including news, social media, and satellite data — the firm delivers indicators on economic growth, inflation, and employment that correlate highly with official data.
Backed by organizations like Moody’s and the UAE’s Strategic Development Fund, QuantCube continues to expand its capabilities. The company’s R&D in computer vision is supported by the European Space Agency and CNES, reinforcing its commitment to delivering comprehensive and precise data solutions for the financial sector.
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