BSV Podcast 0110: Atlas Analytics

Balerion Senior Associate Aidan Daoussis sits down with Jake Schneider, Founder and President of Atlas Analytics, to discuss satellite-based GDP forecasting. Atlas Analytics uses satellite imagery, remote sensing, and machine learning to forecast GDP ahead of official government releases. The company aims to give investors, governments, and businesses earlier visibility into economic activity.Timestamped Overview00:00 – Introduction and Atlas Analytics overview02:28 – Jake Schneider’s background and the origin of the company04:23 – Using satellite imagery to forecast GDP and market signals07:33 – How Atlas identifies useful economic signals from satellite data09:00 – Tracking construction, land use, vegetation, and port activity11:08 – Why nightlights are limited as an economic signal12:34 – Validating Atlas’ GDP forecasts against official releases16:21 – Sentiment, fundamentals, and the relationship between GDP and markets20:46 – Explaining a major forecast miss and the role of trade data22:06 – Jack: Atlas’ container-tracking algorithm for port activity23:45 – Beachhead markets, including hedge funds and governments25:42 – Defensibility, patents, stickiness, and first-mover advantage28:53 – Why AI alone cannot easily replicate the Atlas pipeline33:22 – Satellite imaging inputs, band math, and convolutional neural networks35:57 – How investors can use Atlas data for macro-exposed ETFs39:09 – How better Earth observation systems could improve the product41:13 – Fundraising plans and geographic expansion43:27 – Product roadmap and country-specific geospectral signatures47:00 – Future applications in industrial intelligence and local forecasting49:42 – Why Atlas matters beyond financial returns51:31 – Final takeaway and closing remarks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balerionspace.substack.com