Metopio provides easy-to-use tools to help everyday people understand populations and places and make better decisions regardless of their data-science experience – something that was missing in the data landscape, according to co-founder Angie Grover.
She is leveraging the resources and expertise delivered in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) Online program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business to grow and scale the business quickly, and to get more data to the more people who can then take action.
“We saw how many missed opportunities there were to access data and put analytics capabilities in the hands of all knowledge workers regardless of their formal training,” said Grover, who is enrolled in the program from Chicago.
Prior to Metopio, Grover had a long career working with state and local governments and leading efforts to improve healthcare delivery and payments. There were many times where having data at her fingertips could have provided a significant advantage or expedited a project’s success. She knew that she was not alone in this experience. Many others had the same challenges and just didn’t have a way to access the data they needed.
Grover knew she had to put processes, people, and strategies in place to create Metopio. She saw the MBC program as a conduit to successful growth.
Metopio launched just as the world was about to experience the most significant public health challenge in decades, when everything changed due to COVID-19. It brought to light that where you live matters and having data to understand the community was critical.
Employment, education, income, access to transportation and housing were just some of the variables that played a role in how the virus spread, which communities where most impacted and where resources were deployed to help the most vulnerable. As a result, there has been an increased focus on population health, workforce, and quality of life in every community.
“Decisions driven by data are going to give you the edge but so often this capacity is limited to the analytics team or organizations don’t prioritize resources for everyone across the enterprise,” explained Grover. “Metopio breaks down those barriers and allows you to look at the factors that impact what you care about from a more holistic perspective.”
In fact, Metopio technology helps healthcare and private sector clients as well as government and the public sector. The Chicago Health Atlas, powered by Metopio, allows the City of Chicago and its community partners to provide accurate, transparent and easy to understand data for communities to take action.
For example, the Chicago Department of Public Health leveraged this resource to create health-equity zones to prioritize resources, staff, and supplies both during and post-pandemic and now serves as a model for data sharing and community engagement to create meaningful impact. These zones were used to distribute vaccines, locate testing stations and provide education.
Public health is at the epicenter of data modernization. Government is pivoting to adopt solutions that can meet ever-changing needs, regulations and requirements. Nimble, secure solutions that don’t require years to implement are a priority.
“We see this movement as a clear path to both health and wealth equity,” Grover said. “Where private industry and the public sector are finding ways to partner and invest to create healthy, resilient and prosperous communities across the country.”
Metopio is in an enviable position of bringing together all these sectors to work with data, not only in the strategy department but across organizations – large and small.
“I apply what I learn every day in my business,” Grover said. “As an entrepreneur, you must be able to adapt quickly, wear a lot of hats and learn on the fly. The MBC program is such a magical resource that supports all of that at once and will play a role in how I grow and help lead Metopio.”
Learn more about Metopio at metop.io.
