New Communitech incubator set to tap world of big data

James Slifierz is making the rounds of New York City investors as he prepares to move his startup -- Skywatch -- into the Communitech Data Hub in Waterloo. The facility at Erb and Albert streets, slated to open in mid-May, is Communitech's latest tech accelerator. It is for startups that are working with big data and its many applications in artificial intelligence, machine learning and the Internet of Things. "I think it is an exciting opportunity," Slifierz says. He believes the Data Hub will be ideal for Skywatch, which is building an automated program that provides easy access to the enormous amounts of data collected by satellites. The technology is in private testing right now.