About Us

At Datawheel, we believe data should do more than exist—it should impact and empower decisions, shape policies, and drive economic growth. We build intuitive platforms that transform complex datasets into interactive tools for governments, organizations, and businesses worldwide.

Our expertise in data integration, economic complexity, and visualization makes information accessible, actionable, and impactful.

Our Story

Before founding Datawheel, César Hidalgo, a scientist in complex systems, worked on some of the earliest efforts to make economic data more accessible. He explored ways to visualize trade flows, economic networks, and industrial diversification, bringing together technology and storytelling to make sense of complex datasets.

In 2010, Alex Simoes joined this effort, developing tools that could transform raw data into interactive visualizations. Together, they started to build what would later become the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), a tool that reshaped how policymakers, researchers, and businesses understood economic trends.

Their work laid the foundation for a new approach to data-driven decision-making—one that focused on clarity, accessibility, and actionability.

As demand for better, more intuitive data tools grew, designer Dave Landry joined the team, bringing his expertise in design, user experience and visualization to ensure these platforms were even more engaging and impactful.

By 2013, Datawheel was officially founded—not just to build reports or dashboards but to develop full-scale, dynamic economic intelligence platforms that help organizations integrate, analyze, and share data effortlessly.

Managing Partners

  • A man with shoulder-length brown hair, a beard, and a mustache, wearing a black sweater, standing against a white background.

    César A. Hidalgo

    Co-CEO and Co-founder

  • A smiling young man with light brown hair and a beard, wearing a dark denim shirt, against a plain white background.

    Alexander Simoes

    Co-CEO and Co-founder

  • A young man with a beard and short hair, wearing a gray t-shirt, smiling slightly, against a plain white background.

    Pablo Paladino

    Chief Technology Officer

Complex problems are best solved collaboratively

Teamwork is at the heart of everything we do. The challenges we’re facing are too big to solve alone, and we believe we are more powerful together than we ever could be on our own.

Builders

  • A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a green sleeveless top, gold necklace, and earrings, smiling at the camera.

    Annie Zapata

    Automated Reporting Lead

  • A young man with brown hair, glasses, and a big smile posing against a plain white background

    Felipe Figueroa

    Full Stack Engineer

  • A young man with dark hair, glasses, and a beard, wearing a gray knit sweater, standing against a plain white background.

    Francisco Abarzúa

    Full Stack Engineer

  • A young woman with long brown hair, smiling, wearing a black headband with sequins, a pink blouse, and a black cardigan, standing against a white background.

    Jelmy Hermosilla

    Backend Engineering Lead

  • A smiling man with glasses and facial hair, wearing a dark button-up shirt, standing against a plain white background.

    Alan Ramírez

    Frontend Engineer

  • A young man with dark hair, beard, wearing a white dotted shirt and a black jacket, smiling against a plain white background.

    Samuel Osorio

    Full Stack Engineer

  • A man with short dark hair, glasses, and a light skin tone, smiling for a selfie against a plain white background. He is wearing a gray blazer over a plaid shirt and a patterned sweater.

    Alejandro Lara

    Backend Engineer

  • A young man with dark hair and a beard smiling, arms crossed, wearing a black T-shirt with a white and pink graphic and text, against a white background.

    Nicolás Netz

    Data Engineer

  • A young man with dark hair and light skin, wearing a black T-shirt with a circular graphic design and the word 'Datawheel' in white, standing with crossed arms against a white background.

    Esteban Valenzuela

    Data Engineer

  • A man with short dark hair, a beard, wearing a black hoodie, standing against a plain white background.

    Sebastián Espinoza

    Frontend Engineer

  • A man with glasses, dark wavy hair, and a goatee, standing with arms crossed, wearing a black t-shirt against a white background.

    Felipe Ramos

    Data Science AI Specialist

  • Portrait of a young woman with long, curly brown hair, smiling, wearing a sleeveless white blouse, against a plain white background.

    Anahide Nahhal

    Design Lead

  • A woman with long dark hair wearing a lavender floral blouse, standing against a plain light background.

    Gabriela Pérez

    UI Designer

  • A young man with curly brown hair, wearing round black glasses, smiling, dressed in a black hoodie, standing against a plain white background.

    Jonatan Rioseco

    Information Designer

Business & Project Development

  • A young man with short dark hair and a mustache, wearing a black T-shirt with a yellow lightning bolt and the word "WILD" on it, smiling at the camera against a plain white background.

    David Anabalón

    Marketing Lead

  • Headshot of a middle-aged man with short dark hair and light skin, wearing a dark pinstripe suit and a light blue dress shirt, standing against a plain white background.

    Gilberto García-Vásquez

    Chief Economist

  • A woman with black hair, wearing a black t-shirt with a colorful circular design and the word 'Datawheel,' crosses her arms, and stands against a white background.

    Constanza Pincheira

    Customer Support & Back Office

Partners

  • A man with long dark hair, a beard, and mustache wearing a black sweater, standing against a white background with arms crossed, smiling slightly.

    César A. Hidalgo

    Co-CEO and Co-founder

  • A smiling man with light brown hair and a beard, wearing a dark denim shirt, against a plain white background.

    Alexander Simoes

    Co-CEO and Co-founder

  • A man with a beard and short hair, wearing a gray t-shirt with a graphic design, standing against a plain light background.

    Pablo Paladino

    Chief Technology Officer

  • Portrait of a smiling man with glasses, beard, and short hair, wearing a light-colored sweatshirt, against a plain white background.

    Dave Landry

    Co-founder and Partner

  • A man smiling, wearing a blue collared shirt and a black necklace with a round pendant, against a plain light background.

    Sebastián Melin

    Partner

  • A woman with curly dark hair smiling, wearing a white top with black horizontal stripes and circular earrings with a red and black design.

    Catalina Gobantes

    Partner

  • A smiling man with glasses, short curly hair, a beard, wearing a dark blue button-up shirt, standing against a plain white background.

    Jimmy Mullen

    Partner

  • A portrait of a young man with glasses, wearing a black and white checkered shirt, smiling slightly against a plain light background.

    Jonathan Speiser

    Partner

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling, wearing an orange shirt and a colorful scarf, against a plain light background.

    Natalia Prieto

    Partner

Alumni