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

César A. Hidalgo

Co-CEO and Co-founder
Alexander Simoes

Co-CEO and Co-founder
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.