University of Warwick spin out company Warwick Analytics is reaching out into new markets, following the appointment of a new chairman and the development of a partnership with global software company SAP.

Warwick Analytics, set up in 2011 with help from Warwick Ventures Ltd, is commercialising pioneering fault analysis software. The company’s products are based on sophisticated computer algorithms, developed at WMG at the University of Warwick, that allow companies to zero in on product faults and analyse process failures.

It has recently appointed Mark Hardy, an experienced entrepreneur and executive in manufacturing automation (notably Divisional Director of Rockwell Automation), as its new Chairman. Mark will be working alongside CEO Dan Somers in developing Warwick Analytics’ products and key business partnerships.

One such partnership is with SAP, which began with Warwick Analytics’ participation in SAP’s Startup Focus programme, which offers technical support and advice to startups working on ‘Big Data’ projects. In May, the company was also selected by SAP globally as the Most Innovative Startup for 2013.

The award also signals the start of a longer term association with SAP – the HANA programme is SAP’s flagship in-memory database technology which, in combination with Warwick Analytics software, provide a powerful set of tools to dramatically improve business performance of manufacturing companies.

Somers says the company is at an exciting point in its development. “Our partnerships with companies such as SAP and also with the data management firm Teradata allow us to accelerate our development and broaden what we can offer to customers. Our vision is to be able to provide powerful analytical software that customers can use at the touch of a button,” he says.

Potential customers for Warwick Analytics software come from a range of industries. Car manufacturers, for example, will be able to use it to discover the underlying causes of warranty failures, reducing the number of replacement vehicles being sent out. The company has also developed an Early Warning and Prevention System (EWAP) which can be used to reduce the number of warranty failures and cut down on the likelihood of expensive product recalls. A recent grant from the Technology Strategy Board will assist with the further development of this.

Healthcare industries also can use the software to analyse huge amounts of information to help clinicians make effective decisions about treatment based on patient data and the availability of services in a specific hospital; and consumer services industries will be able to analyse market trends, identify bottlenecks and hidden problems across a range of different data systems.