Telefonica Brasil : Synergic Partners and Telefónica present the Data Science Awards, the very first Big Data awards in Spain

• The awards include three prizes: Best Data Scientist, Best Big Data Business Initiative and Best Data Journalism Report in Spain.

• A jury of national and international experts in big data will announce the results in September.

Madrid, May 31st, 2016.- Synergic Partners, the Telefónica Group company specialised in Big Data, Data Science and Data Engineering, and Telefónica presented today the Data Science Awards Spain 2016, the very first Spanish awards to recognise top private and corporate initiatives and data journalism in a big data setting.

Specifically, the awards provide recognition with three prizes: Best Data Scientist in Spain with three categories (Data Science, Data Engineering and Data Visualisation), Best Big Data Business Initiative in Spain and Best Data Journalism Report in Spain.

At the awards presentation, co-founder and CEO of Synergic Partners, Carme Artigas, pointed out that 'for some years now we have been developing different initiatives at Synergic Partners to promote talent and knowledge within the Data Science field. With the creation of these awards, we want to be the first to recognise the enormous talent here in Spain by offering awards to the best data scientists, revealing their hard work and thereby motivating youth to become involved in the exciting field of big data and all its potential'.

In her own words, Elena Gil, the Telefónica global director of BR&BD, has emphasised that 'big data is a strong wager for Telefónica, which has also been a pioneer in applying Business Intelligence techniques to all its internal processes. With these awards, we hope to encourage entrepreneurship and the entire big data ecosystem as it is an opportunity open to any company or initiative and within several different categories'.

The presentation period for candidates varies slightly according to each of the different awards. For the Best Data Scientist prize, which includes the three previously mentioned categories, the registration period is approximately from the 1st-30th of June. Candidates will have to pass an initial general challenge before this period ends. Of all the participants who pass this challenge, those with the top 50 scores will be chosen to participate in a second challenge from July 1st-31st, from which the jury will select the final winners.

Regarding the Best Journalism Report, each candidate must present an article, video or other journalistic material whose development is based on data research, in addition to an explanatory dossier on their work methodology and the impact of their piece. And last but not least, with regard to the Best Big Data Business Initiative in Spain, this is open to any company in absolutely any sector. The candidacy presentation period for the previous two awards will be open for two months, from the 1st of June until the 31st of July.

The decision will be made at the beginning of September by a jury of Telefónica and Synergic Partners executives, as well as renowned names in big data from Columbia University in New York, the University Carlos III, UPM University and O'Reilly Media. Also participating on the jury will be a CEOE (Spanish initials for the Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organizations) representative and representatives from the world of journalism for the business initiative and data journalism categories.

More information at: www.dsawards.es