Cision announced the opening of a new global innovation and research center to fuel the ongoing development of groundbreaking technology for the communications industry. The Cision Innovation Lab, with locations in New York City and Berlin, is designed to build, test, and launch cutting-edge technology that helps communicators unify data, processes and analysis to transform the comms function. The Lab will serve as a testing ground for integration of acquired technology into the Cision Communications Cloud, as well as the integration of the Cision Comms Cloud™ with marketing and advertising technology from around the world. The research center will also focus on the creation of industry-standard frameworks and approaches that follow the best practices of Earned Media Management, helping to transform the comms function into a business driver. The research center will be used to build and beta-test different communications use cases and solutions. Four primary centers of testing and development within the Lab environment include: Quants: Enabling communicators to access data, metrics and measurement to validate the importance of earned media as a business driver. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Bringing efficiency, scalability, and deep insights to both the day-to-day functions and overarching comms strategies. Graph: Allowing communicators to visualize and act on the interconnectivity of key influencers, content and target audiences. Media: Integrating with the broader martech environment to extend and connect earned media to paid and owned channels.

The Cision Innovation Lab will be led by David Barker, the company's President of Data and Innovation. Under Barker's leadership, the Lab will focus on anticipating and solving the communication industry's challenges through product development, strategic acquisitions, and select partnerships with organizations in the paid and owned media spaces, including MediaMath and LiveRamp.