Gigasheet is one of the many gifts of Loudoun this holiday season. This is one story in a series of 31 that highlight #LoudounPossible opportunities in the county. Check back every day in December to learn more!

Get Busy Building With Gigasheet, A 2022 Loudoun Innovation Challenge Winner

By now, you’ve likely heard the expression: “Data is the new oil.” Unlike oil, data is everywhere and produced by everything, from the world’s supercomputers to your smartwatch, and guilty streaming pleasure across endless devices.

The world’s data storage and consumption is growing exponentially, doubling every two years or less. It’s estimated that more than 70% of the world’s GDP has now been digitized, creating a record that has to be secured, stored and analyzed somewhere.

That’s the reason why Loudoun County is home to Data Center Alley, the world’s largest hub of data storage, and why the next wave of data analysis and innovation is happening here.

“Loudoun County has been a great place to start and grow a global tech company. We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received and we’re looking forward to taking our business to the next level.” Gigasheet CEO Jason Hines explained, from his headquarters in Leesburg.

“There’s a ton of tech talent here, it’s close to major data centers, a short drive to Washington, D.C., and we’re close to Dulles International Airport. And it’s a beautiful place to live.”

Gigasheet was recently named the Information and Communications Technology winner of the Loudoun Economic Development Authority’s 2022 Innovation Challenge. The honor validates their business goal of democratizing big data, which now serves more than 10,000 customers, processing more than more than 50 billion rows of data.

“We find a wide variety of people are using Gigasheet. Many are looking for a straightforward way to analyze files too big for Excel, while others are looking for lightweight data science,” Hines explained. “Our users come from small companies, as well as tech giants. The common thread is that they’re discovering new business opportunities within their data.

He continued: “Gigasheet provides an easy way to analyze and share huge files, everything from sales transactions and marketing leads to insurance data.”

If data is the oil, Gigasheet is the engine that moves data-driven businesses forward.

Locating Gigasheet in Loudoun

Hines relocated his family to Loudoun a decade ago, looking for a community best suited to raise a family and suit his family. In many ways, it was the culmination of his lifelong dream.

“I’ve wanted to build a startup most of my life,” he said. “I started by learning how to code and then went to work for a startup. I even worked for Google for a bit where I moved into sales.”

Hines was one of the first employees at another startup, which grew successfully for years before he exited. “After that I felt I was ready to take on the challenge even more directly,” he said.

Starting a new business can be stressful, even for people with startup success. Locating in Loudoun has helped take some of the uncertainty out of the equation, paving Gigasheet’s way for growth.

“It’s such a confidence boost and so great to know that there is a community that supports your efforts,” Hines said. “It’s hard and stressful starting a company, but it’s really nice to know that people believe in what you’re doing.”

In the next five to 10 years, Hines wants Gigasheet to become synonymous with data analytics, reducing the barriers for smaller businesses to leverage its vast potential.

“We want to be the go-to big data analysis tool for non-engineers. Current big data platforms are complex and require technical teams, we want to change that,” he said. “There are millions of people who need to work with big data that don’t know how to code or manage databases – everyone from small businesses to huge organizations.

“We want to help them get answers from their data.”

The Loudoun Innovation Challenge Experience

Hines heard about the 2022 Loudoun Innovation Challenge through George Mason University’s ICAP program, where Gigasheet was a recent cohort participant.

The application process was straightforward and Hines said he would “definitely” recommend it to other entrepreneurs. “It really opened my eyes to the diverse companies that are starting in Loudoun.”

While competing with his industry peers was appealing in its own right, Hines had a vision for how the prize money could help accelerate Gigasheet’s growth.

“We have lots of people who use our platform today, and anyone can get started for free, but  we really don’t do business with the federal government,” he said. “We’re planning to use the funds to complete our FEDRAMP certification and pursue applications for the federal government.”

Locating just 25 miles from downtown D.C. can be a major advantage for doing business with the federal government. The prize funds will also be dedicated to growing Gigasheet’s presence in Loudoun County, through high-paying jobs and office expansion.

Asked for his advice to fellow innovators who are thinking about entrepreneurship in Loudoun County, Hines kept it simple: “Get busy building.”

To learn more about Gigsheet and dive into democratized data analytics, check out their website today.

Thinking of starting or relocating your business in Loudoun County? We are a full-service economic development organization, dedicated to your #LoudounPossible business success. Working with us is like adding a team of no-cost specialists to your team, with expertise in the following areas:

• Site selection and real estate searches;
• Workforce development and pipeline support;
• Process and permit navigation;
• Fast-track and financial incentives;
• Marketing and communications outreach;
• Networking, resource and industry introductions.

Contact Dave Diaz today to launch your #LoudounPossible journey.