Non-traditional datasets – such as mobility signals, satellite imagery, and consumer behavior used by analysts and enterprises to generate insights beyond what conventional sources (e.g., census data, financial filings) provide.
It’s grouped under “alt data” because it wasn’t originally built for financial or business analysis mobility pings, satellite pixels, and app-level behavior are collected for other purposes and then repurposed as an early signal of real-world activity. Hedge funds and corporate strategy teams use it to see demand shifts (like store visits or supply-chain congestion) weeks before that activity shows up in earnings reports or government statistics.
Further reading: Alternative data in finance · How to evaluate a data provider
