Lightning Data Suite™
I turned a lightning detection network, acquired to cut data costs, into a revenue-generating data product. It offers forecast, real-time, and historical lightning data through APIs, datasets, and webhooks.
Problem
In 2024, AccuWeather acquired a lightning detection network to reduce data acquisition costs. Developers and enterprise customers valued lightning data, but there was no product strategy, monetization model, or distribution channel for it.
Solution
Customer and developer discovery validated high-value use cases: automated lightning alerts for outdoor operations, grid impact assessment for utilities, and operational planning based on lightning risk. I led strategy, prioritization, and execution across technology, data science, sales, and marketing to build a developer-friendly platform that delivers real-time, forecast, and historical lightning data directly into the systems customers already work in.
Result
About $400K in new ACV during early access, from a data asset that had never been sold. The launch also rounded out AccuWeather's enterprise data portfolio with a complete lightning suite.
Lessons learned
The launch drew strong interest, but it also showed a brand gap: AccuWeather isn't known for lightning data, so buyers don't think of us first. We prioritized a full brand campaign for 2027 to build that association and turn awareness into demand.
What I shipped
Marketing site & positioning ↗
Defined target personas, buyer use cases, differentiation, competitive positioning, and core messaging. This became the basis for enterprise sales and marketing across web, decks, collateral, and customer conversations.
Developer resources ↗
Led the developer experience strategy: API requirements, documentation standards, provisioning workflows, pricing alignment, and operational readiness for enterprise adoption on AccuWeather's API platform.
