Anheuser-Bush opens analytics hub

Belgium brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company behind Stella Artois, Budweiser and Beck’s, is aiming to tap some of the brightest minds in the world by setting up a “Bud Lab” to work on big data and sophisticated analysis projects.
Based at the University of Illinois, the company says the idea is to “put forth new and exciting solutions and insights” by attracting top statistics, computer science, business and engineering students.
Laura Frerichs, director of economic development at the college, said the lab will provide students with hands-on experience in data analysis and big data projects, adding that it will also enable the brewer to target a large pool of engineers and statisticians, hoping for a career in analytics and artificial intelligence.
It will also give the company direct access to one of the fastest computers on US university campuses, the so-called Blue Waters supercomputer.
Busch will directly employ graduate and undergraduate students in part-time jobs. Some will be offered full-time jobs after they graduate, Frerichs said.
The company employs around 116,000 people in over 30 countries. With the integration of Anheuser-Busch, 45% of the company’s sales come from North America, and the company now reports its financial results in US dollars.