The big data industry in Guiyang grew to over 130 billion yuan ($18.89 billion) in 2016 according to statistics released by People’s Daily.

The city has seen rapid development of its big data industry since 2014. In the past two years Guiyang has held the International Big Data Expo, where experts, investors and entrepreneurs from all over the world discuss how to boost the big data industry.

Global giants such as Alibaba (China’s biggest internet company) and Qualcomm (American microchip producer), have chosen Guiyang to develop their big data businesses. Huochebang, a local online logistics company which uses big data to connect businesses and driver, now has 300,000 enterprise members and 2.3 million drivers.

Edited by Owen Fishwick