Transforming the way we understand cities

We use Artificial Intelligence to uncover the nuanced underpinnings of urban culture and the interaction between people and place.

What is the Williamsburg of Houston?

We use advanced AI techniques to transform heterogeneous data from hundreds of sources, producing a holistic understanding of location that encompasses factors ranging from nightlife vibrancy, to how urban an area feels, to likelihood of different business types to thrive.

Using similarities between locations across neighborhoods, cities and the country we’re able to answer questions such as “What is the Williamsburg of Kansas City?”

Our Products

Retail site selection and revenue predictions, powered by hundreds of data sources and advanced Artificial Intelligence

Quick, clear site selection guidance

No pre-work required, just enter an address to see extensive tenant matches or a brand to see nationwide expansion guidance
Replaces multiple tools: map-based visuals, comprehensive data insights and clearly justified recommendations, brand contact info

Request a demo

Accurate revenue predictions with ease

By ingesting just a few data points per site and with as few as ten existing locations, see refined site selection guidance and revenue predictions
Identify the best areas to target for expansion, whether a nationwide market ranking or zooming in on a single market

If you have 10+ locations, let’s discuss a free trial

Work with us

We’re looking for candidates who can help us further our vision and enrich our culture of scientific inquiry, enthusiasm for urbanism, and respect. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and strive to create a diverse workplace where all viewpoints are welcome.

Topos is based in New York and is comprised of a team encompassing diverse skill sets and of widespread origins: London, Istanbul, Seoul, Mexico City, New Orleans, Sydney, Hawaii, Berkeley, New York, Vermont.

Get in touch

Blog

2020-06-10

7 Min Read

Predicting COVID-19 With Tax Returns

We study the relationship between fine-grained income tax data and COVID-19 cases at the zipcode level in NYC.

2020-06-02

5 Min Read

Visualizing COVID-19 beyond counties

In this article we address the issue of county boundaries by breaking apart the underlying absolute counts and putting together a map that better represents the impact COVID-19 is having across the country.

Disease models & differential equations: connecting geographies with time series clustering

2020-05-02

8 Min Read

Disease models & differential equations: connecting geographies with time series clustering

With this modified SIRD model in hand, we set about fitting it to county-level US COVID-19 data. Our goal is to develop a robust understanding of the characteristics of curves across counties (what counties saw gentler progressions, exponential growth, or sudden spikes).

High COVID-19 Vulnerability Seen In and Near Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation in Arizona

2020-04-30

3 Min Read

High COVID-19 Vulnerability Seen In and Near Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation in Arizona

High infection rates are cause for alarm anywhere, but demographic and hospital data from the counties overlapping the reservations reveal additional challenges for the Navajo Nation and the Hopi.

Deriving hospital travel times with population-weighted sampling

2020-04-22

6 Min Read

Deriving hospital travel times with population-weighted sampling

To understand vulnerability through the lens of access to critical medical care, we generated a new feature, “median distance to the nearest hospital” for all counties in the U.S.

What do the similarities and differences between places tell us about how COVID-19 is spreading?

2020-04-15

7 Min Read

What do the similarities and differences between places tell us about how COVID-19 is spreading?

We briefly demonstrate how we can look at similarities between places to generate insights about how the pandemic is unfolding, without the use of a more complex predictive model.

Ugly Produce: Coming soon to your doorstep

2018-11-09

6 Min Read

Ugly Produce: Coming soon to your doorstep

How Topos’ transformative understanding of location is powering the strategic geographic expansion of Imperfect Produce.

On Dollar Slices, Pizza Vectors, Prosciutto Zones and Topping Hyperspace

2018-08-06

13 Min Read

On Dollar Slices, Pizza Vectors, Prosciutto Zones and Topping Hyperspace

Pizza in NYC is ubiquitous and highly variable, providing a fascinating lens on the culture of the city.

Band on the Run: Connecting neighborhoods through live music

2018-02-26

9 Min Read

Band on the Run: Connecting neighborhoods through live music

In this article we use machine learning to explore the ways that neighborhoods are connected by live music.

Introducing The Topos Similarity Index and [x] Everywhere

2017-11-16

3 Min Read

Introducing The Topos Similarity Index and [x] Everywhere

What makes one neighborhood similar to another?

The Next Wave: Predicting the future of coffee in New York City

2017-09-07

12 Min Read

The Next Wave: Predicting the future of coffee in New York City

Using economics, urbanism, data, and AI, we formulated a model that predicts optimal coffee shop locations in New York City.

2017-06-19

13 Min Read

Five Boroughs for the 21st Century

What happens when we abandon the century-old five borough partitioning of New York City and remap the city to reflect the realities of 2017.

2017-04-10

8 Min Read

Rethinking ‘distance’ in New York City

At the heart of this article is a simple but profound question: what does distance mean in the 21st century?