Cazana

Cazana was established in London to address the inconsistencies and lack of transparency in traditional vehicle valuation data. Founded by Tom Wood, a software engineer and entrepreneur with a passion for cars, the company originated from his frustration in not being able to find reliable market data for classic cars. He started the company from his living room, aiming to create the equivalent of a Bloomberg Terminal for the automotive market by aggregating classified ads to build a unique pricing index powered by machine learning.

The company operates as a data insights platform for the global automotive industry. Its core business revolves around providing real-time vehicle valuations, pricing trends, and stock management tools. Cazana's platform utilizes big data and predictive analytics, processing millions of automotive transactions daily to assess the value and risk of every vehicle. The service caters to a diverse client base, including vehicle manufacturers, financial lenders, fleet owners, car dealers, and insurance companies. For instance, finance lenders use the tools for accurate forecasting, while insurers leverage them to identify risks and settle claims fairly. Revenue is generated by providing these data services and insights to its business clients.

Cazana's key product is its extensive dataset, which contains over 500 million historic vehicle transaction records from more than 40 countries. This comprehensive database allows for the creation of precise, real-time valuations adjusted for age, mileage, condition, and specification. A notable feature is the platform's ability to provide a "days to sale" metric, helping dealers optimize their inventory for faster-moving, high-margin vehicles. The company's data is also used by the UK's Financial Ombudsman Service for settling total loss insurance claims.

In September 2021, Cazana was acquired by the online car retailer Cazoo for approximately £25 million in cash, a move intended to enhance Cazoo's data capabilities and optimize its vehicle buying and pricing strategies across the UK and Europe. The acquisition did not include Cazana's subsidiary, Car & Classic, which Cazana had acquired in 2018. Following the sale, Tom Wood remained with the Car & Classic business. Subsequently, in February 2023, Cazoo sold the Cazana data platform to Percayso Inform, an insurance data intelligence provider, where it was rebranded as Percayso Vehicle Intelligence.

Keywords: vehicle data, automotive insights, car valuation, vehicle pricing, stock management tools, predictive analytics, automotive data platform, residual value, fleet management, automotive finance, car insurance data, vehicle history, used car market, real-time data, big data, machine learning, automotive retail, pricing trends, risk assessment, asset valuation