Business Insider: The quiet rock stars of hedge funds are data junkies, and they're in such high demand that they're navigating 30 back-to-back meetings in 48 hours

At BattleFin's two-day conference in New York last week, 150 alternative-data companies jockeyed for the attention of data buyers from hedge funds like Credit Suisse's QT Fund, ExodusPoint, Millennium, and Third Point.
As hedge funds seek out new ways to beat the market, they're increasingly looking to alternative-data providers that offer obscure insight into companies not found in filings and earnings calls.
The once under-the-radar role of data buyer has become more important than ever because they control the purse strings for a $7 billion industry.