Most people finish an online programme and update their CV. Sian Davies and Indra Mayengbam did something else entirely: they founded a company. 

Recently, the co-founders stood side by side at the AI & Big Data Expo Global in London, showcasing their startup, Alternate Hypothesis, and the AI-assisted platform they had built from scratch. 

The product can run sophisticated statistical tests and generate business-ready reports in as little as 10-30 seconds. Around them, founders, enterprise leaders, and investors moved through packed exhibition halls as attendees stopped by their stand to learn more – and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Not long before, neither of them worked professionally in data science. 

Sian had spent years as a research scientist and geneticist. Indra had spent more than two decades in the IT industry, primarily as a software engineer and SharePoint consultant. 

Two very different careers. One shared ambition – and a chance meeting on the Cambridge PACE Data Science Career Accelerator that turned into something neither expected.

"I wouldn't have been able to do this if I hadn't met my co-founder on the course," says Sian.

They came to learn data science. They left with a business.

Before co-founders, there was a geneticist and a software engineer

During the pandemic years, Sian became increasingly interested in the computational and analytical side of her work. The deeper she moved into data-heavy projects, the clearer something became: she no longer wanted data science to remain adjacent to her career. She wanted it to become her career.

"I wanted to completely pivot my career and do it as fast as possible and learn as much as possible. That was the best way of doing it for me."

Like many career changers, she didn't want another purely theoretical qualification. She wanted a programme that could quickly bridge theory and real-world application, with applied projects, live industry engagement and business-focused learning – backed by a name that would open doors.

"People have been instantly impressed that it's Cambridge before I've even shown them what I can do."

Indra, meanwhile, had spent more than 20 years in IT before becoming increasingly drawn to data-driven decision-making and its measurable impact on business outcomes. That interest led him to the Career Accelerator – and it was during the programme itself that the idea for Alternate Hypothesis first emerged.

"Statistical analysis was introduced in the first module, and although it was only an introduction, it highlighted how challenging it can be to select the correct statistical test for a given scenario."

What began as a learning exercise evolved into something much bigger.

"The concept was to automate the process of statistical test selection based on the characteristics of the data being analysed. By doing so, we could reduce complexity, improve consistency and eliminate potential human error in choosing the appropriate test."

From cohort to co-founders

Sian and Indra first connected through cohort WhatsApp groups and online discussions before meeting face-to-face at a programme networking event. It didn't take long to recognise what the other brought to the table.

"I was consistently impressed by how meticulous and thorough Sian was," says Indra. "She brings strong technical expertise and attention to detail, and together we challenge each other to go beyond the obvious solution."

With Indra's product concept and Sian's analytical rigour, they built Alternate Hypothesis – a platform that automates statistical testing for business decision-making. Users upload a dataset, describe the problem in plain language, and the platform selects the right test, runs the analysis and generates a written interpretation of the results.

Then came the surprise. Of all the platform's capabilities, one drew a reaction they didn't expect. Industry professionals kept coming back to the same feature: semantic mapping – the platform's ability to interpret user intent and map it to the correct data columns, even when the names don't match. A reference to "revenue", for example, will correctly identify a column labelled "sales_amount".

Interpreting user intent against messy, inconsistent data this way is a hard problem in analytics – one yet to be widely solved. Alternate Hypothesis solves it.

The interest that followed confirmed it. Healthcare, legal services, IoT, marketing – the demand came from all directions, and it points to a promising road ahead. Today, Sian serves as CTO and Indra leads as CEO. They are still growing, still evolving – navigating the reality of building an AI-driven business in the AI era, one decision at a time.

What Sian and Indra would tell future learners

"If you've been thinking about it, just go for it – but be prepared to do the work," says Sian. "You get out what you put in."

"Everyone's circumstances are different, so the decision has to come from a genuine desire to learn and grow," says Indra. "If someone is ready to take that step, I would wholeheartedly recommend the programme."

"For me, it provided not only the technical knowledge but also the connections, confidence and opportunities that ultimately led to creating Alternate Hypothesis. If you're going to invest in developing yourself, there is no better place to do it than Cambridge."

For professionals wondering whether a programme can genuinely change the trajectory of their career, Sian and Indra's story offers a compelling answer.

Learn more about the Cambridge Data Science Career Accelerator - Download the brochure.