# Re-Air: The Data Economy: Turning Information into a Tradable Commodity with Viktor Kessler of Vakamo

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-data-stack-show/re-air-the-data-economy-turning-information-into-a-tradable-commodity-with-viktor-kessler-of-vakamo
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-data-stack-show/re-air-the-data-economy-turning-information-into-a-tradable-commodity-with-viktor-kessler-of-vakamo.md
Podcast: [The Data Stack Show](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-data-stack-show)
Published: 2025-10-29T08:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://datastackshow.com
Audio file: https://afp-928695-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/e3c6184e-48d3-4aee-9dd0-50ad0b9a5b4c/episodes/b68932d2-cfed-450f-8938-9729cde1dbb5/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=e3c6184e-48d3-4aee-9dd0-50ad0b9a5b4c&awEpisodeId=b68932d2-cfed-450f-8938-9729cde1dbb5&feed=m3Tr79ut
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Duration seconds: 2061

## Resource

The shift from monolithic databases to decoupled Lakehouse architectures is creating a new frontier for data monetization. Viktor Kessler explains how open-source standards like Apache Iceberg enable a future where data is treated as a tradable, standardized product.

## Highlights
- Main idea: Modern Lakehouse architecture decouples storage, compute, and metadata to allow for flexible, multi-tool ecosystems
- Practical takeaway: A centralized catalog is essential for managing governance and access when using disparate tools like Spark, Snowflake, and S3
- Failure mode: Treating data sharing as raw table transfers rather than delivering standardized 'data products' limits scalability and monetization
- Technical shift: The transition from rigid mainframe-style structures to open-source standards like Apache Iceberg enables seamless data interoperability
- Future outlook: The next decade will likely see the rise of automated data exchanges and commodity-style marketplaces for high-value data products

## Topics

Data Lakehouse, Apache Iceberg, Data Catalog, Data Monetization, Data Governance, Open Source, Data Products, Cloud Architecture

## Chapters
- 1:00 — The Evolution of Data Infrastructure: A look at how modern companies collect and deliver real-time event data using decoupled stacks.
- 3:40 — Lessons from Legacy Systems: Reflecting on the transition from mainframe DB2 and COBOL to continuous, modern data engineering.
- 8:40 — The Rise of the Lakehouse: How cloud storage and tools like Spark and Apache Iceberg enable a flexible, multi-tool architecture.
- 11:10 — Open Source as a Driver of Innovation: The role of the open-source community in predicting and developing the next generation of data tools.
- 13:50 — The Role of the Metadata Catalog: Understanding the catalog as the essential layer for managing DDL, tables, and schema in a decoupled stack.
- 19:00 — Governance in Decentralized Environments: Addressing the challenges of managing access and sharing across different business units and vendors.
- 21:40 — The Emerging Data Economy: Discussing the potential for monetizing data products and the creation of a commodity exchange for information.

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## Transcript

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