We spoke to Ali Albazaz, CEO and founder of Inkitt, a data-driven publisher that uses an artificially intelligent algorithm to analyse online users' reading patterns. With a background in computer science, Ali believes predictive analysis has the potential to make the publishing industry more fair and objective. We asked him about how he came to form his company with designer Linda Gavin, the value of data in book agenting and how they built up the site's core audience and readership.

You would had to have been on a long vacation from planet publishing not to be aware of the high profile success stories in and around indie publishing from the last few years. Hugh Howey. Joanna Penn. Amanda Hocking. No matter which routes to market they have ended up taking, these are the often-quoted big beasts, the patron saints of DIY.