"Social data is so ubiquitous that everyone in the organization needs to be able to 'speak data' in some way or another," Etlinger said in a phone interview. "This is one of the biggest issues for companies today."

, a communications management consulting company, has sent executives to every edition of Web 2.0 Summit, and the company is particularly enthusiastic about the focus on data this year, since its services cover the effective use of social media by corporations. PulsePoint will have four executives at the event and will also host a dinner.

"The exchange of innovative ideas with other business leaders is top of mind. Now is a time for great companies to step up to the plate and provide brands with the game-changing solutions they need to succeed today. It's these solutions that will later be reflected upon as the change agents that drove their tomorrows," PulsePoint said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Australian company will officially launch its eponymous mobile app at Web 2.0 Summit, and its CEO, Jonathan Barouch, will participate in a panel discussion.

Barouch feels that the data focus at this year's show ties in well with the Roamz application, which aggregates and filters social media content about places within the location of users, with the goal of helping them discover interesting spots.