Universities are increasingly required to address a myriad of priorities, from academic excellence to digital innovation, despite facing declining government funding per student in the UK. Instead of cutting courses, universities can leverage data to enhance efficiency and decision-making. Data is crucial across multiple areas, including student engagement, resource allocation, and environmental impacts, but often exists in silos across departments, leading to inefficiencies and duplicated costs. By adopting a unified data platform, such as Elastic, universities can centralize and access data easily, facilitating collaboration and reducing tool sprawl and expenses. The University of Edinburgh's use of Elasticsearch exemplifies how real-time data analysis can inform decisions on student engagement and resource use, while Elastic's platform allows for scalable data applications, from cybersecurity to generative AI, driven by a community committed to continuous innovation.