The Restech Landscape

Where are you in the Restech Landscape?

The Restech Landscape is a dynamic visual representation of the research technology industry that highlights leading companies and brands, and organizes them by category. It’s designed to help Restech investors and the media better understand this complex and ever-changing market, and to ensure Restech companies are represented accurately. By segmenting the industry, we bring clarity to the Restech landscape, helping market research company founders, owners, CEOs, salespeople and investors gain insights into business models, enterprise value, growth rate, market competition, deal flow, and more.

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About the Restech Landscape

The Restech Landscape was first published in 2019 by Patrick Comer, founder of Lucid and Board Member of Cint, and key collaborator Sima Vasa, founder of Infinity Squared Ventures and Managing Director at Oberon Securities. Since its initial publication, the landscape has evolved in many ways. In 2023, Patrick and Sima co-created and released a new, updated version of the landscape that redefines the key segments and includes many more important players in the space.

The purpose of the landscape is to help investors and other stakeholders understand the data and research ecosystem in a clear, concise way. The landscape has evolved in a significant way with the acceleration of technology, increased capital investments and the abundance of data sources.

since 2019, in that of the players on the map in 2019, xx were acquired, xx raised equity or debt financings and many others executed secondary share sales. The landscape demonstrates the vibrancy of our industry, and shows how technology is shaping all aspects of the Restech environment.

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Invest In Insights

Restech is a rapidly expanding segment of the research industry, with many high-growth sectors and opportunities. If you’re interested in Restech market insights, strategies to gain market share and grow competitive advantage, or financial advising on buy / sell transactions, please contact us to inquire about consulting and advisory services.

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Not On The Map?

If you’re a Restech company owner, founder or CEO and you don’t see yourself on this map, or if you believe your organization belongs in a different category, please let us know. We will be happy to discuss your placement.

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Restech Landscape Market Segment Definitions

There are many types of businesses within the Restech market—from research solutions providers, to data collection companies, to organizations that specialize in visualization, analytics and storytelling. We’ve created the Restech category definitions below to help you better understand each segment of the market.

Research Solutions

Firms that focus on providing research solutions and insights related to specific business decisions. This large category includes several smaller categories, which are listed below

Multi-Solution Market Research Agencies

Large agencies that provide a full breadth of solutions aligned to critical business decisions, such as shopper insights, segmentation, product innovation, and customer satisfaction. Businesses within this category include:

  • Ipsos
  • Escalent
  • Directions
  • Kantar
  • Material
  • Ipsos
  • Dig Insights

Strategy and Consulting

Firms that leverage market research to inform business strategy for clients. Typical engagements are commissioned at the C-Suite level. Companies in this category include:

  • Bain
  • PWC

Platform

Firms that primarily leverage their technology platform to provide multi-solution market research offerings. Companies in this category include:

  • Qualtrics
  • Survey Monkey
  • Forsta

Analyst-Based Firms

Firms that marry market research (both qualitative and quantitative) with leading industry experts. Products and services tend to be subscription-based. Companies in this category include:

  • Forrester
  • Gartner Group

Shopper Insights

Insights that help clients understand the “last mile” in the shopper journey. These firms typically engage with sales teams within brand organizations. Companies in this category include:

  • Behaviorally
  • Circana
  • Explorer Research
  • InContext

Media Measurement / Ad Effectiveness

Firms that focus on measuring the effectiveness of media, public relations (PR), and / or advertising spend. Companies in this category include:

  • Comscore
  • Nielsen

New Product Development

Agencies that focus on identifying white space for new innovation, and assist in every step of the product innovation life cycle. Companies in this category include:

  • MMR
  • Highlight
  • VeyLinx

Message and Ad Testing

Firms that test new creative concepts and provide feedback to clients regarding their effectiveness. Companies in this category include:

  • Acupoll
  • MSW Research
  • Neurons

Usability Testing

“User experience” is the sum of a user’s thoughts, impressions, and feelings as they interact with specific aspects of a product. Usability testing assesses the user experience and provides insights. Companies in this category include:

  • Research Collective
  • Indeemo
  • User Testing
  • Key Lime Interactive

Customer Experience /Journey

The customer experience encompasses all customer interactions with every aspect of a company as the customer moves through the stages of the user journey. Companies in this category include:

  • Medallia
  • TruRatings
  • Alpha-Diver
  • Beesy
  • Journey Track

Competitive Intelligence

Companies in this category include:

  • CB Insights
  • Komptye

Brand tracking/Equity

Companies in this category include:

  • MESH
  • Brandwatch

Social Listening – Contextualized

Companies in this category include:

  • Relevant Insights
  • DMR

Research Modes

This segment constitutes companies that provide different modes to collect data and it into insights. Research modes include many subcategories, which are listed below:

Communities

Groups of people that are recruited to participate in research for a specific brand or competitor brands, either on an ad hoc or continuous basis. Companies maintain ongoing relationships with community participants to enable clients to pulse customers on a regular basis. Companies in this category include:

  • Fuel Cycle
  • Rival

Strategy and Consulting

Firms that leverage market research to inform business strategy for clients. Typical engagements are commissioned at the C-Suite level. Companies in this category include:

  • Bain
  • PWC

Analyst-Based Firms

Firms that marry market research (both qualitative and quantitative) with leading industry experts. Products and services tend to be subscription-based. Companies in this category include:

  • Forrester
  • Gartner Group

In-person Qualitative Research

Often shortened to “In-person Qual,” this category of research involves recruitment of specific people who arrive at a physical location for face-to-face research. In some cases, in-person qualitative research may capture deeper insights than digital qualitative research, particularly for multi-sensory research or physical packaging tests. Companies in this category include:

  • L&E Research
  • Fieldwork

Digital Qualitative Research

Abbreviated as “Digital Qual,” this research category includes platforms that enable brands or agencies to conduct qualitative research through technology, such as In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), videos, and digital focus groups. Companies in this category include:

  • VoxPopMe
  • Discuss.io

Full Stack Survey Platforms Research

Companies in this category provide technology platforms with full-featured capabilities to execute and deliver across the entire range of quantitative projects. Companies in this category include:

  • Examples Needed

Qualtrics

Companies in this category include:

  • Examples Needed

Agile Platforms

This category includes companies that promote Do-It-Yourself (DIY) capabilities to end users. These capabilities are targeted to few uses cases that inform specific decisions. Companies in this category include:

  • Attest
  • Zappi

Survey Platforms

Companies that allow clients to program, host and manage their own data collection, insights, etc. Companies in this category include:

  • Alchemer
  • Voxco

Survey-based Research

Advanced methodologies such as Discrete Choice /Conjoint
Sawtooth Software. Companies in this category include:

  • Conjointly
  • Quantilope

Eye Tracking

Companies that focus on capturing eye movements for shelf testing, website testing, and message testing. Companies in this category include:

  • TobiiPro
  • EyeTracker

3D Virtual Reality

Companies that simulate environments, such as retail shelf space, in-car experiences and much more. They specialize in creating the experience, enabling respondents to be as “real” as possible. Companies in this category include:

Mobile Ethnography

Companies that have an approach to capture from consumers leveraging their solution. Companies in this category include:

Over the Shoulder

Companies in this category include:

  • Examples Needed

Data Collection

Data Collection, in the context of the research technology sector, refers to the systematic gathering of relevant information from a specific target audience, following the formulation of a research question and questionnaire. This phase is crucial for acquiring the raw data that will subsequently be analyzed and interpreted to generate insights. It encompasses the process of fielding, wherein respondents are engaged, and extends to include the analysis of the gathered data for generating insights.

Sample

In the research technology sector, “sample” refers to a comprehensive approach that includes the process, technology, and methods used to engage respondents in answering research questions. The term can also denote the actual group of respondents participating in the study and the specific demographic, behavioural aspects, or other criteria that define the target audience for the research project.

Within the “Data Collection / Sample” category, there are a number of categories and subcategories, which are listed below:

Solicited

This segment refers to data collected from respondents who have been directly approached or invited to participate in a research study. The engagement is intentional, and respondents are have consented and pre-qualified based on specific criteria relevant to the research question. The Solicited segment includes the following subcategories:

Marketplaces

Companies in this category serve as platforms that connect researchers with pre-qualified respondents through platforms and APIs, offering a broad range of demographic and psychographic profiles at a global scale to meet various research needs. Companies in this category include:

  • Cint
  • Dynata
  • Kantar
  • Purespectrum
Market Makers

These firms act as intermediaries in the Restech landscape, providing access to an extensive network of willing research participants and managing the data collection process. They offer expertise in data collection and have quality control measures in place, ensuring both the ethical conduct of studies and the reliability of the data collected. Companies in this category include:

  • Quest Marketshare
  • RepData
  • UGam
Global Audiences

Companies in this grouping focus on providing a diverse, worldwide pool of respondents. They offer the scale needed for global research projects. Companies in this category include:

  • DISQO
  • Tap
Regional Audiences

Regional Audiences – These firms offer geographically-specific respondent pools, catering to research that requires localized insights. Companies in this category include:

  • Netquest
  • DataSpring
Expert Networks

Companies in this category provide access to specialized or highly knowledgeable respondents, such as industry experts or professionals, for in-depth research. Companies in this category include:

  • GLG
Niche Audiences

These firms focus on specific demographic or psychographic segments, offering unique respondent pools tailored to specialized research needs. Companies in this category include:

  • Emporia

3rd Party Data

This segment consists of data collected by an external entity, not directly gathered by the research team. This data often matches existing survey data using an ID or key. It enriches the primary dataset with supplemental attributes, while providing quality control and validation measures for a more comprehensive and reliable analysis. 3rd party data includes the following subcategories:

Quality

Companies in this category focus on enhancing the integrity of the primary dataset by providing additional layers of quality control. They ensure that the data meets specific standards for reliability and accuracy.

Validation

These firms specialize in corroborating the primary dataset by cross-referencing it with external data. Their role is to validate the findings and add credibility to the research.

Identity / DMP (Data Management Platform)

Companies in this grouping concentrate on enriching the primary dataset with additional identity attributes. They often use Data Management Platforms to integrate various data sources for a more comprehensive profile of respondents.

Incentivization (Loyalty)

This segment focuses on the strategies and companies that offer incentives to encourage respondent participation in surveys. Incentives can range from monetary rewards to loyalty programs and other creative methods to boost engagement and response rates for more robust data collection.

Visualisation, Analytics & Storytelling

This phase follows the raw data collection from respondents and transforms that data into actionable insights. It involves using visualization tools to represent data graphically, analytics to interpret complex datasets, and storytelling techniques to convey the findings in a compelling and easily understandable way. The goal is to make the data accessible and meaningful for decision-making. This category includes the following subcategories:

Visualization

The process of converting raw data into graphical representations such as charts, graphs, infographics or dashboards.

Analytics

The systematic computational analysis of data. It involves applying statistical, mathematical, and computational techniques to derive insights from raw data. Analytics subcategories include:

  • Visual Analytics
  • Text
  • Survey Analysis
  • Statistics and Data Science
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Storytelling

Crafting a narrative around the data and insights derived from the analysis. The goal is to present the findings in a compelling, relatable manner that resonates.