Acquisitions/transactions
Data and insights platform Dynata has acquired insights and survey platform inBrain.ai.
Research firm Phoenix Marketing International has acquired research-based advertising consultancy Communicus.
Data and analytics company Kantar plans to sell its Reputation Intelligence business to software investor Symphony Technology Group.
Dallas-headquartered Data Axle has acquired Exact Data, a provider of multichannel direct marketing solutions.
Infostretch, a provider of digital engineering services, has acquired Gathi Analytics, a data analytics solution and services company.
Integral Ad Science has acquired Publica, a connected TV advertising platform, in a cash and stock transaction valued at $220 million.
Media advisor MediaSense announced that private equity firm Apiary Capital LLP has acquired a significant stake in the company.
Language solutions provider GlobaLexicon Ltd has been acquired by Toppan Digital Language Ltd.
Intelligence business Savanta has acquired marketing research agency MSI International.
Blackhawk Network, a provider of branded payment programs, has acquired digital gifting platform Rybbon.
WPP has acquired Satalia, an AI technology company.
Consumer intelligence company Talkwalker has acquired review management platform Reviewbox.
Business solutions provider Advantage Solutions has acquired Strong Analytics, an AI, machine learning and data science company.
Alliances/strategic partnerships
Customer experience and research technology company Forsta has formed a partnership with digital gifting platform Rybbon to integrate the latter into Forsta's survey importing tool Confirmit Horizons.
Experience management company Momentive has expanded its B2B and health care panel offering with marketing research firms Dynata and Schlesinger Group.
Research tech platform Lucid has partnered with Samba TV, a provider of omniscreen advertising and analytics, to deliver linear TV ad measurement and insight for brands.
Data collection company Delvinia has formed a partnership with Fuel Cycle, through which Fuel Cycle will offer customers access to CRIS by Delvinia and Delvinia will offer Live by Fuel Cycle. Additionally, CRIS by Delvinia has been named the winner of a Gold Stevie Award in the Technical Innovation of the Year category in the 18th Annual International Business Awards.
Neustar Inc., an information services and technology company, has partnered with data and insights platform Dynata to offer Dynata’s first-party survey data in the Neustar Second-Party Data Marketplace.
Association/organization news
The Australian Data and Insights Association (ADIA) has opened nominations for the Jayne Van Souwe Research Industry Leadership Award, which is presented biennially to a single individual who “has made a significant contribution to the growth, promotion or advancement of the Australian research, data and insights industry.” Nominations close September 10 and a winner will be announced at the ADIA AGM event on October 28. Learn more.
The Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA) is accepting applications for its Young Professionals Grant, which offers applicants 35 years of age and younger a one-year QRCA membership and covered registration fees for the QRCA’s Annual Conference. The deadline to apply is September 29. Learn more.
Awards/rankings
Consumer sample provider Full Circle Research has been named No. 2,334 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.
Patient-focused recruiting company Rare Patient Voice LLC has been named No. 3,265 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.
Consumer insights platform QualSights has been named No. 282 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.
New companies/new divisions/relocations/expansions
The Insights Family, a provider of kids, parents and family market intelligence, has moved to a new office in Manchester and has opened a satellite office in London.
Audience monetization platform FanAI has launched for optimizing the impact of sports sponsorships on sales.
Macromill Inc. has launched Macromill Ads, its digital advertising business.
Market intelligence company CivicScience has launched a new media and advertising company. The venture is supported by investors including Thomas Tull, Jeff Wilke and The NPD Group.
Marketing research provider Insider Intelligence has launched its retail and e-commerce arm.
Taverner Research is combining with its brands Jetty Research and IRIS Research to unite as the Taverner Research Group, with a new logo and identity.
Research company earnings/financial news
MoEngage, a San Francisco-based customer engagement platform, has raised $32.5 million in a funding round led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management with participation from Eight Roads Ventures, F-Prime Capital and Matrix Partners.
ThoughtWorld Inc., a marketing research and social media platform, has closed a $2 million angel investor round, which gives ThoughtWorld a valuation of $10 million.
Experience management company Momentive has announced second-quarter results for the period that ended June 30, 2021, reporting total revenue of $109.4 million, an increase of 20% year over year.
FullStory, a digital experience intelligence company, has secured $103 million in a Series D funding round led by Permira's growth fund with participation from existing investors including Kleiner Perkins, GV, Stripes, Dell Technologies Capital, Salesforce Ventures and Glynn Capital.
Surfside, a cannabis data and marketing platform, has raised $4 million in a seed funding round led by Casa Verde.
People.ai, a revenue operations and intelligence platform, has raised $100 million in Series D funding at a $1.1 billion post-money valuation, co-led by Mike Dinsdale of Akkadian Ventures and Abdulla AlBanna of Mubadala Capital, with participation from existing investors including ICONIQ Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Bloomfire, a provider of knowledge engagement software, announced that Primus Capital has made a significant growth equity investment in the company.
Marketing analytics platform Adverity has closed $120 million in Series D financing led by SoftBank Vision Fund 21 with participation from Sapphire Ventures.
API insights company Moesif has raised $12 million in Series A funding led by David Sacks and Arra Malekzadeh of Craft Ventures, the latter of whom will join Moesif’s board. Merus Capital also participated in the round.
Consumer insights platform DISQO has closed $85 million in a Series B growth round led by Sageview Capital with participation from March Capital, Valuestream Ventures and existing investors Alpha Edison and Bonfire Ventures. Dean Nelson, senior partner at Sageview Capital, and Wes Nichols, partner at March Capital, will join DISQO’s board of directors.
User experience platform WEVO reported a 259% growth in sales year-over-year in the first half of 2021.
AllVoices, an employee feedback management platform, has raised $9.6 million in an oversubscribed Series A financing round led by Silverton Partners with participation from M13 Ventures and Crosscut Ventures.
Knowledge sharing platform Atheneum has secured $150 million in financing led by Guidepost Growth Equity with participation from unnamed limited partners as well as existing investors Crosslantic Capital Management, Michael Brehm, Vogel Communications Group and the founding management team of Atheneum. Roshen Menon and Chris Cavanagh, general partners of Guidepost, will join the company’s board.