In 2025, we focused on two critical mandates: empowering you to simulate real-world behaviors (not just ask about them) and establishing a new standard for trust in an AI-driven world. We didn't just build features; we built the infrastructure for the curious.
Here is how we moved the industry forward in 2025.
Innovation: From intent to action
We engaged technology to help you see the truth of the market—faster than ever before. This year, we introduced three major leaps in our platform capabilities.
1. Skipper: The researcher's co-pilot
Continuous evolution
Skipper is not here to replace the researcher; it is here to handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on strategy. Throughout 2025, we expanded Skipper’s capabilities across the entire lifecycle:
- Skipper Draft: Conquers the blank page by generating rigorous survey drafts in minutes based on your specific objectives.
- Skipper Translate: Instantly localizes studies for global reach, removing the friction of international fieldwork.
- Skipper Explore: Analyzes complex datasets to surface the "aha" moments, turning rows of data into a coherent story automatically.
- Skipper Autocode: We automated the most tedious part of qualitative analysis. Skipper now categorizes open-ended responses instantly, turning unstructured text into quantifiable data without the manual hours.
- What’s next for Skipper? The evolution continues in 2026. We are developing Skipper Chat and Skipper Reports to make the experience even more interactive. Soon, you won't just analyze data; you will converse with it, asking questions and generating full narrative reports in real-time.
2. Conversation AI: Qualitative depth at quantitative speed
Launched September 11
Qualitative research has historically been slow and expensive. We changed the math. Conversation AI introduced an intelligent, automated moderator that engages respondents in real-time.
- The shift: Instead of static open-ended text boxes, our AI probes for the "why" behind the "what," adapting follow-up questions based on previous answers.
- The impact: You can now conduct hundreds of in-depth interviews in the time it takes to run a standard survey, delivering rich, nuanced narratives without the logistical nightmare of scheduling live interviews.
3. Ecommerce simulations: The digital shelf, decoded
Launched December 12
Stated intent is often a poor predictor of actual behavior. To fix this, we moved from asking "Would you buy this?" to observing "Did you buy this?"
- The shift: Our new ecommerce question type allows you to place your product on a simulated "digital twin" of major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
- The impact: You can validate packaging, pricing, and shelf placement in a risk-free environment. By tracking clicks, dwell time, and basket additions, you get behavioral truth before you spend a dollar on media.
Operations: Expertise at scale
Technology requires stability to be effective. In an industry defined by high turnover and support queues, we prioritized continuity and speed.
- 97% retention rate: While the industry saw significant churn, we grew our team while retaining 97% of our staff. This ensures institutional memory; the experts you work with today are the experts who will know your business tomorrow.
- Speed as a standard: Agility requires momentum. Our support team resolved over tens of thousands of tickets with an average happiness score of over 98.
- Methodological rigor: Our Research Services team maintained a steady project volume compared to last year, and the complexity of these engagements continues to rise. These are multifaceted studies where our experts consulted on design and execution to ensure data validity.
- Strategic scoping: The Solution Strategy team consulted on hundreds and hundreds of opportunities, helping teams translate broad business questions into concrete research plans.
Growth: The enterprise shift
2025 was a year of deepening relationships. We moved beyond being a vendor to becoming a strategic infrastructure for global brands.
- Enterprise adoption: Our New Business team delivered a record year, with a specific focus on large enterprise partnerships—proving that we’re a system of record that can handle all of the complex challenges that come with enterprise relationships.
- Global expansion: We achieved substantial growth in international markets across Europe, supporting brands that need a unified view of the global consumer.
- Market validation: We were named to the Inc. 5000 and recognized as one of Inc.’s Best Places to Work. Additionally, ranking #9 on the GreenBook GRIT report for Top Innovative Tech Suppliers validated our position as a leader in platform innovation.
Trust: The rigorous defense of data
In an era of synthetic data and distributed fraud networks, we doubled down on verification. We treat data quality as cybersecurity.
- ISO 42001 certification (June 16): We pioneered responsible AI by achieving this certification for AI management systems. It proves that our AI isn’t a black box—it’s a disciplined engine governed by strict protocols.
- ISO 20252 audit (December 5): We subjected ourselves to the industry's toughest audit to verify our research quality standards. This isn't just a badge; it is a promise that our operational rigor meets the highest global benchmarks.
- The quality guardians: Through our educational series, we laid out our stance on data quality: AI is the tool, but human expertise is the firewall. We continue to combine our proprietary panel, PaidViewpoint, with advanced fraud detection to ensure your insights are based on real people, not bots.
Community: The knowledge engine
We opened new channels to ensure our community learns as fast as the market changes.
- The industry conversation: We launched Waves of Thinking, engaging 70 brand leaders, and The Curiosity Current podcast, which generated 15,000+ downloads. These platforms allowed us to document the evolving role of the researcher in real-time.
- Lighthouse Academy: We added over 600 new users and over 1500 course enrollments on our learning platform, which delivered 54 certifications. Some of the big topics we supported in our content center around the role of AI in MR, and the importance of Data Quality. As AI continues to shift business needs and research skillsets, our curriculum keeps users ahead of the curve.
- EDU Partnerships: We supported 163 students across four educational partners. By powering 158 student projects, we are ensuring the next generation of talent enters the workforce fluent in modern, agile research technology.
2026: The next step
The tools are ready. The foundation is set. And as we look toward 2026, our focus turns to the next evolution of the agentic workflow. We are building a future where your research platform doesn't just store your data—it actively helps you question it.
What can you do?
Audit your toolkit. Old data costs you. If your current platform relies on static questions and "black box" sampling, you are risking your 2026 strategy on outdated signals. Connect to a fresh stream of insights now.
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