Tags: market research

DiligenceSquared, a YC Fall 2025 cohort startup, is offering private‑equity firms AI‑driven commercial research that rivals traditional consulting at a fraction of the price. Co‑founders Frederik Hansen and Søren Biltoft apply their deep PE diligence experience to run AI voice interviews with target company customers, while senior human consultants verify the insights. The model enables firms to obtain detailed, consultant‑quality reports for as little as $50,000, prompting earlier engagement in deal pipelines. Backed by a $5 million seed round led by former Index Ventures partner Damir Becirovic, the company competes with firms like Bridgetown Research. Ler mais

Calgary‑based Cashee Research uses artificial intelligence to design and execute custom market‑research surveys, delivering fresh human data faster and at lower cost. The startup, founded by Addy Graves and Rose Wong, was selected for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield in 2025 and won the Enterprise Stage pitch at TechCrunch Disrupt. By combining AI‑generated survey plans with real‑world respondents, Cashee provides brands—especially small and medium‑size firms—with actionable insights that were previously too expensive or slow to obtain. The company has raised C$1.5 million in pre‑seed funding and is preparing a seed round to expand its U.S. presence and B2B business. Ler mais

Aaru, an AI‑driven synthetic research startup, closed a Series A round led by Redpoint Ventures. The financing featured a multi‑tier valuation structure that allowed the company to cite a headline valuation near $1 billion while offering more favorable terms to certain investors. The round size was disclosed as above $50 million. Founded in March 2024, Aaru generates thousands of AI agents that simulate human behavior to replace traditional market‑research methods. Its client roster includes Accenture, EY, Interpublic Group, and political campaigns. Ler mais

Keplar, a two‑year‑old voice AI startup, announced a $3.4 million seed round led by Kleiner Perkins with participation from SV Angel, Common Metal and South Park Commons. The company’s platform uses conversational AI to conduct customer interviews, delivering insights faster and at lower cost than traditional market‑research firms. Keplar’s technology can automatically generate interview guides, reach out to participants via a voice assistant, and compile results into reports similar to those produced by human-checked research. Early customers include Clorox and Intercom, and the startup joins other AI‑driven research players such as Outset and Listen Labs. Ler mais