Umi

What Umi does

UMI (S.A.S. United Motion Ideas) is a Lyon, France-based B2B market research technology company founded in 2014 that helps enterprise innovation teams validate and prioritize innovation projects through AI-driven market testing. The company's core product, the UMI Market Test tool, uses proprietary machine learning, AI, and Semantic Web algorithms to automatically identify and engage more than one billion professionals worldwide, collecting representative B2B feedback within approximately one month. Customers include enterprise Innovation Directors, R&D Directors, and Strategic Marketing Directors at large corporations across energy (EDF, Schneider Electric, Total), automotive (Michelin), pharmaceuticals (Sanofi Pasteur), aerospace/defense (Thales), mining/metallurgy (Eramet), chemicals (Arkema, Solvay), and construction/infrastructure (Bouygues, Vinci, Air Liquide, Veolia).

The platform delivers results through multiple formats including a dynamic web-based Market Report, a three-slide Executive Report for committees, and automated Video Synthesis. UMI operates a dual business model: a full-service Managed Service where UMI's Market Test Managers execute projects end-to-end, and a self-service Tool Charter software license offering unlimited users and projects with training and an arbitration dashboard for portfolio management. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to project scope, with multi-year enterprise contracts typical. GTM is sales-led and direct, targeting enterprise innovation, R&D, and strategic marketing functions through dedicated contact-sales engagement, supported by case-study content marketing, a corporate blog, and French business media appearances.

The company reports having guided over 500 innovations through its platform and delivering 80% year-over-year revenue growth for two consecutive years. UMI raised €5 million in a seed funding round in October 2022 and announced a New York City office opening in March 2026, signaling intent to penetrate North American enterprise innovation budgets. The technology stack holds ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certifications, supporting enterprise sales cycles.

Name

Umi

Legal name

S.A.S. United Motion Ideas

Website

https://umi-innovation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UMI (United Motion Ideas) is a Lyon-based B2B market research technology company that uses AI/ML algorithms to help enterprise innovation, R&D, and strategic marketing teams validate and prioritize innovation projects by collecting professional feedback globally within one month.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Market Testing Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B/EDI & Partner Integration (BPAMAOAJ)

Keywords

• Market research software
• Innovation testing platform
• B2B feedback collection
• Professional matching technology
• Market validation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Managed Services (Full Support): UMI manages projects from A to Z - customers provide project information and UMI's Market Test Managers handle everything through to results delivery. This includes full team support, turnkey results, applicable for 1 project or specific volumes.
2. Tool Licensing: Companies can purchase licenses to become autonomous in conducting Market Tests. Includes unlimited users, unlimited projects, training on tool usage, launch assistance, and arbitration dashboard for project portfolio management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

UMI is a B2B market test tool that helps corporations validate innovation projects by automatically identifying and engaging relevant professionals worldwide through proprietary AI, Machine Learning, and Semantic Web algorithms. The platform collects representative B2B feedback in approximately one month and delivers dynamic market reports, executive summaries, and video synthesis to support Go/No-Go innovation decisions. Customers can either license the tool for autonomous use or engage UMI's Market Test Managers for full-service managed delivery.

Product overview

UMI is a unified Market Test platform for innovation projects that combines a software tool with managed services. The core offering is the UMI Market Test Tool, which uses proprietary Machine Learning and AI algorithms to automatically match innovation projects with over one billion professionals worldwide and collect B2B feedback in approximately one month. Customers can choose between a self-service Tool Charter (software license with unlimited projects and users) or a full Managed Service where UMI's team handles the entire market test process. Key use cases include detecting market needs, validating solutions, sourcing innovation, finding partners, and prioritizing innovation portfolios. Deliverables include dynamic Market Reports, Executive Reports (3-slide summaries), and Video Synthesis. The platform also includes a professional community for innovation networking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UMI Market Test Tool A B2B market research platform powered by proprietary AI and Machine Learning algorithms that automatically matches innovation projects to relevant professionals worldwide (over one billion reachable) and collects targeted feedback in approximately one month. Built for enterprise innovation, R&D, and strategic marketing teams seeking objective market validation.
• Managed Service (Full Support) Full-service option where UMI's Market Test Managers handle the entire market test project from setup through results delivery. Includes turnkey deliverables, full team support, and is applicable for single projects or specific volumes. Designed for enterprise customers that prefer outsourced execution.
• Tool Charter (Self-Service License) Recurring software license for companies that want autonomy in conducting their own market tests. Includes unlimited users, unlimited projects, training on tool usage, launch assistance, and an arbitration dashboard for managing project portfolios.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ innovations guided through the platform
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CBI (Confederation of British Industry)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 February 2026Supporting the FUEL national business roadshow as a partner organization.
• Purbeck Personal Guarantee InsuranceminorOthers · 19 February 2026Supporting the FUEL roadshow as a partner, helping address SME funding barriers.
• CO4CHminorOthers · 19 February 2026Supporting the FUEL national business roadshow.
• Lyon Startup EcosystemminorOthers · 10 October 2022The Lyon-based startup UMI raised 5 million euros in funding, indicating investment from local/regional investors or venture capital associated with the Lyon startup ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• AYTM (Ask Your Target Market):

Broad incumbents

• Qualtrics: Enterprise experience and survey platform (now owned by SAP) that competes in the broader market-research and feedback-collection category. Comparably targets enterprise buyers but offers a much wider portfolio beyond innovation validation, including CX, EX, and brand tracking.
• Ipsos: Global market research leader serving many of the same Fortune 500 customers (including Sanofi, Michelin, EDF, L'Oréal). Competes with UMI for enterprise innovation-research budgets but operates a much broader, primarily services-led model.

Direct peers

• Toluna: Global online panel and market-research platform providing consumer and B2B insights via automated respondent matching. Closely mirrors UMI's combination of panel access, automated targeting, and enterprise self-service tooling.
• Dynata: One of the world's largest first-party data and research platforms, providing B2B and B2C audience access and survey tooling. Directly comparable in audience-matching technology and enterprise customer overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umi-innovation
• Facebookfacebook.com/theumicommunity

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Umi