What POSpulse does

POSpulse GmbH is a Berlin-headquartered B2B market-research firm operating Europe's largest mobile crowdsourcing panel for retail and point-of-sale (POS) intelligence. Founded in 2014 under the etventure company builder by Dominic Blank and consolidated with Nuremberg-based Streetspotr in November 2018, the company serves FMCG manufacturers, food and non-food retailers, telecommunications, OOH advertisers, OTC/pharmacy and franchise networks with four enterprise service lines: POS optimization (store checks, shelf tracking, promotional compliance), mystery shopping, market insights and benchmarking, and customer/shopper feedback. The core technology stack combines a 1M+-user consumer crowdsourcing app (Streetspotr) capturing geotagged and timestamped data, an API-mediated computer-vision layer (Vispera) that extracts shelf KPIs from community images with up to 99% accuracy after a ~2-week training phase, a real-time analytics dashboard, and optional white-label team-management tooling (WeSpotr). Self-service entry tier productPULSE enables lighter-weight product checks without sales involvement.

The business model is a hybrid of enterprise custom projects (quote-based, multi-year, with cancellation fees), recurring analytics dashboard subscriptions, usage-based self-service pricing for productPULSE, and annual white-label licensing. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, an inside-sales mid-market motion, self-service PLG, and embedded reselling through partners including Kantar TNS, EY, GS1 Germany, uplift – das Netzwerk, and Bormann & Gordon (jointly developed SPOTR secondary-placement tool). Approximately 650+ enterprise customers — including Carlsberg, Telefónica, Ströer, Siemens, JTI, Unilever, Asahi, Bionade, Deutsche See, Mister Spex, Henkel, Mondelez and Deutsche Bahn — have been served across 3,500+ executed projects in 25+ EMEA countries, with DACH as the core market and selective expansion into Southern and Central Europe since 2016. The company is privately held, has raised through a 2017 Series B (€3M, following a 2014 seed and 2016 Series A) and operates under CEO Elena Bergmann-Eggeling and COO Thomas Skotner following a February 2021 leadership transition in which founder Dominic Blank stepped back to a shareholder role.

Name

POSpulse

Legal name

POSpulse GmbH

Website

https://pospulse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

POSpulse is a Berlin-based B2B market-research firm that combines Europe's largest mobile crowdsourcing panel (1M+ users via the Streetspotr app) with AI image recognition to deliver real-time point-of-sale insights, shelf tracking, mystery shopping, and benchmarking for FMCG manufacturers, retailers, and brands across 25+ EMEA countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Exception Reporting & POS Fraud Analytics (ORC detection) (BPAKAJAG)

Keywords

• Shopper intelligence platform
• Crowdsourced market research
• Retail point of sale analytics
• Mystery shopping services
• FMCG retail insights

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Project-Based Professional Services: Custom survey design, community briefing, data collection via crowd, quality control, and custom analytics reporting delivered as a project engagement. Pricing based on project scope, geographic coverage, and analysis depth. Customer pays only for accepted (complete, validated) data sets.
2. Analytics Dashboard & Reporting: Access to Analytics Dashboard included with project; additional seats, custom exports, and iterative report customization are charged separately. API integrations for data import/export billed as add-on services.
3. Self-Service Product Checks (productPULSE): Self-service tool enabling customers to self-initiate Product Checks. Lower cost entry point for SMB and frequent smaller use cases, operating on a pay-per-use or subscription model.
4. White-Label Platform Licensing (WeSpotr): White-label platform licensing for organizations seeking to deploy POSpulse's technology infrastructure under their own brand to manage distributed workforces.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

POSpulse runs a B2B crowdsourcing-based market research platform that mobilizes a community of more than 1 million mobile app users (Spotr via the Streetspotr app) to execute store checks, mystery shopping, market insights, and shopper feedback projects for FMCG manufacturers and retailers. The platform combines geo-validated mobile data collection, AI image recognition (Vispera partnership), real-time analytics dashboards, and a self-service productPULSE tool, delivering quote-based full-service research projects plus white-label workforce management via WeSpotr.

Product overview

POSpulse operates a unified B2B crowdsourcing and analytics platform for real-time POS insights, comprising three interconnected brands: (1) POSpulse as the core B2B platform delivering Store Checks, Mystery Shopping, Market Insights & Benchmarking, and Customer & Shopper Feedback services to enterprise clients; (2) Streetspotr as the consumer-facing crowdsourcing app with over 1 million active users across Europe, which serves as the primary data-collection engine for the platform; and (3) WeSpotr as a white-label team management platform enabling businesses to network their own decentralized workforces using POSpulse's proven technology. The Analytics Dashboard serves as the unified reporting and visualization layer across all services, providing real-time KPIs, live tracking, customizable reports, benchmark comparisons, and API export capabilities. productPULSE offers a self-service entry tier for smaller companies wanting to conduct product checks independently.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Streetspotr: Mobile crowdsourcing app connecting over 1 million users who complete microtasks (store checks, mystery shopping, location insights) for market research purposes. The largest crowdsourcing community in Europe.
• WeSpotr

Products and services

• POSpulse Platform (B2B Crowdsourced Insights) Unified B2B crowdsourcing and analytics platform providing Store Checks, Mystery Shopping, Market Insights & Benchmarking, and Customer & Shopper Feedback services for FMCG manufacturers and retailers, delivered via a modular technology platform with live dashboards, analytics, and white-label options.
• Streetspotr Crowdsourcing App Consumer-facing iOS/Android crowdsourcing mobile app connecting over 1 million active users ("Spotr") who complete store checks, mystery shopping, and location-based microtasks for the POSpulse data collection engine; largest crowdsourcing community in Europe.
• WeSpotr (White-Label Workforce Platform) White-label team management platform allowing organizations to deploy POSpulse's crowdsourcing technology under their own brand to network, manage, and coordinate decentralized mobile workforces and improve internal collaboration and communication.
• productPULSE (Self-Service Product Check Tool) Self-service web tool enabling customers to independently set up Product Checks by selecting start date, retailers, region, and product, with POSpulse providing the standard questionnaire; targets SMBs and frequent lightweight use cases without sales involvement.
• Covid-19-Produktradar Public-facing community-powered real-time product availability tracker for retail during the COVID-19 crisis, displaying live results on an interactive map dashboard to help shoppers locate available products in their neighborhood.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% reduced costs for data collection in retail and customer service
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bormann & Gordon (Official Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2023Official strategic partnership announced October 2023, formalizing the already successful collaboration including the jointly developed SPOTR tool. Combines B&G's 50+ years of POS research expertise with POSpulse's 1M+ user crowdsourcing platform. Both companies also partner within uplift – das Netzwerk.
• VisperacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2019Technical integration between POSpulse's crowdsourced image collection and Vispera's AI image recognition engine. Vispera provides computer vision technology for shelf KPI analysis (Share of Shelf, SKU counting, planogram compliance). Results are delivered through POSpulse's dashboard. POSpulse's community collects images via Streetspotr app; images are transmitted via API to Vispera for automated analysis; results are returned to POSpulse for visualization. Vispera is a technology leader in KPI capture via image recognition headquartered in Turkey.
• StreetspotrcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2018POSpulse and Streetspotr merged under a common roof in November 2018. Streetspotr brought Europe's leading crowdsourcing technology and a 700,000+ member community; POSpulse brought retail analytics expertise. Combined entity created Europas largest mobile shopper panel (800,000+ then, now 1M+) in 25+ EMEA countries. Now operate under unified POSpulse brand with Streetspotr app continuing as the community platform.
• Kantar TNScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2018Market research partnership between Kantar TNS and POSpulse to provide manufacturers and retailers with greater POS transparency. Kantar TNS contributes industry expertise, research design, and consulting; POSpulse contributes real-time data from its mobile panel of 800,000+ shoppers. Combined offering minimizes regional restrictions in data collection and provides comprehensive analysis for strategic decisions.
• GS1 GermanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2016POSpulse is a Solution Provider member of GS1 Germany, an organization known for barcode and trade standards. POSpulse supports GS1 Germany's Category Management and Training programs with app-based technology, simulating real POS data collection in training sessions for FMCG sales and marketing managers.
• EY (Ernst & Young)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2016EY Deutschland uses POSpulse for pan-European consumer research projects in retail. For a food retail client, POSpulse provides technical conception and execution of store checks while EY provides strategic consulting, action recommendations, and implementation support. Customer benefits from startup innovation combined with global consulting competency.
• uplift – das NetzwerkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPOSpulse is represented as the crowdsourcing expert for POS feedback and mystery shopping within the uplift network, which unites POS topics: Shopper Marketing, Category Management, and Sales Development under one roof. The network connects clients with specialists including POSpulse for current challenges.
• Bormann & GordoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBormann & Gordon (B&G) is a leading POS and Shopper Research consultancy with over 50 years of experience. POSpulse and B&G co-developed SPOTR (Secondary Placement Online Tracker) — a tool for quantitative and qualitative market share analysis in food retail. B&G provides deep retail expertise; POSpulse provides crowdsourcing technology and community. Both companies are partners in uplift – das Netzwerk.
• Fair Crowd Payment / Deutscher Crowdsourcing-VerbandminorOthersPOSpulse is a member of the German Crowdsourcing Association, committing to fair crowdworking practices and transparent payment standards for its community of app-based workers (Spotr).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Suzy: On-demand consumer insights platform connecting brands directly to a research panel for rapid survey-based market research. An emerging player in the broader real-time market research category POSpulse serves, though focused on survey-based rather than in-store data collection.
• Streetbees: AI-powered consumer insights platform leveraging a global contributor community for qualitative and quantitative market research. Shares the crowdsourced-data-collection DNA with POSpulse but focuses more on consumer behavior studies than POS execution audits.

Direct peers

• Roamler: Netherlands-based crowdsourced field marketing and retail intelligence platform with a comparable mobile crowd model for store checks, merchandising audits, and POS data collection across Europe. Direct competitor in crowdsourced retail insights.
• BeMyEye: European crowdsourced retail execution and shopper insights platform operating a similar mobile crowd model for in-store data collection, shelf audits, and mystery shopping. Direct competitor in the DACH and broader EMEA crowdsourced retail intelligence market.
• Premise Data: Global crowdsourced data platform leveraging a mobile contributor network for retail intelligence, market research, and economic data. Competes in the broader crowdsourced-data-for-enterprise-intelligence category with a similar mobile-worker value proposition.
• Field Agent: US-based crowdsourced retail auditing and shopper insights platform using a mobile app community for store checks, mystery shopping, and shelf audits. Operates the same fundamental crowdsourced-data-collection model as POSpulse in the US market.
• EyesOn (formerly StoreForce / SFD): German retail execution and field force management software provider offering store audit, task management, and retail intelligence. Direct competitor in the German retail execution market with overlap in POS data collection and shelf visibility services.

Broad incumbents

• NielsenIQ: Global leader in consumer and retail measurement, offering syndicated and custom retail intelligence at massive scale. A broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise FMCG and retail marketing-budget dollars POSpulse targets.
• Trax: Singapore-headquartered retail computer vision and analytics leader offering image-recognition-based shelf intelligence at global scale. Overlaps with POSpulse's Vispera-powered AI shelf analytics but serves as a much larger incumbent with broader geographic and enterprise reach.
• Kantar: World-leading market research and shopper insights firm (Bain Capital-owned) offering comprehensive retail and consumer intelligence. Both a strategic partner (Kantar TNS partnership) and a broad incumbent competitor in the retail insights category POSpulse serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pospulse

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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 POSpulse