Rakuten Insight

What Rakuten Insight does

Rakuten Insight is a Tokyo-headquartered B2B online market research firm and wholly-owned subsidiary of Rakuten Group, the Japanese conglomerate with 70+ businesses spanning e-commerce, finance, and telecommunications. The company operates proprietary double opt-in consumer panels across 12 major Asian markets (China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam) plus the United States, with locally managed panel operations in each market. It serves over 500 enterprise clients globally — including multinational corporations, recruitment firms, advertising agencies, and consulting firms — through 11 office locations in Asia, the US, and Europe (Tokyo, Singapore, Noida, London, Shanghai, Seoul, New York, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, and Bucharest).

The core technology consists of proprietary first-party panel data integrated with trusted local partnerships and quality assurance processes, with double opt-in verification providing respondent authenticity. Rakuten Insight's product surface is dominated by survey-based research reports — including thematic studies (Asia Travel Pulse, APAC Fintech Trends, Luxury Products in APAC), recurring trackers (Thailand and Malaysia Cost Pressure Pulse), and partnership co-publications (with Reeracoen, Rakuten Advertising, YCP Solidiance, and Parcel Monitor). The company holds JIS Q 15001 personal information protection certification and complies with Japanese APPI and the JMRA Marketing Research Code of Ethics.

The business model is sales-led B2B professional services with custom-quoted pricing based on scope, sample size, markets covered, and research methodology. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales engagement with partnership-driven demand generation, supported by thought leadership content marketing, an active LinkedIn presence, newsletter distribution, and industry event participation (AAMS, Quirk's, Printemps des études). The Rakuten Group parent provides ecosystem advantages including access to first-party member data assets and internal client synergies, though Rakuten Insight operates as an independent research arm within the broader conglomerate.

Name

Rakuten Insight

Legal name

Rakuten Insight, Inc.

Website

https://insight.rakuten.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rakuten Insight is a B2B online market research firm and Rakuten Group subsidiary that operates proprietary double opt-in consumer panels across 12 Asian markets and the US, serving over 500 enterprise clients through 11 global offices with custom survey-based research services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Syndicated Market Research (Panels, Omnibus, Tracker Studies) (MPAAALAB), Market Research & Consumer Insights (BPAHALAA)

Keywords

• Online market research
• Consumer panel research
• Survey-based research
• APAC consumer insights
• Workforce research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Setagaya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Market Research Services: Rakuten Insight provides custom market research services to enterprise clients using its proprietary panel network. The company conducts surveys on behalf of clients across multiple markets, delivering actionable consumer insights. Services include bespoke research reports, syndicated studies, and panel-based survey administration for companies seeking consumer data in Asia and the US.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rakuten Insight provides B2B online market research services using proprietary double opt-in consumer panels across 12 Asian markets and the US. The company delivers custom market research, syndicated studies, and panel-based survey administration to enterprise clients seeking consumer insights and workforce research data. Its offerings cover consumer behavior, brand tracking, employee sentiment, fintech adoption, travel patterns, and retail behavior across diverse Asian and US markets.

Product overview

Rakuten Insight is an online market research platform offering proprietary panels across Asia and the US, providing survey-based research reports and consumer sentiment trackers. The core platform is complemented by numerous named research reports covering consumer behaviour, workforce trends, travel, fintech, retail, and industry-specific studies including Thailand Cost Pressure Pulse, Malaysia Cost Pressure Pulse, Asia Travel Pulse, Singapore Employee Sentiment Study, APAC Fintech Trends, Luxury Products in APAC, and various other sector-specific reports. The company delivers data-driven insights through partnership reports with clients like Reeracoen Singapore, Totem, and Parcel Monitor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rakuten Insight Market Research Platform Online market research platform offering quality-assured, locally managed, double opt-in proprietary panels across 12 Asian markets and the US for survey-based consumer and workforce research delivered to enterprise clients.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Rakuten AdvertisingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Rakuten Insight and Rakuten Advertising co-produced the 'Asia Travel Pulse 2026 Report', surveying nearly 50,000 travellers across 11 Asian markets on travel booking behaviors and preferences. The collaboration leverages Rakuten Advertising's travel industry expertise with Rakuten Insight's panel infrastructure.
• Reeracoen SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Reeracoen Singapore and Rakuten Insight jointly released the 'Beyond the Paycheque: Singapore Employee Sentiment Study 2026', examining how working adults in Singapore are reassessing employment priorities. This partnership combines Reeracoen's HR recruitment expertise with Rakuten Insight's panel research capabilities.
• Reeracoen SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Reeracoen and Rakuten Insight collaborated on the 'Singapore Hiring Manager Survey Report 2025-2026', drawing on responses from 375 hiring managers across multiple industries. The study examines talent shortages, hiring confidence, and challenges in evaluating mid-career candidates.
• ReeracoencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2025Reeracoen and Rakuten Insight Global collaborated on the 'APAC Workforce Whitepaper 2025', drawing insights from more than 12,000 professionals across 12 Asia-Pacific economies on hybrid work, values-led employment, and continuous development.
• Reeracoen SingaporemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2025Reeracoen Singapore partnered with Rakuten Insight Global on a survey revealing that 35% of jobseekers in Singapore encountered job scams in the past year, highlighting growing urgency for digital hiring safeguards.
• YCP SolidianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2023YCP Solidiance partnered with Rakuten Insight data to produce a report on the halal industry in Southeast Asia, providing an overview of future outlook, leading players, and growth opportunities in the region.
• Parcel MonitorminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Parcel Monitor partnered with Rakuten Insight to examine consumer preferences during peak season shopping in Southeast Asia. The collaboration analyzed e-commerce delivery expectations, shopping channel preferences, and customer satisfaction factors across 7 markets.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• YouGov: Online panel-based research and data analytics company with syndicated consumer trackers and bespoke studies. Comparable business model and enterprise B2B go-to-market.
• Intage: Largest Japan-headquartered market research firm with proprietary consumer panel and SRI+ database. Most direct domestic peer to Rakuten Insight, competing for the same Japanese and APAC enterprise clients.
• Macromill: Japan-based online market research firm operating proprietary panels across Asia. Closely comparable in business model, panel-based methodology, and APAC focus.
• Toluna: Global online panel provider offering consumer insights via proprietary panels and an automated research platform. Directly comparable panel-first model and enterprise B2B research delivery.
• Dynata: One of the world's largest first-party data and panel operators, serving enterprise market research buyers globally. Competes directly for panel-based research revenue across Asia and beyond.

Broad incumbents

• GfK: Global market research firm with strong consumer goods and retail measurement. Competes for similar enterprise research mandates, particularly in consumer durables and retail tracking.
• NielsenIQ: Global market research giant with extensive consumer panel infrastructure and syndicated retail/consumer measurement. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise research budgets, though NielsenIQ's coverage and scale dwarf Rakuten Insight's.
• Kantar: One of the world's largest market research and insights firms, with established panel operations and brand-tracking products. Comparable as a global incumbent serving the same enterprise clients, though Kantar's portfolio spans far beyond APAC.
• Ipsos: Global market research firm with strong APAC presence and syndicated consumer trackers. Overlaps directly with Rakuten Insight in survey-based consumer insights across multiple Asian markets.

Emerging players

• Quantilope: Tech-driven consumer insights platform offering automated research and panel-based studies. Represents the emerging tech-enabled tier that increasingly competes with traditional panel providers like Rakuten Insight.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rakuten-insight
• Xx.com/Rakuten_Insight

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Rakuten Insight