iModerate
iModerate is a Denver-based qualitative insights firm (founded 2004) acquired by Sago, offering the QualBoard digital research platform and professional services to enterprise clients across CPG, financial services, healthcare, and adjacent verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What iModerate does
iModerate is a Denver-based qualitative research firm founded in 2004 that operated as a progressive insights agency serving enterprise clients in Consumer Packaged Goods, Financial Services, Media Technology, Healthcare, Consulting, and Academic sectors. The company has been acquired by Sago, a 55-year-old market research firm, and now operates as an integrated brand within Sago's product portfolio centered on the QualBoard platform.
The core product is QualBoard, a cloud-based digital qualitative research platform supporting asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid research methodologies. The platform is built as a modular system: QualBoard serves as the all-in-one core, with add-on modules including QualMeeting (real-time virtual focus groups and IDIs), QualBoard Lean Community (intimate ongoing audience engagement), QualBoard Lifestyle Diaries (ethnographic in-the-moment capture), and Crowd Survey (live event feedback). Methodify is a separate automated quantitative research platform. Built-in AI features include Query AI (qualitative analysis), Multi-Video AI Summaries, Advanced Participant Verification, and AI-assisted survey drafting in Methodify. Registered trademarks cover QualBoard, QualMeeting, and Methodify.
iModerate generates revenue through two streams: a SaaS subscription for QualBoard platform access (annual billing, quote-based enterprise pricing) and professional services including participant recruitment, project management, and research consulting. Go-to-market is primarily direct enterprise field sales with a demo-driven conversion model ("Book a demo" / "Request a Bid"), supported by content marketing, webinars, organic social, and earned media. Notable customers include Candela Insights (market research), and the platform received a 2023 GRIT Top 50 Company designation. The Trivoca partnership extends healthcare vertical reach.
iModerate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- iModerate
- Website
- https://imoderate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- iModerate is a Denver-based qualitative insights firm (founded 2004) acquired by Sago, offering the QualBoard digital research platform and professional services to enterprise clients across CPG, financial services, healthcare, and adjacent verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where iModerate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
iModerate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Platform Subscription: SaaS-based access to QualBoard platform for digital qualitative research including asynchronous boards, synchronous meetings, and hybrid capabilities
- Professional Services: Additional support including participant recruitment, project management, and expert consulting services alongside platform access
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Custom enterprise pricing based on research needs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
iModerate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
iModerate operates the QualBoard digital qualitative research platform, a cloud-based SaaS offering that enables asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid qualitative research methodologies including online discussion boards, virtual focus groups, in-depth interviews (IDIs), digital diaries, and lean communities. The platform integrates built-in AI features (Query AI, Multi-Video AI Summaries, Advanced Participant Verification) at no additional charge and is complemented by professional services such as participant recruitment, project management, and expert consulting. iModerate is a sub-brand of Sago, with its domain now redirecting to Sago's QualBoard platform.
Product overview
Sago offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on QualBoard, an all-in-one digital qualitative research platform. QualBoard serves as the core product providing asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid research capabilities with built-in AI features. Additional modules include QualMeeting for real-time virtual focus groups and IDIs, Lean Community for smaller ongoing audience engagement, Lifestyle Diaries for in-the-moment ethnographic insights, and Crowd Survey for live event feedback capture. Methodify serves as a separate automated research platform for quantitative workflows. All QualBoard projects include live training, 24/7 tech support, and human chat support for participants.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- QualBoard®: Digital qualitative research platform providing online discussion boards, virtual focus groups, IDIs, digital diaries, and lean communities for market research
- Methodify®
- QualMeeting®
Products and services
- QualBoard
Quantifiable outcome
- Robust insights in record time (per customer testimonial)
Companies that use iModerate
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
iModerate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
iModerate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TrivocacoreTrivoca is referenced as a healthcare-specific solution within the Sago portfolio, providing specialized healthcare market research capabilities. This partnership extends Sago's (and by extension iModerate's) reach into the healthcare vertical with dedicated compliance and expertise.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
iModerate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Discuss.io: Discuss.io is a live video qualitative research platform with participant recruitment and AI-powered insights — overlapping directly with QualMeeting's real-time IDI/focus group capabilities and QualBoard's broader platform play.
- Toluna: Toluna is a global market research platform offering panel access, qualitative community tools, and automated insights — directly comparable to Methodify's quantitative workflow plus Sago's panel and community capabilities for the same CPG and media buyers.
- Remesh: Remesh is an AI-powered qualitative research platform offering live and asynchronous discussions with built-in AI analysis — directly comparable to QualBoard's asynchronous boards and Query AI capabilities targeting enterprise insights teams.
- UserTesting (UserZoom): UserTesting (merged with UserZoom under Thoma Bravo) provides a digital experience research platform with video-based qualitative studies, unmoderated tests, and AI analysis — competing head-to-head for enterprise UX and consumer research budgets against QualBoard.
- Voxpopme: Voxpopme specializes in video feedback and short-form qualitative research with AI-driven theme analysis — comparable to QualBoard's video highlight reels, Multi-Video AI Summaries, and lifestyle diary use cases for CPG and brand research.
- Dynata: Dynata operates one of the world's largest first-party data and research panels with qualitative and quantitative offerings — comparable to Sago's panel, community, and platform approach serving the same enterprise client base.
- Schlesinger Group: Schlesinger Group is a global qualitative research services and platform provider with online focus group facilities and panel access — comparable to Sago's combination of QualBoard software and recruitment/professional services for enterprise researchers.
Broad incumbents
- Kantar: Kantar is a global market research incumbent operating across qualitative, quantitative, and brand tracking — competing with the broader Sago portfolio (QualBoard, Methodify, services) for the same CPG, media, and financial services buyers, but at much greater scale.
- Ipsos: Ipsos is a global market research incumbent with deep qualitative, quantitative, and syndicated offerings — overlapping with Sago's research services and QualBoard platform for enterprise buyers in CPG, healthcare, media, and consulting.
Emerging players
- SightX: SightX is an AI-native consumer insights platform combining qualitative and quantitative research with conversational AI and automated analysis — an emerging competitor targeting the same AI-powered qualitative synthesis use case as QualBoard's Query AI and Multi-Video AI Summaries.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
iModerate social profiles
Digital presenceiModerate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
iModerate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
iModerate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
iModerate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about iModerate
What does iModerate do?
iModerate operates the QualBoard digital qualitative research platform, a cloud-based SaaS offering that enables asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid qualitative research methodologies including online discussion boards, virtual focus groups, in-depth interviews (IDIs), digital diaries, and lean communities. The platform integrates built-in AI features (Query AI, Multi-Video AI Summaries, Advanced Participant Verification) at no additional charge and is complemented by professional services such as participant recruitment, project management, and expert consulting. iModerate is a sub-brand of Sago, with its domain now redirecting to Sago's QualBoard platform.
Is iModerate a public or private company?
iModerate is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was iModerate founded?
iModerate was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is iModerate based?
iModerate is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does iModerate make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are professional Services.
Who are iModerate's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Discuss.io, Toluna, Remesh, UserTesting (UserZoom), Voxpopme, Dynata and Schlesinger Group. Broad incumbents are Kantar and Ipsos. SightX is listed as an emerging player.
Does iModerate have an API?
No public API is recorded for iModerate.