What SWG does

SWG S.p.A. is a Trieste-headquartered Italian market and opinion research firm founded in 1981, operating as a privately held Società Benefit since December 2022. The company delivers commissioned market research, institutional studies, opinion polling, sector observatories, and customer/citizen satisfaction work, primarily through three customer segments: political parties and institutions, public administration and government bodies, and private enterprises across financial, insurance, multi-utility and consumer sectors. SWG pioneered the CATI method in Italy in 1987 and has run a continuous public-opinion Observatory since 1997, producing over 60,000 interviews per year.

The company's technology backbone comprises the proprietary MACP4 multichannel survey software (in continuous development since 1987), an Online Research Community of 60,000+ profiled individuals, and the Rachael S.r.l. subsidiary founded in 2020 with the University of Trieste and SISSA to combine traditional statistical research with big data, predictive algorithms and hybrid interpretation models. Field Service Italia, integrated in 2017, provides in-house CATI/CAPI/face-to-face fieldwork through a 100-workstation, 120-line contact centre, a 300+ phone-interviewer team, and a 7,000+ face-to-face interviewer network covering 1,600+ sample points. Complementary subsidiaries include Kratesis (strategic consulting and institutional relations, founded 2018) and the VEDO brand positioning tool (launched 2021).

SWG monetises primarily through customised professional-services engagements, project-based commissioned research, and participation in large national statistical surveys such as the INAPP INDACO programmes. Distribution is direct and partnership-led across offices in Trieste (HQ), Milan, Rome and Brussels, with thought-leadership channels including the Radar podcast, weekly newsletter, and social media. Geographic expansion beyond Italy is being pursued via the January 2026 exclusive Italian partnership with the WIN MR network (46 countries). The firm is privately held by entrepreneurs Adrio Maria de Carolis (President) and Maria Cristina Salami (CEO), with no disclosed external institutional or private-equity investors.

Name

SWG

Legal name

SWG S.p.A.

Website

https://swg.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trieste-headquartered Italian market and opinion research firm founded in 1981, operating the SWG public-opinion Observatory, MACP4 multichannel survey software, a 60,000-member research community, and the Rachael AI/big data subsidiary, serving political parties, public-administration bodies, and private enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research and Opinion Polling Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantitative Research & Survey Analytics (Survey Design, Sampling, Statistical Modeling) (MPAAALAF), Fieldwork & Data Collection (Online Panels, CATI/CAPI, Fieldwork) (MPAAALAD)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Opinion polling
• Public opinion observatory
• Survey data analytics
• Brand positioning analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Trieste

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Market Research Services: Commissioned research projects including market surveys, opinion polls, institutional research, sector studies and monitoring centers. Services include quantitative and qualitative research, B2B interviews, stakeholder interviews, mystery shopping, and social media analysis. Revenue generated through project-based engagements with both public and private sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SWG designs and delivers commissioned market surveys, opinion and institutional polls, sector studies, and continuous monitoring observatories, converting primary data (CATI/CAWI/CAPI and face-to-face interviews), social listening data, and big data sources into strategic insights for marketing, communication and policy decisions. Service delivery is supported by proprietary MACP4 multichannel collection software, a 60,000+ member online research community, and the Rachael data science subsidiary for predictive and hybrid-model interpretation.

Product overview

SWG is an independent, pure-play data science company specializing in market research, opinion polling, and institutional studies. The portfolio consists of core research services including the continuous Observatory (since 1997) producing over 250 researches annually with 500,000+ interviews, supplemented by proprietary technology (MACP4 multichannel software) and an online Research Community of 60,000+ members. Rachael (AI/big data analytics subsidiary founded 2020) provides advanced data science capabilities including predictive algorithms and hybrid interpretation models. VEDO is a brand positioning analysis tool. Kratesis (subsidiary since 2018) offers strategic consulting and institutional relations. The ecosystem also includes Radar (weekly publication) and Field Service Italia (field research operations integrated in 2017).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rachael - Big Data and Data Science Analytics Platform AI-driven big data analytics platform and standalone subsidiary (Rachael S.r.l.) that integrates demographic research with big data, predictive algorithms, hybrid interpretation models, and dynamic multidimensional visualization, serving public institutions and private companies for strategic planning and relational marketing.
• MACP4 - Integrated Multichannel Research Software Proprietary multichannel data collection and analysis software developed at SWG since 1987 and continuously updated, supporting telephone, online, mobile and face-to-face interviews with built-in Conjoint Analysis, Shelf Test technology, Google Maps geolocation, and integration with client CRM, loyalty and database systems.
• VEDO - Brand Positioning Analysis Tool Standalone brand positioning analysis tool that provides dynamic multidimensional visualization of a company's market position, designed for end users to manage independently and identify priority target segments; developed jointly by Rachael and SWG.
• Osservatorio SWG (SWG Italian Public Opinion Observatory) Continuous public opinion observatory that has produced over 60,000 interviews per year since 1997, with annual and weekly surveys covering voting intentions, culture, tourism, finance, work, mobility, sports, social networks, and other societal themes, including proprietary perceptive and predictive indicators.
• SWG Research Community (Online Panel) Online research community of more than 60,000 profiled individuals participating in quantitative (CAWI) and qualitative (Web Discussion, Web Focus, Personal interviews) surveys and dedicated panels, using big-data incremental profiling to suggest questions automatically.
• Kratesis - Strategic Consulting and Institutional Relations Strategic consulting and institutional relations subsidiary founded by SWG in 2018 and led by Roberto Arditti, promoting and disseminating SWG research contents and providing integrated communication services that add value to client research projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500,000 interviews per year conducted across multiple methodologies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• WIN MR (Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026As of January 2026, SWG is the exclusive Italian partner of WIN MR network, one of the most prominent international networks of independent firms specializing in market research and consumer insights. This partnership opens collaboration with organizations across 46 countries, enabling exchange of expertise, methodologies, and perspectives. Represents a significant milestone in SWG's international expansion.
• INAPP (Istituto Nazionale per l'Analisi delle Politiche Pubbliche)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SWG supports INAPP in conducting INDACO-PA (Knowledge in Public Administration) survey - statistical survey reconstructing characteristics and dynamics of continuing professional training offered by public administrations to employees.
• TP InfinitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in INDACO-Adulti survey (Adult Training Behaviors), supporting the national survey on adult learning and training behaviors in Italy with 35,000 representative interviews.
• Fondazione Giacomo BrodolinimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in INDACO surveys, contributing expertise to national research on adult training behaviors and public administration knowledge.
• Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia GiuliamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Rachael supported the Autonomous Region in mixed-mode research project, data integration and enrichment for STEM orientation after diploma analysis. Full article published in Quaderni di Orientamento magazine.
• University of TriestecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Academic partnership in founding Rachael, SWG's data science and big data subsidiary. Collaborates on research projects integrating traditional statistical methodology with advanced data science approaches.
• SISSA (International School of Advanced Studies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Academic partnership in founding Rachael, combining expertise from advanced studies institution with market research and data science capabilities.
• KratesiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Strategic consulting and institutional relations company founded by SWG in 2018. Led by Roberto Arditti, Kratesis promotes and disseminates SWG research contents, adding value to research projects through integrated communication activities.
• Field Service ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Field research company integrated into SWG in January 2017, creating a single entity with complete and integrated offer system, leader in the Italian market.
• ASUGI (Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration at TriesteNext event on Big Data, healthcare and sustainability topics, with ASUGI director Antonio Poggiana participating in discussions on data science impact on society.
• ASSIRMcoreOthersItalian trade association founded in 1991, grouping more than 80% of operators in opinion polls, market research and social research. Members commit to ethical code of conduct and quality standards inspired by ISO 20252 principles.
• ESOMARcoreOthersInternational association for market research and opinion founded in 1948. Performs educational, regulatory and representative activities with public and private bodies including European Union and national governments.
• MSPA (Mystery Shopping Providers Association)minorOthersAssociation grouping main European mystery shopping service providers.
• ASSEPRIMminorOthersFederation within Confcommercio-Imprese per l'Italia representing about 700 companies providing professional services to businesses.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ipsos: Global market research and opinion polling leader operating in 90+ markets with comprehensive survey, panel, and analytics offerings. Directly comparable to SWG across the full research services stack, but at vastly greater scale and international reach.
• Kantar: One of the world's largest marketing data and analytics firms, offering consumer insight, brand tracking, and panel research with a strong Italian presence. Comparable to SWG in survey design, panel operations, and brand analytics but at much greater scale.
• NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence firm with retail measurement, consumer panels, and survey-based research capabilities. Overlaps with SWG in panel-based consumer insight and analytics but operates primarily in retail/FMCG data.
• GfK (an Ipsos company): Global market research firm historically strong in consumer goods, retail, and technology research. Comparable to SWG in consumer insight and market research methodology, now part of the Ipsos group but still relevant as a competitive benchmark.

Direct peers

• Doxa: Historic Italian market research and opinion polling firm founded in 1945, headquartered in Milan. Direct domestic competitor to SWG with overlapping CATI/CAWI/CAPI fieldwork, public opinion polling, and brand research offerings for Italian enterprise and institutional clients.
• YouGov: Online research and opinion polling company built on a global proprietary panel, with significant political polling, brand tracking, and custom research operations. Closely comparable to SWG in panel-driven polling and consumer insight, with stronger digital-first delivery model.
• EMG Different: Italian market research and communication research firm offering quantitative and qualitative research, with strong presence in media and advertising effectiveness. Direct domestic competitor to SWG in the Italian research and opinion polling market.
• Toluna: Global digital consumer insights company operating a large online panel for survey-based research, with technology-enabled fieldwork and analytics. Closely comparable to SWG's Online Research Community and CATI/CAWI operations in panel-based research delivery.
• BVA Doxa: Italian market research firm resulting from merger between BVA and Doxa, offering consumer research, brand tracking, and public opinion polling. Direct competitor to SWG in the Italian market with overlapping service portfolio and client segments.

Regional players

• Demetra Opinions Network: Italian market research network providing CATI, CAWI, and CAPI fieldwork plus custom research services to agencies and brands. Comparable to SWG's field operations and panel-based research, focused exclusively on the Italian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swg_research
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz8QaiRhfkcetShQSeT4J3A
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swg-s-r-l-
• Instagraminstagram.com/swg_it

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles35 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 SWG