D3 Systems

What D3 Systems does

D3 Systems, Inc. is a private, Virginia-headquartered full-service market and social research company founded in 1985 that designs, executes, and analyzes survey-based research in politically sensitive, conflict-affected, and infrastructure-limited environments where standard research methodologies fail. The firm operates globally across 150+ countries, relying on a build-out of owned regional subsidiaries (ACSOR-Surveys in Afghanistan, Infinite Insight Kenya, Mareco Index Bosnia) and a vetted network of local field partners to deliver representative public opinion, audience measurement, election polling, and impact evaluation work. Its differentiated technology layer is Research Control Solutions (RCS), a proprietary Azure-hosted electronic data capture platform launched in 2012 and deployed in 80+ countries, which supports offline-first fieldwork, GPS geofencing, multi-mode data collection (face-to-face, CATI, CAPI), back-checking, and JavaScript-extensible scripting — features specifically tailored for connectivity-constrained and high-risk settings.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through enterprise and government professional-services engagements secured via direct proposal-based sales to clients including USAGM, the U.S. Department of Defense, USAID, the Asia Foundation, Pew Research Center, BBC Media Action, Meta, and the World Bank. The firm structures multi-year contracts and task orders, with projects scoped and priced through Request-for-Proposal processes rather than public pricing tiers. D3's go-to-market relies on long-tenured client relationships, conference presence at AAPOR/WAPOR/ESOMAR, and referrals rather than inbound marketing, consistent with a niche B2B/Gov research services profile.

Operationally, D3 is a lean firm — 44 employees at its 2022 staffing peak, with a heavy weighting toward in-house statisticians, regional analysts, and field-operations staff. In October 2024 the company underwent a management buyout in which longtime COO Matthew Warshaw and CFO Kelley Milligan Kline purchased the firm from founder David Jodice, Ph.D., with Warshaw assuming the CEO role. The current product roadmap is centered on expanding RCS through an embedded machine-learning quality-control module (valkyRie) and on scaling delivery volume via regional implementation partnerships rather than aggressive headcount growth.

Name

D3 Systems

Legal name

D3 Systems, Inc.

Website

https://d3systems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

D3 Systems is a private, Virginia-based full-service survey research firm founded in 1985 that designs, collects, and analyzes public opinion and impact evaluation data in challenging and conflict-affected environments across 150+ countries, serving government agencies, international development organizations, and global media clients through its proprietary RCS data capture platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tysons Corner

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

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. Research Design Services: Collaborative research design and methodology development tailored to client needs, including sample plans, weighting schemes, and survey instrument design for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research.
2. Data Collection Services: Field data collection in challenging environments using face-to-face, CATI, CAPI, and mobile methodologies. Includes quality control, monitoring, and coordination with local field partners.
3. Analytical & Reporting Services: Statistical analysis, data processing, visualization, and analytical reporting including post-stratification, complex weighting, and delivery of datasets in SPSS, Stata, and R formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

D3 Systems is a full-service international market and social research company that delivers end-to-end research engagements — research design and methodology, field data collection in challenging environments (via face-to-face, CATI, CAPI, and mobile modes), and analytical reporting with complex weighting and statistical analysis. The firm's work is enabled by Research Control Solutions (RCS), a proprietary electronic data capture software platform built in 2012 and run on Microsoft Azure, which supports offline data collection, GPS-based geofencing, and multi-language survey administration in 80+ countries.

Product overview

D3 Systems is a full-service global research company offering survey research services across three core components: Designs (research design and methodology), Data (data collection and processing), and Decisions (analysis and reporting). The primary product is Research Control Solutions (RCS), a proprietary electronic data capture platform enabling face-to-face, telephone, and offline data collection. RCS distinguishes itself from other data collection software as a platform designed by survey experts, for survey experts. The company operates through regional subsidiaries including ACSOR-Surveys in Afghanistan, Infinite Insight in Kenya, and Mareco Index Bosnia in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Services span public opinion polling, media research, impact evaluation, election polling, and audience measurement, delivered in formats including SPSS, Stata, and R.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Implemented RCS in over 80 countries since 2012
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, minor and major.

• Mareco Index Bosnia (MiB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996D3 invested in Mareco Index Bosnia (MiB) in 1996, a full-service market, media, and opinion research company operating in both the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat Federation. This investment solidified D3's commitment to and presence in the European region.
• ACSOR-Surveys (Afghan Center for Socio-Economic and Opinion Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerD3 co-founded ACSOR-Surveys, the first registered research firm in Afghanistan. ACSOR has been polling in Afghanistan since 2003 and became D3's subsidiary for field research in the region.
• Infinite InsightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerD3 invested in Infinite Insight, a Kenyan market research agency, to develop research capacity throughout Africa. The subsidiary supports D3's operations across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerD3 maintains active membership and leadership in WAPOR. CEO David Jodice was elected Vice President & President-Elect of WAPOR starting January 2023. D3 is a regular sponsor and presenter at WAPOR conferences.
• American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerD3 is an active member of AAPOR, regularly presenting research at annual conferences and engaging in the public opinion research community.
• ESOMARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerD3 maintains membership in ESOMAR, the European Society for Opinion & Marketing Research, demonstrating commitment to international research standards.
• Society for International Development - Washington, DC Chapter (SID-W)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerD3 sponsors and participates in SID-W events and conferences, engaging with the international development community.
• Research Control Solutions (RCS)coreTechnology or IntegrationRCS is D3's proprietary subsidiary software platform for electronic data capture. Created in 2012, RCS operates from Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure and enables offline data collection, GPS tracking, and multi-mode survey administration.
• Facebook/MetamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacebook commissioned D3 for media consumption and online behavior research in Central America and Sub-Saharan Africa. D3 has conducted multiple projects for Facebook across 8+ countries covering technology, development, and social media usage.
• Central Force InternationalmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerD3 partnered with Central Force International in 2020 for national public opinion surveys in Malaysia for the International Republican Institute. Central Force handles data collection from their Kuala Lumpur headquarters.
• Sigma ConseilmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD3 partnered with Sigma Conseil in Tunis, Tunisia to support the North Africa Economic Barometer, with Sigma providing local field operations across Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ipsos: Paris-headquartered global market and social research firm operating in 90+ markets with extensive public opinion polling, audience measurement, and impact evaluation capabilities. Closest large-scale direct competitor to D3 in multi-country survey research.
• ICF International: Global consulting and digital services firm with a substantial research, evaluation, and analytics practice serving U.S. federal, international development, and commercial clients. Comparable in research design, data collection, and analytics for development programs.
• GlobeScan: Specialist international research consultancy conducting public opinion polling and stakeholder research across 60+ countries with deep expertise in sustainability, governance, and development sectors. Closely comparable in international multi-country survey work.
• Westat: Employee-owned research firm providing statistical research, survey design, and evaluation services primarily to U.S. federal agencies. Comparable in serving government clients with complex survey and evaluation requirements, though more U.S.-focused.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: Independent research organization conducting rigorous survey research, program evaluation, and policy analysis for government and nonprofit clients. Direct peer in methodology-driven research services with similar academic-quality orientation.
• Gallup: Global analytics and advisory firm conducting public opinion polling and survey research across more than 160 countries. Direct peer to D3 in international public opinion measurement, with comparable government, defense, and international development client mix.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Nonpartisan research and evaluation firm delivering evidence-based insights through survey research, impact evaluation, and policy analysis. Direct peer in rigorous methodology serving government and philanthropic clients.

Emerging players

• GeoPoll: Mobile-based survey research platform focused on emerging markets, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. Emerging player with overlapping mobile-first methodology and emerging-market focus relevant to D3's growing Africa operations.

Broad incumbents

• Abt Associates: Major research and program implementation firm with deep international development and public health portfolio. D3 has worked as a subcontractor to Abt; broader incumbent with overlapping USAID and donor-funded client base.

Regional players

• Environics Group: Canadian-owned research and analytics firm conducting public opinion and consumer research globally with strong expertise in social research. Comparable in public opinion methodology but primarily competes in North American and select international markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/d3-designsdatadecisions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 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 D3 Systems