Opinion Research Business International

Name

Opinion Research Business International

Legal name

ORB International

Website

https://orb-international.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Telecommunications & Connectivity (ETC) (BPADADAG)

Keywords

• Third-party monitoring
• Data collection services
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Public opinion research
• Radio media monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) Services: ORB provides ongoing third-party monitoring and verification services for large-scale humanitarian and development projects, working with USAID/BHA and other international donors. Revenue is generated through multi-year project contracts.
2. Research and Data Collection Services: Custom research engagements involving quantitative and qualitative data collection, including public opinion surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews across challenging environments.
3. Evaluations and Assessments: Program evaluations and assessments for development projects, examining policy and program impacts and providing analysis for program design.
4. wAIve™ Radio Monitoring Subscription: AI-powered radio monitoring product offering near real-time monitoring across multiple countries, with customizable dashboards for analysis and export.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ORB International provides independent third-party monitoring (TPM), quantitative and qualitative data collection, and program evaluations for government agencies, international development organizations, and humanitarian NGOs operating in complex and fragile environments. The firm delivers field research across 116+ countries using CAPI, CATI, online, SMS, FGDs, and key informant interviews, complemented by its proprietary AI-powered wAIve™ radio monitoring platform that transcribes and classifies broadcasts across 140+ languages for media intelligence and narrative analysis.

Product overview

ORB International is a global monitoring, evaluation, research and analysis firm offering a unified suite of research services. Their core offerings include Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) for project verification, comprehensive Data Collection services using quantitative and qualitative methods across 116+ countries, and the AI-powered wAIve platform for real-time radio monitoring. The company employs both traditional research methodologies (surveys, interviews, focus groups) and advanced AI technologies (speech recognition, NLP) to deliver insights in challenging global environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• wAIve: AI-powered global radio monitoring product that provides near real-time terrestrial FM and Digital radio monitoring across 12 countries, transcribing and classifying radio broadcasts in over 140 languages using AI-powered speech recognition and natural language processing.

Products and services

• Third-Party Monitoring (TPM) Independent monitoring and verification services for organizations operating in complex environments, including site visits, direct observations, document reviews, key informant interviews, and surveys to ensure project accountability for humanitarian and development programs.
• Data Collection Quantitative and qualitative data collection services using methods including Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI), Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), online surveys, SMS surveys, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews across over 116 countries.
• wAIve AI-powered global radio monitoring platform that transcribes, translates, and classifies large volumes of radio broadcasts using speech recognition and natural language processing across 140+ languages, providing real-time media intelligence for communication planning, campaign monitoring, crisis response, and narrative assessment.
• Evaluations and Assessments Program evaluations and assessments for development projects, examining policy and program impacts and providing analysis to inform program design and effectiveness measurement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Data quality verification - detected significant fraud affecting 51% of variables in internal studies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and infrastructure.

• Management Systems International (MSI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ORB partnered with MSI to implement the Central Africa Regional Third-Party Monitoring (CART) Project for USAID/BHA. ORB is responsible for data collection tool development, training and supervision of enumerators, quality control and assurance, and data collection across implementing partners in CAR, DRC, and ROC. The partnership involves approximately 20 site visits per month.
• WIN (Worldwide Independent Network)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015ORB International has been the sole UK representative of WIN since 2015. The partnership provides access to global research methodologies, panel providers, translation software, and thought leadership. ORB has presented their wAIve capability to the network, and benefits from the network's collective expertise across members ranging from small firms to those turning over £100m+.
• Gallup InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORB is a member of the Gallup International network, enabling participation in global polling initiatives including End of Year surveys and international attitude studies. The partnership allows collaboration on cross-national research and access to global polling methodology.
• WAPOR (World Association for Public Opinion Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORB is a member of WAPOR, participating in industry events and adhering to professional standards for public opinion research.
• British Polling CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORB is a member of the British Polling Council, adhering to transparency standards for polling methodology in the UK.
• SurveyToGo (Do You Dream Up?)coreTechnology or IntegrationORB uses SurveyToGo software from Do You Dream Up? for field data collection. The platform enables interviewers to collect data and send it remotely with SSL encryption, two-way communications, and secure data storage on tablets.
• Amazon AWSinfrastructureTechnology or IntegrationSurveyToGo Data Centre servers are hosted by Amazon AWS, providing cloud infrastructure for data storage with redundancy across multiple physical locations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Premise Data: Data company using crowdsourced contributors for on-the-ground data collection, often in fragile or hard-to-reach markets for governments and development organizations. Comparable to ORB on technology-enabled data acquisition in restricted environments.
• Viamo: Mobile-first research and communications platform operating across Africa and Asia, blending IVR/SMS surveys with media analytics. Comparable to ORB's wAIve™ in applying mobile/voice channels to data collection in low-connectivity markets.
• GeoPoll: Mobile-based survey and data platform focused on Africa and emerging markets, used by development and research clients. Comparable to ORB on technology-mediated data collection in challenging environments.

Direct peers

• Palladium: Global advisory firm executing USAID, DFID/FCDO, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation programs including monitoring and evaluation. Overlaps with ORB on donor-funded M&E, impact evaluation, and fragile-state delivery.
• RTI International: Research institute delivering international development, M&E, and survey research for USAID, PEPFAR, and other clients. Strong overlap on multi-country data collection and program evaluation.
• Abt Associates: Research and consulting firm delivering international development, health, and social-policy programs for USAID and other donors. Highly comparable on M&E, data collection, and survey research for development clients.
• Management Systems International (MSI): Global M&E and consulting firm and ORB's partner on the USAID/BHA CART Project. Direct overlap in third-party monitoring, data collection, and program evaluation for international development clients.
• InterMedia: Research firm specializing in media and communications research, audience measurement, and evaluation in developing countries. Overlaps with ORB on media-environment analysis and USAID/FCDO-funded research in fragile states.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: Independent research institution conducting global survey research, M&E, and program evaluation for government and foundation clients. Comparable on rigorous survey methodology and international field operations.
• DAI Global Health: International development consultancy delivering M&E, governance, and humanitarian programming for USAID, FCDO, and other donors. Comparable in client mix, TPM offerings, and emerging-markets field presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orb_int
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orb
• Instagraminstagram.com/orb_international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Opinion Research Business International