Acumen Fieldwork
Acumen Fieldwork is a UK-based market research fieldwork agency founded in 2005, providing qualitative, quantitative, healthcare, B2B, recruitment, and international fieldwork services to research agencies, brands, government, and freelance researchers across the UK and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Acumen Fieldwork does
Acumen Fieldwork is a UK-based market research fieldwork agency founded in 2005 by Julie Fuller and headquartered in Stockport (Manchester). The firm provides end-to-end qualitative, quantitative, healthcare, B2B/social, recruitment, and international fieldwork services to market research agencies, large brands, government departments, and freelance researchers across the UK and select international markets. Service delivery rests on a 700-plus interviewer network capable of recording 320,000 responses in a single quantitative project and a 70,000-plus healthcare user panel supporting patient, HCP, and carer recruitment under BHBIA accreditation.
The company's technology stack is centred on Acumonitor, a proprietary tool for detecting fraudulent participants and verifying data quality, alongside AcuPulse as a named service module. The firm maintains ISO 20252:2019 accreditation across multiple annexes with a zero-discrepancy audit track record, Fair Data accreditation, GDPR-compliant data controller status with the ICO, and adherence to the MRS Code of Conduct. Operations are supported by sister companies Aspect Viewing Facility (including a Healthcare Simulation Suite) and Research Opinions, both operating under the Fuller Research Group umbrella.
Acumen's revenue model is professional services, project-based, and quote-driven, with multi-year contract cadence and no publicly disclosed pricing tiers. Go-to-market is sales-led through direct engagement with research agencies and direct clients, supplemented by event sponsorship (notably MRS IMPACT Conference), industry association leadership across MRS, AQR, and the Recruiter Accreditation Scheme, and content marketing via blog, case studies, and social channels. The company is family-owned and operated, with founder Julie Fuller, Managing Director Abi Fuller, and COO Lydia Fuller holding senior leadership roles.
Acumen Fieldwork firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Acumen Fieldwork
- Legal name
- Acumen Field Limited
- Website
- https://acumenfieldwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Acumen Fieldwork is a UK-based market research fieldwork agency founded in 2005, providing qualitative, quantitative, healthcare, B2B, recruitment, and international fieldwork services to research agencies, brands, government, and freelance researchers across the UK and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Acumen Fieldwork industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Market Research Fieldwork Services
- NAICS
- Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)
Keywords
Where Acumen Fieldwork is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Acumen Fieldwork business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fieldwork Services: Provides qualitative and quantitative fieldwork services including participant recruitment, project management, and data collection for market research agencies, brands, and government departments. Services span across UK and international markets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Acumen Fieldwork product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Acumen Fieldwork is a UK-based market research fieldwork agency that recruits research participants and delivers qualitative, quantitative, and healthcare fieldwork projects on behalf of market research agencies, large brands, and government departments. Services span the full project lifecycle from brief intake and participant recruitment to data collection and delivery, supported by a 700+ interviewer network, a 70,000+ healthcare panel, and the proprietary Acumonitor participant verification tool.
Product overview
Acumen Fieldwork operates as a field agency offering a comprehensive suite of market research fieldwork services. The portfolio centers on three core service pillars: Qualitative Fieldwork (focus groups, interviews, ethnographic research), Quantitative Fieldwork (large-scale data collection via a 700+ interviewer network), and Healthcare Fieldwork & Recruitment (BHBIA-accredited services with access to 70,000+ healthcare users). Supporting these are specialized offerings including B2B and Social Research, Recruitment Services, International Fieldwork, and Additional Services. The company differentiates through proprietary tools including Acumonitor (fraudulent participant detection) and AcuPulse. Services span the UK and international markets, with the company affiliated with the Fuller Research Group.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Acumonitor: Bespoke proprietary tool for detecting fraudulent participants in market research
- AcuPulse
Products and services
- Qualitative Fieldwork End-to-end qualitative fieldwork for market research buyers, covering focus groups, depth interviews, and ethnographic research across the UK and international markets. Designed for market research agencies, brands, government departments, and freelance researchers who need a specialist partner to recruit participants and execute fieldwork.
- Quantitative Fieldwork Large-scale quantitative data collection executed through Acumen's network of more than 700 UK interviewers, capable of delivering very high-volume projects (320,000 responses recorded in a single project). Targeted at market research agencies and brands running consumer, public opinion, or tracking studies.
- Healthcare Fieldwork & Recruitment BHBIA-accredited healthcare market research fieldwork including patient, carer, and healthcare professional recruitment, with access to over 70,000 UK healthcare users and use of Aspect's Healthcare Simulation Suite. Serves pharmaceutical and healthcare research agencies and brands conducting patient, HCP, or sensitive topic research.
- B2B and Social Research Specialist fieldwork for business-to-business interviews, expert panels, and social research audiences, targeting hard-to-reach professional and demographic groups. Aimed at agencies and government departments requiring access to specific professional populations.
- Recruitment Services Standalone participant recruitment for market research projects across methodologies, including hard-to-reach audience recruitment, delivered under RAS accreditation standards. Provided to agencies, brands, and government departments needing recruitment-only support.
- International Fieldwork Multi-country fieldwork management across the UK and global markets for international research projects, delivered through an international partner network. Suits agencies and brands running cross-border qualitative or quantitative studies.
- Additional Services Supplementary market research support services including hall tests, data processing, and mixed methods research delivery. Aims to provide wraparound support for clients needing extra project components beyond core methodologies.
- AcuPulse Named service offering within Acumen Fieldwork's expert market research services portfolio, listed alongside healthcare, international, qualitative, and quantitative fieldwork. Marketed as part of Acumen's specialist research delivery suite for clients seeking a defined service bundle.
Quantifiable outcome
- 320,000 responses recorded in a single quantitative project
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Acumen Fieldwork
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Acumen Fieldwork technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
Acumen Fieldwork partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fuller Research GroupcoreParent company of Acumen Fieldwork. Acumen is affiliated with the Fuller Research Group, which includes Acumen Fieldwork, Research Opinions (in-house recruitment), and Aspect Viewing Facility.
- Research OpinionscoreIn-house recruitment team for Acumen. Also internally accredited under MRS Recruiter Accreditation Scheme. Part of Fuller Research Group.
- Aspect Viewing FacilitycoreSister company providing viewing facilities including the Healthcare Simulation Suite. Won MRS Oppies award for Technology and Innovation. Acumen healthcare team provided input into suite design.
- Market Research Society (MRS)coreAcumen Field Limited is a company partner of the Market Research Society and works strictly in accordance with their Code of Conduct.
- Association for Qualitative Research (AQR)coreAcumen Field Limited is a member of AQR. Founder Julie Fuller was elected to AQR board and championed the Recruiter Accreditation Scheme.
- Fair DataminorAcumen Field Limited is Fair Data accredited alongside ISO20252 accreditation.
- MRS/AQR Recruiter Accreditation SchemecoreJoint MRS and AQR initiative to provide formalised standards for market research recruitment. Founded by Julie Fuller when she was on AQR board. Acumen is accredited and committed to using only RAS accredited recruiters. Becki Pickering on steering committee.
- BT SportminorJoint BBC & BT project for prototype technology research. Acumen conducted research instrumental in assisting development of new features and services for BT Sport prototype.
- Teams4UminorCharitable organisation running initiatives around the world. Acumen team members volunteered in Sierra Leone on Develop with Dignity programme. Raised over £16,000 for institutions in Sierra Leone.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Acumen Fieldwork competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- C Space: Customer community and qualitative research agency with online and in-person fieldwork capabilities. Comparable to Acumen's qual, community, and ethnographic research delivery for agency and brand clients.
- Dynata: Global first-party data and online panel operator offering quant data collection, sample, and research operations at scale. Comparable to Acumen's large-scale quantitative fieldwork and 700+ interviewer/panel infrastructure.
- Kadence International: Independent market research agency with global fieldwork operations spanning qual, quant, and B2B research. Closely comparable to Acumen's end-to-end fieldwork model, multi-country delivery, and agency-client base.
- Hall & Partners: Brand and communications research consultancy with substantial qualitative fieldwork and participant recruitment capabilities. Comparable to Acumen's qual-led fieldwork and brand-customer segment work.
- Sago (formerly Schlesinger Group): One of the largest qualitative and quantitative fieldwork operators globally with deep UK and US presence. Direct competitor to Acumen on focus groups, depth interviews, and online research recruitment for agencies and brands.
- Toluna: Online panel and survey technology provider delivering quant fieldwork, sample, and community research globally. Comparable to Acumen's quant fieldwork and participant recruitment capabilities, with a stronger self-serve technology angle.
- M3 Global Research: Specialist healthcare market research panel and fieldwork provider serving pharma and life sciences clients globally. Directly comparable to Acumen's BHBIA-accredited healthcare team and 70,000+ healthcare user panel.
Broad incumbents
- GfK (now part of NIQ): Global consumer and retail research group with significant quant fieldwork and panel operations. Overlaps with Acumen on consumer panel, brand tracking, and large-scale quant work.
- Ipsos: Global market research and analytics firm with substantial UK operations, including the former MORI social research practice. Competes with Acumen for government social research and large brand research programmes.
- Kantar: World's largest market research group offering insights, analytics, and global fieldwork operations. Competes with Acumen indirectly on large multi-country and enterprise briefs where Acumen partners in rather than leads.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Acumen Fieldwork social profiles
Digital presenceAcumen Fieldwork compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Acumen Fieldwork financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Acumen Fieldwork leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Acumen Fieldwork subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Acumen Fieldwork funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Acumen Fieldwork 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 Acumen Fieldwork
What does Acumen Fieldwork do?
Acumen Fieldwork is a UK-based market research fieldwork agency that recruits research participants and delivers qualitative, quantitative, and healthcare fieldwork projects on behalf of market research agencies, large brands, and government departments. Services span the full project lifecycle from brief intake and participant recruitment to data collection and delivery, supported by a 700+ interviewer network, a 70,000+ healthcare panel, and the proprietary Acumonitor participant verification tool.
Is Acumen Fieldwork a public or private company?
Acumen Fieldwork is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Acumen Fieldwork founded?
Acumen Fieldwork was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Acumen Fieldwork based?
Acumen Fieldwork is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Acumen Fieldwork make money?
One revenue line is on record: fieldwork Services.
Who are Acumen Fieldwork's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are C Space, Dynata, Kadence International, Hall & Partners, Sago (formerly Schlesinger Group), Toluna and M3 Global Research. Broad incumbents are GfK (now part of NIQ), Ipsos and Kantar.
Does Acumen Fieldwork have an API?
No public API is recorded for Acumen Fieldwork.
What industry is Acumen Fieldwork in?
Acumen Fieldwork's product category is Market Research Fieldwork Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAJ, Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services. Its NAICS code is 54191.