Institute for Marketing Research

What Institute for Marketing Research does

Institute for Marketing Research GmbH (IMR) is a privately held qualitative and quantitative market research consultancy headquartered at An der Hauptwache in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Founded around 2007, the firm operates from a purpose-built facility that includes two group discussion rooms with one-way-mirror observation spaces, six test cubicles, interpreter booths, and fully equipped test kitchens. It is led by managing directors Markus Schaub and Thomas Wiemers and staffed by a team of roughly 20+ market researchers (per its own team disclosure).

IMR's service portfolio spans in-depth interviews (IDIs), mystery shopping, focus groups, surveys, online diaries, usability testing, tastings, and in-home observations. It serves enterprise and mid-market clients across nine verticals — Medical/Pharma, Household Appliances, IT & Technology, Health & Lifestyle, Food & Beverage, Logistics & Engineering, Beauty & Cosmetics, Gaming, and Finance & Insurance — and reports running more than 500 studies per year for over 75 customers. The firm is a member of the Global Market Research international network, which extends its reach to expert partners in 25+ countries.

The business model is consultative B2B professional services sold directly to enterprise clients via the company website and contact channels. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based, with a stated 48-hour response time and a flexible offering of complete solutions, individual elements (recruitment, moderation), or custom combinations, typically engaged under multi-year contracts. The firm maintains GDPR/DSGVO compliance documentation and uses the Recollective platform for online-diary studies. There is no disclosed revenue, no external funding, and no parent company; ownership appears to be management-held through the two Geschäftsführer.

Name

Institute for Marketing Research

Legal name

IMR Institute for Marketing Research GmbH

Website

https://imr-fieldservice.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IMR Institute for Marketing Research GmbH is a Frankfurt am Main–based qualitative and quantitative market research consultancy running 500+ studies per year for 75+ enterprise customers across Medical/Pharma, IT, Food & Beverage, Gaming, Finance and other verticals, delivered from a dedicated focus-group and test-kitchen facility and supported by the Global Market Research international network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAAALAA

B2B / Industrial Market Research

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Advertising, Marketing & PR Services/Market Research & Consumer Insights

Keywords

• Market research services
• Qualitative research methods
• Focus group facilitation
• Consumer insights research
• Product testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Market Research Services: Project-based professional services revenue model. The company offers complete solutions, individual service elements (recruitment, moderation), or custom combinations. Pricing is quote-based, not publicly disclosed. Services include depth interviews, mystery shopping, focus groups, surveys, online diaries, usability testing, tastings, and in-home observations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

IMR delivers B2B market research services for enterprise clients, executing qualitative and quantitative studies such as in-depth interviews, mystery shopping, focus groups, surveys, online diaries, usability testing, tastings, and in-home observations. Projects are conducted on-site at the company's Frankfurt am Main facility (focus group rooms, observation rooms, test cubicles, test kitchens), online, or in participants' homes, with full solutions or individual elements such as recruitment and moderation available. Revenue is generated on a project-based, quote-driven basis, supplemented by access to international expertise through the Global Market Research network covering 25+ countries.

Product overview

Institute for Marketing Research (IMR) offers a comprehensive market research service portfolio focused on qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The core offerings include in-depth interviews (IDIs), mystery shopping, focus groups (GDs), surveys, online diaries, usability testing, and in-home observations. These research services are delivered through IMR's facility in Frankfurt am Main, which provides dedicated infrastructure including two focus group rooms with observation spaces, six test cubicles, and fully equipped test kitchens. The company operates as part of the Global Market Research network, enabling access to international expertise across over 25 countries while maintaining standardized methodologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-depth Interviews (Tiefeninterviews / IDIs)

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ studies conducted annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Global Market ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMR is a proud member of the Global Market Research network, which connects local expertise with worldwide reach. This partnership provides access to international experts from over 25 countries, uniform tested methods for valid results, and the latest tools, technologies, and research trends.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SKOPOS Group: German-based market research firm offering qualitative and quantitative research, online communities, and insight consulting. Directly comparable as a mid-sized German MR consultancy with similar methodology mix and multi-vertical client base.
• Psyma Group: German market research company with strong qualitative and B2B research capabilities, headquartered near Nuremberg. Comparable in size, methodology (focus groups, IDIs, surveys), and vertical breadth to IMR.
• Schlesinger Group (now Sago): Global qualitative market research fieldwork provider with focus group facilities across multiple countries. Directly comparable on qualitative methodology and owned-facility model, but at much larger scale.
• Bilendi: European panel and data collection provider offering qualitative and quantitative fieldwork services. Comparable on European reach and mixed-method research services, with a stronger technology platform component.
• Norstat Group: European data collection company covering 20+ countries, with a panel-based research offering. Comparable geographic reach and B2B research service model to IMR, though Norstat is more quantitative-heavy.
• Fieldwork International: Qualitative market research fieldwork and focus group facility operator with international presence. Directly comparable as a facility-and-fieldwork-driven qualitative research provider serving enterprise clients.
• respondi (Bilendi-owned): European online panel and market research fieldwork provider owned by Bilendi, with strong presence in Germany. Comparable on European fieldwork services and access to consumer panels for qualitative/quantitative studies.

Broad incumbents

• Kantar: One of the world's largest market research and insights firms, offering qualitative, quantitative, and analytics services across all major verticals. Comparable in methodology mix but operates at vastly larger scale than IMR.
• Ipsos: Global market research company covering qualitative, quantitative, and social research across industries. Comparable on full-service research offerings and multi-country capabilities; competes with IMR on enterprise-level RFPs.
• NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence firm with significant presence in consumer research and retail measurement. Overlaps with IMR in consumer/retail research, though NIQ is far larger and more quantitative/data-driven.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Institute for Marketing Research