What Istituto Piepoli does

Istituto Piepoli SpA is an Italian market research and opinion polling institute founded in 1965 and headquartered in Milan, with a secondary office in Rome. The firm operates a hybrid CATI-CAWI survey methodology (computer-assisted telephone and web interviewing) to deliver weekly public opinion data on the Italian adult population, anchored by its registered-trademark product Tableau de Bord, which produces 500-case weekly samples with results delivered within one to two days at €400 per question per survey. Over 30 years the firm has accumulated more than one million interviews under this methodology, supported by an archive of annual publications (L'Opinione degli Italiani series) and specialty products including Dizionario del Futuro, Le Carte Creative Eureka, and La Cultura in Viaggio.

The business model combines three revenue streams: recurring Tableau de Bord subscriptions, custom ad-hoc research projects for corporate and institutional clients, and one-time sales of publications and creative tools through an owned e-commerce shop, with prices ranging from €16 for standard annual reports up to €79 for the creative card deck. Customer segments are diversified across Italian media (RAI, il Giornale, GDONews), consumer goods and agrifood (C.L.A.N., GDONews readership), pharmaceuticals (MSD Italia), energy (Enel), transportation (Trenitalia), and e-commerce (Temu). Distribution runs through direct sales led by regionally assigned commercial managers, an e-commerce storefront, and media partnerships that republish polling output.

International reach is delivered primarily through The Research Alliance network, which Istituto Piepoli joined in 2016, providing access to 30+ countries across Europe, Australasia, and the Americas without operating subsidiaries abroad. The firm is privately held under founder-family management, with Nicola Piepoli as Honorary President, Livio Gigliuto as President, Nicoletta Merigo as CEO, and Sara Merigo also serving as Amministratore Delegato. There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or revenue figures in the source material.

Name

Istituto Piepoli

Legal name

Istituto Piepoli SpA

Website

https://istitutopiepoli.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Istituto Piepoli is an Italian market research and opinion polling institute, founded in 1965, that conducts weekly CATI-CAWI public opinion surveys (Tableau de Bord) and custom research for Italian media, corporate, and institutional clients across pharma, energy, retail, and e-commerce verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research & Opinion Polling

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ), Syndicated Market Research (Panels, Omnibus, Tracker Studies) (MPAAALAB)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Public opinion polling
• Consumer behavior research
• Electoral survey research
• Brand tracking research

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 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 Services: Custom market research and opinion polling services for corporate and institutional clients, including weekly Tableau de Bord subscriptions and ad-hoc survey projects.
2. Publications Sales: Sale of annual opinion books (L'Opinione degli Italiani series), creative dictionaries, and specialty publications through the company's e-commerce shop.
3. Tableau de Bord Subscription: Weekly polling subscription service with 500-case representative samples, delivering results within 1-2 days. Priced at €400 per question per survey.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Istituto Piepoli is an Italian market research and opinion polling institute that conducts quantitative and qualitative surveys using a proprietary CATI-CAWI (telephone and web) mixed methodology, sells the registered-trademark Tableau de Bord weekly public opinion monitoring subscription, and produces an annual series of opinion publications together with custom ad-hoc research projects for corporate, media, and institutional clients in Italy. Beyond traditional research, the institute publishes specialty books and creative tools (e.g., Le Carte Creative Eureka) and designs executive cultural training programs such as La Cultura in Viaggio.

Product overview

Istituto Piepoli is a market and opinion research institute offering a portfolio of research products including Tableau de Bord (a registered trademark weekly public opinion monitoring product with over 1 million interviews conducted in 30 years), annual publications titled 'L'Opinione degli Italiani' spanning from 2008 to 2024, creative tools like Le Carte Creative Eureka and Dizionario Creativo, and specialized publications on future trends and cultural topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tableau de Bord Registered-trademark weekly public opinion monitoring subscription product for the Italian adult population, delivered via 500-case CATI-CAWI (telephone and web) surveys with results returned within 1-2 days, sold on a per-question-per-survey basis (from €400 per question). Designed for media organizations, enterprises, and institutional buyers requiring continuous, representative political and social opinion tracking.
• L'Opinione degli Italiani (Annual Series) Annual publication series (with editions spanning 2008 through 2024, including 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023-2024) documenting Italian public opinion on current events, featuring contributions from Italian opinion leaders and co-edited by Livio Gigliuto and Sara Merigo (with Nicoletta Merigo). Sold direct to consumers via the Istituto Piepoli shop at €21 per edition. Targets readers interested in Italian political, social, and cultural opinion trends.
• Dizionario del Futuro Book by Nicola Piepoli providing keys to interpret future trends and challenges, helping readers understand and plan for the future. Sold direct to consumers via the Istituto Piepoli shop at €20.
• Le Carte Creative Eureka 54-card creative thinking deck based on Vladimir Propp's 31 functions of narrative and Gianni Rodari's creative techniques, designed to stimulate individual and collective invention and problem-solving via idea-symbol cards. Sold direct to consumers via the Istituto Piepoli shop at €79.
• La Cultura in Viaggio High-level executive training course delivered on board Frecciarossa 1000 trains, comprising 16 lectures on culture, strategy, ethics, and digital transformation, developed in collaboration with Enel and Trenitalia (Gruppo FS Italiane) with contributions from economic, cultural, and sports personalities. Targeted at corporate management audiences.
• Dizionario Creativo (Series) Aphorisms, thoughts, and techniques for stimulating creativity and personal development, with editions including 2011 and 2013; practical problem-solving tool for marketing, R&D, and commercial professionals. Sold direct to consumers via the Istituto Piepoli shop (priced around €18-20).
• Custom Market Research Services Ad-hoc quantitative and qualitative research projects commissioned by corporate, institutional, and media clients (e.g., MSD Italia HPV prevention study, C.L.A.N. Italian food safety study, Temu Italian online shopping trends survey), delivered through the institute's CATI-CAWI infrastructure and qualitative research capabilities. Priced on a custom project basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million interviews produced in 30 years using Tableau de Bord methodology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Research AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016International research network that Istituto Piepoli joined in 2016, enabling export of research expertise (E-Sat, Smart Poll) internationally. Provides global network coverage while maintaining medium-sized organization service quality. Network covers Europe, Australasia, and Americas.
• Ice – National Institute for Foreign TradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Made in Italy' project monitoring satisfaction levels of business delegations during international missions abroad.
• MSD ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for HPV prevention research. Istituto Piepoli produced the 2026 Rapporto Piepoli analyzing Italians' relationship with HPV, prevention, and vaccination, presented at Casa del Cinema di Roma.
• Trenitalia (Gruppo FS Italiane)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'La Cultura in Viaggio' program - 16 high-level training sessions conducted aboard Frecciarossa 1000 trains for Enel managers, with contributions from economic, cultural, and sports personalities.
• TemuminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerE-commerce platform partnership for Italian online shopping trends survey exploring latest consumer behaviors among Italian shoppers.
• C.L.A.N. (National Agrifood Cluster)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for Italian food safety study showing 60% of Italians have faith in scientific and technological progress.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Cattaneo Zanetto & Co. Italian market research and strategic insight boutique serving consumer, retail, and lifestyle clients — comparable in scale and craft focus to Piepoli, though more tilted toward commercial research than political polling.

Direct peers

• SWG S.p.A. Italian market research and opinion polling firm founded in Trieste that conducts CATI-based public opinion polls and consumer studies for media and corporate clients — directly comparable in methodology, geography, and customer base to Istituto Piepoli.
• Doxa (BVA Doxa): One of the oldest Italian market research institutes (founded 1945), now part of BVA Group, offering public opinion polling, consumer insights, and syndicated studies to Italian media and enterprises — same core product set and customer segments as Piepoli.
• Quorum / YouTrend: Italian polling and political research firm providing survey-based opinion data to Italian media outlets — competes with Piepoli in the same weekly Italian public-opinion polling niche.
• EMG Different: Italian research agency specializing in political polling, electoral studies, and consumer research for television programs and newspapers — directly comparable to Piepoli's media-driven polling business.

Broad incumbents

• Nielsen Italia: Italian arm of global consumer measurement and market research firm Nielsen, providing consumer panel data and media research — competes for the same enterprise consumer-research budgets as Piepoli.
• Kantar Italia: Italian operations of global research firm Kantar, offering brand tracking, consumer insights, and syndicated audience research — overlaps with Piepoli's brand and consumer-tracker services.
• Ipsos Italia: Italian subsidiary of global research giant Ipsos, offering syndicated tracker studies, consumer research, and public opinion polling — overlaps with Piepoli's offerings but as part of a much broader portfolio.
• GfK Italia: Italian subsidiary of global market research group GfK, providing consumer panel and industry research across multiple verticals — competes for the same consumer and corporate research RFPs as Piepoli.

Emerging players

• Termometro Politico: Italian political polling aggregator and analysis platform that compiles and publishes public opinion data — partial competitor in the political-poling information space that Piepoli serves via Tableau de Bord.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/istitutopiepoli
• Facebookfacebook.com/gruppo.piepoli
• Instagraminstagram.com/istituto_piepoli

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Istituto Piepoli