SponsorPulse
SponsorPulse is a Toronto-based B2B SaaS platform that provides consumer-driven sponsorship intelligence, benchmarking 2,800+ properties across 18 countries for brands, rights-holders, and agencies. It combines a self-service analytics application, custom impact and valuation reports, and post-2026 in-market representation services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SponsorPulse does
SponsorPulse, launched in 2018 by Toronto-based IMI International (founded 1971), is a B2B SaaS sponsorship intelligence platform that helps marketers and rights-holders make consumer-driven decisions across the sponsorship lifecycle. The platform consolidates a proprietary consumer panel of 2.2M+ respondents across 18 countries into 300+ audience profiles and benchmarks 2,800+ sponsorship properties spanning sport, music, entertainment, lifestyle, and cause. Core platform features include Property Snapshot (instant health scoring), Compare Properties (side-by-side competitive analysis), Analyze Properties (deep-dive segmentation), Geography Report (regional fan engagement), and Trending Report (year-over-year momentum), supplemented by a stack of branded reports such as Brand Impact, Brand Valuation, Brand Portfolio Analysis, Property Impact, Property Valuation, and the Top Celebrity Report. Following the February 2026 acquisition of TTG Canada and Torque Strategies, the company extended its footprint from software-led insight and valuation into in-market sponsorship representation and creative services, enabling an end-to-end offering for enterprise brands, properties, and agencies. The business runs a hybrid GTM combining a freemium self-service application, quarterly Enterprise subscriptions with custom pricing and dedicated support, and professional-services engagements around custom impact, valuation, and portfolio studies; it sells primarily into North American enterprise marketers while serving a global data footprint.
SponsorPulse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SponsorPulse
- Legal name
- IMI International-Research Inc.
- Website
- https://sponsorpulse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SponsorPulse is a Toronto-based B2B SaaS platform that provides consumer-driven sponsorship intelligence, benchmarking 2,800+ properties across 18 countries for brands, rights-holders, and agencies. It combines a self-service analytics application, custom impact and valuation reports, and post-2026 in-market representation services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SponsorPulse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sponsorship Analytics Software
- NAICS
- Media Representatives (541840), Media Buying Agencies (541830)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Experiential, Event & Sponsorship Marketing (BPAFAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Event Sponsorship Sales & Partnership Brokerage (THAHAGAB), Sponsorship Activation & Experiential Marketing (THAHAGAC), Event & Tournament Sponsorship (Title/Presenting Sponsors, Official Suppliers) (MPAKALAB)
Keywords
Where SponsorPulse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SponsorPulse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Platform Access: Quarterly subscription model providing access to the SponsorPulse insights platform. Subscribers receive platform access based on tier level (Free or Enterprise), with automatic renewal until cancellation.
- Professional Services - Reports: Custom impact reports, valuation reports, and portfolio analysis services for brands and properties seeking strategic sponsorship insights and optimization
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier with single market access and basic property analysis |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Enterprise tier with comprehensive features, multiple markets, and dedicated support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
SponsorPulse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SponsorPulse operates a B2B SaaS sponsorship intelligence platform that combines a quarterly-updated self-service analytics product with custom consulting, brand and property valuation reports, and live sponsorship deal representation. It sells subscriptions, syndicated reports, and bespoke analyses to brands, rights-holders (properties), and agencies seeking to measure, value, and transact sponsorship opportunities.
Product overview
SponsorPulse is a cloud-based sponsorship intelligence platform built by IMI International (founded 1971, launched 2018) offering a self-service platform plus modular consulting reports. The core offering combines a self-service platform (with Property Snapshot, Compare Properties, Analyze Properties, Geography Report, and Trending Report features) with three branded solution suites: Brand Solutions (Impact Report, Valuation Report, Portfolio Analysis), Property Solutions (Impact Report, Valuation Report), and specialized research reports (Top Celebrity Report, Airport Consumer Report). The 2026 acquisition of TTG Canada and Torque Strategies expanded in-market representation, IP, and brand program capabilities. The platform covers 2,800+ sponsorship properties across sport, music, entertainment, and cause in 18 countries, powered by 2.2MM+ unique respondent data.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SponsorPulse Platform Subscription-based self-service SaaS platform that delivers quarterly sponsorship intelligence, benchmarking, and analytics to brands, properties, and agencies worldwide.
- Brand Impact Report Custom consulting deliverable that measures and quantifies the consumer impact and sponsorship performance of a specific brand.
- Brand Valuation Report Custom consulting deliverable that produces a defensible dollar valuation of a brand's sponsorship worth using proprietary methodology.
- Brand Portfolio Analysis Custom portfolio-level consulting engagement that evaluates a brand's full set of sponsorship investments and identifies optimization opportunities.
- Property Impact Report Custom consulting deliverable that measures and quantifies the consumer impact and sponsorship performance of a specific property.
- Property Valuation Report Custom consulting deliverable that produces a defensible dollar valuation of a property's sponsorship worth using proprietary methodology.
- Property Solutions Subscription-based solutions suite packaged for rights-holder properties, bundling ongoing benchmarking, valuation, and impact measurement access.
- Brand Solutions Subscription-based solutions suite packaged for brand buyers, bundling ongoing benchmarking, valuation, and impact measurement access.
- Sponsorship Representation Service offering that supports brands and properties in live sponsorship negotiations, deal structuring, and in-market representation, particularly in the Canadian market.
- Top Celebrity Report Recurring syndicated branded report that ranks the most marketable and sponsorship-relevant celebrities using SponsorPulse's consumer panel data.
- The Airport Consumer Report Recurring syndicated branded report that profiles airport consumers and their media, consumption, and sponsorship behaviors for advertising and partnership planning.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tim Hortons partnership with Special Olympics Canada achieved 78% prompted brand recall, ranking in top 10% of all measured sponsorships
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use SponsorPulse
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SponsorPulse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
SponsorPulse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- TTG CanadacoreSponsorPulse acquired TTG Canada in February 2026, strengthening its capabilities to deliver from insight to impact. TTG Canada brings in-market representation capabilities, expanding SponsorPulse's ability to serve clients coast-to-coast with enhanced insight and valuation services across the full sponsorship lifecycle.
- Torque StrategiescoreAcquired alongside TTG Canada in February 2026, Torque Strategies brings creative capabilities and proprietary IP that expand SponsorPulse's offerings. The acquisition unites people, capabilities, and market presence into a more connected sponsorship ecosystem.
- IMI InternationalcoreIMI International, a full-service consulting firm founded in 1971, launched SponsorPulse in 2018 to bring greater clarity, credibility, and consistency to sponsorship through insight. IMI remains the parent organization of SponsorPulse.
- NHL/NHLPAflagshipSponsorPulse served as a partner in the NHL/NHLPA Innovation Competition, a platform connecting post-secondary students with the sports industry to solve real-world business and community challenges tied to the future of hockey. Katie Cheesbrough, Head of Brand IP & Programs at SponsorPulse, helped design and execute the competition.
- SAPminorPartner in the NHL/NHLPA Innovation Competition alongside other industry leaders including ESPN, NHL clubs, and NHLPA.
- Canadian TireflagshipReferenced as an example of brand integration excellence, Canadian Tire has built its purpose around helping Canadians play, participate and live active lives through its 'We All Play For Canada' Olympic platform connecting elite sport with grassroots participation via Jumpstart programs.
- SephoraflagshipSephora's partnership with F1 Academy is highlighted as a clear example of sponsorship directly expressing brand purpose - championing inclusion where everyone can celebrate their beauty. Rather than simply placing its logo on a race car, Sephora uses motorsport to demonstrate confidence and self-expression.
- BMWminorBMW's partnership with Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is used as an example of brand alignment, less about selling vehicles and more about reinforcing BMW's modern positioning around innovation, progressive luxury, creativity, and emotionally engaging experiences.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SponsorPulse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SponsorUnited: US-based sponsorship intelligence and analytics company providing property evaluation, valuation and deal data to brands, properties and agencies; directly comparable in offering and target customer.
- Hookit: Sports and sponsorship analytics platform measuring media value, social engagement and partnership ROI for brands and rights holders; a directly comparable sports-sponsorship measurement peer.
- Blinkfire Analytics: Sponsorship and media valuation analytics firm using computer vision and AI to measure exposure value for sponsors across sports and esports; comparable technology and customer base.
- Zoomph: Sponsorship analytics platform that measures sponsorship ROI across social media and broadcast using computer vision; competes for the same brand-side sponsorship valuation budget.
- Relo Metrics: Ai-driven sponsorship analytics platform providing exposure valuation and partnership measurement for brands and properties across sports; a directly comparable data-driven valuation peer.
Broad incumbents
- Ipsos: Global research firm offering brand and sponsorship tracking, audience measurement and consumer panels across multiple geographies; an adjacent large incumbent in the same buyer RFPs.
- GroupM (WPP): World's largest media investment group operating sports and entertainment investment arms (espn, Wavemaker) with proprietary sponsorship research and valuation tools; competes for enterprise sponsorship mandates.
- LEADERS (formerly Repucom / Nielsen Sports): Global sponsorship research and consulting firm providing ROI measurement, benchmarking and rights holder evaluation; a directly adjacent incumbent in sponsorship intelligence.
- Nielsen: Global measurement and data analytics company with established sports and sponsorship consumer panels; comparable as a large-scale audience measurement incumbent that could enter sponsorship valuation.
- Kantar: Worldwide market research and insights firm with extensive sponsorship valuation work and brand-tracking capabilities; competes for the same enterprise brand marketing budgets as SponsorPulse.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SponsorPulse social profiles
Digital presenceSponsorPulse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SponsorPulse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
SponsorPulse subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
SponsorPulse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SponsorPulse 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 SponsorPulse
What does SponsorPulse do?
SponsorPulse operates a B2B SaaS sponsorship intelligence platform that combines a quarterly-updated self-service analytics product with custom consulting, brand and property valuation reports, and live sponsorship deal representation. It sells subscriptions, syndicated reports, and bespoke analyses to brands, rights-holders (properties), and agencies seeking to measure, value, and transact sponsorship opportunities.
Is SponsorPulse a public or private company?
SponsorPulse is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SponsorPulse founded?
SponsorPulse was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SponsorPulse based?
SponsorPulse is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does SponsorPulse make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Subscription Platform Access are the primary driver. The others are professional Services - Reports.
Who are SponsorPulse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SponsorUnited, Hookit, Blinkfire Analytics, Zoomph and Relo Metrics. Broad incumbents are Ipsos, GroupM (WPP), LEADERS (formerly Repucom / Nielsen Sports), Nielsen and Kantar.
Does SponsorPulse have an API?
No public API is recorded for SponsorPulse.
What industry is SponsorPulse in?
SponsorPulse's product category is Sponsorship Analytics Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAH, Experiential, Event & Sponsorship Marketing, with a secondary code of THAHAGAB, Event Sponsorship Sales & Partnership Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 541840 and its SIC code is 7311.