What PopInsight does

PopInsight (株式会社ポップインサイト) is a Japan-based UX research and design consulting firm founded in January 2013, operating as an internal company (社内カンパニー) of publicly listed Members Co., Ltd. (TSE: 2130). The company delivers managed UX research, usability testing, depth interviews, driving factor surveys, walkthrough evaluations, UX researcher staffing (UXRO), and UX researcher training (OJT) to large Japanese enterprises, supplemented by a self-service remote usability testing product called "User Research Express" (ユーザーリサーチExpress) at usertesting.jp/express. Its core technology stack combines qualitative and quantitative UX research methods delivered by HCD-Net certified specialists, underpinned by a research panel of approximately 36 million users — described by the company as domestically largest-class — and proprietary methodologies including Fit Journey phased validation and Value Prototyping hypothesis testing.

The company's business model is primarily professional services, sold through direct enterprise field sales, inbound consultation, and event-driven demand generation (webinars featuring international UX leaders from Microsoft, Uber, Miro/Google, and LinkedIn). Pricing is quote-based with subscription models starting at ¥800,000/month for new business development support and multi-month engagements of approximately ¥3M–¥4M for value-driven marketing support, alongside credit-based usage pricing for the self-service tool. PopInsight serves a diversified roster of large Japanese enterprises across banking, insurance, telecommunications, automotive, FMCG, fintech, HR/talent, and publishing — including SMBC, Daido Life, KDDI, Nissan, Suntory, freee, Money Forward, Chatwork, and Persol Career — while drawing on the broader Members Group's ~3,000 digital professionals across ~20 specialized subsidiaries for cross-disciplinary execution. The company has accumulated over 20,000 user research projects, operates fully remote-capable with 100% of employees on telework, and maintains an extensive portfolio of security and privacy certifications (ISO 27001/27017/27018/27701, ISMAP, HITRUST CSF, PrivacyMark) supporting sales into regulated buyers.

Name

PopInsight

Legal name

株式会社ポップインサイト

Website

https://popinsight.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PopInsight is a Japan-based UX research and design consulting firm serving large Japanese enterprises across banking, insurance, telecom, automotive, and tech. It delivers managed UX research, self-service usability testing, and marketing/new business development support using a 36-million-user research panel and proprietary methodologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional UX research and consulting services: The primary revenue stream consists of managed UX research and consulting engagements. Services are sold as project-based or monthly retainer contracts. Services include UX design, marketing growth, and new business development support, priced from ¥800,000/month (subscription model, ~0.5 person-months) or project estimates. Delivery is provided by dedicated expert teams working alongside clients. This is the core revenue driver.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PopInsight is a Japan-based UX research and consulting firm that delivers managed user research and accompanying implementation support to large enterprises. Its service portfolio spans UX design (usability testing, depth interviews, walkthrough evaluations, driving factor surveys, UX researcher on-demand staffing, OJT training), marketing growth (value-driven marketing, value prototyping), and new business development support (fit journey validation, green innovation workshops). It also operates a self-service remote usability testing platform called User Research Express (ユーザーリサーチExpress) backed by an approximately 36-million-user research panel.

Product overview

PopInsight is a UX research and design consulting company that operates as an internal company (kampanii) of Members Co., Ltd. (Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange, Code: 2130). The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of UX research and marketing services built around a core of 20,000+ accumulated user research projects. The service portfolio spans three main areas: (1) UX Design services including UXRO (UX researcher on-demand staffing), usability testing, depth interviews, driving factor surveys, walkthrough evaluations, and UX researcher OJT training; (2) Marketing Growth services covering value-driven marketing accompaniment support and value prototyping for agile hypothesis validation; and (3) New Business Development including new venture creation support and green innovation design workshops. The company also provides a self-service remote usability testing tool called 'User Research Express' (ユーザーリサーチExpress). Key differentiators include a large-scale research panel of 36 million users, HCD-Net certified human-centered design specialists on staff, and a monthly fixed-price service model starting from 800,000 JPY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UXRO (UX Researcher On-Demand Staffing / UXデザイン伴走・内製化支援) Staffing-and-accompaniment service placing PopInsight's full-time UX researchers into client teams to support ongoing UX research capability, design team establishment, and internalization of research practices. Designed for large Japanese enterprises that lack sufficient in-house UX research expertise.
• User Testing / Usability Testing (ユーザーテスト) Managed service observing users interacting with websites or applications to identify user psychology, behavior patterns and usability issues, with findings translated into actionable improvement measures. Used by enterprise marketing, product and UX teams for website/app redesign and product improvement.
• Depth Interview Research (デプスインタビュー調査) Qualitative research method using in-depth one-on-one interviews to uncover user motivations, attitudes and underlying needs for product, service and CX initiatives at large Japanese enterprises.
• Driving Factor Survey (顧客ロイヤルティ向上 ドライビングファクター調査) Research engagement that identifies the key factors driving customer loyalty and develops strategies to improve retention and engagement. Targeted at enterprises seeking to strengthen customer lifetime value and loyalty program effectiveness.
• Walkthrough Evaluation (ウォークスルー評価) Expert-led evaluation method that assesses website or application usability from a user's perspective, identifying friction points and improvement opportunities without running full moderated tests.
• UX Researcher OJT Training (UXリサーチ人材育成支援 / UXリサーチOJT) Structured on-the-job training program designed to build in-house UX research capabilities within client organizations, enabling self-sufficient research practices.
• Value-Driven Marketing Support (価値起点マーケティング伴走支援) Marketing strategy service that rebuilds client marketing processes from strategy through execution on the basis of user-research insights, including customer journey mapping, persona development and UX-aligned KPI design. Typically delivered as a multi-month engagement.
• Value Prototyping (バリュープロトタイピング) Agile hypothesis-validation service combining qualitative and quantitative data to explore and validate new value propositions and target segments, delivering from strategy through execution within a 6-month cycle.
• New Business Development Support (新規事業開発支援) Phased validation support using the Fit Journey methodology to strengthen uncertain business ideas through evidence-based decision making at each stage, from concept testing to market fit. Structured as a monthly subscription starting from ¥800,000/month.
• Green Innovation Design Workshop (グリーン・イノベーション・デザイン・ワークショップ) Workshop-style program for creating and pressure-testing business ideas around decarbonization and environmental innovation themes, integrating user research and value prototyping.
• User Research Express (ユーザーリサーチExpress) Self-service remote usability testing platform providing quick access to a pre-screened research panel with credit-based pricing, video-based test result delivery, and optional paid analysis add-ons (insight list, insight map). Designed for mid-market companies and individual UX practitioners seeking quick usability insights without full-service engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sales increased 7x within approximately one year through quantitative/qualitative UX research PDCA cycle (credit card comparison media case)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Members Co., Ltd. (株式会社メンバーズ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPopInsight is an internal company (社内カンパニー) of Members Co., Ltd., a Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section listed company (securities code 2130). Members Co. provides the corporate umbrella, digital talent pool of ~3,000 professionals across 20 specialized companies, and shared infrastructure. PopInsight operates as a semi-autonomous business unit within the Members Group.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Maze: Maze is a rapid testing platform that enables product teams to run unmoderated usability tests, surveys, and prototype tests. It directly competes with PopInsight's self-service usability testing offering and shares the same PLG-style go-to-market approach.
• Hotjar: Hotjar provides behavior analytics and feedback tools including heatmaps, session recordings, and on-site surveys. Comparable to PopInsight's digital experience research and usability evaluation services, particularly for mid-market clients.
• Sprig: Sprig is an in-product research platform combining concept tests, surveys, and feedback widgets to capture user insights. Comparable to PopInsight's continuous research methodologies and customer journey optimization work.
• dscout: dscout is a research platform focused on in-the-moment customer insights through diary studies and video-based research. Comparable to PopInsight's depth interview and qualitative research services, with overlapping enterprise use cases.
• Concent (コンセント): Concent is a long-established Japanese UX design firm offering user research, information architecture, and experience design. Directly comparable to PopInsight as a Japan-based UX research competitor targeting enterprise clients.
• UserTesting: UserTesting is a global leader in human insight, providing a video-first platform for usability tests, interviews, and surveys. It is the most direct global comparable to PopInsight's self-service ユーザーリサーチExpress tool, though it operates at significantly larger international scale.

Broad incumbents

• HAKUHODO (博報堂): HAKUHODO is one of Japan's largest advertising agencies with significant digital and experience design practices. Comparable as a broad incumbent in Japan's marketing and research services market, offering UX as part of a wider communications portfolio.
• Accenture: Accenture is a global professional services firm with substantial digital, design (Fjord), and research practices. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering UX research alongside broader transformation services to multinational enterprise clients.
• Intage (インテージ): Intage is Japan's largest domestic market research firm offering consumer panels, syndicated research, and custom studies. Comparable as a broad incumbent in Japan's research services market, with overlapping panel-based methodologies and enterprise customer base.

Others

• Nielsen Norman Group: Nielsen Norman Group is an established UX research and training authority offering research reports, training courses, and advisory. Comparable to PopInsight's UX expertise and thought leadership, but focused on training and publications rather than managed research services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/popinsight
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzkqHh4CiAPmgLtiy2d2t9Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/popinsight

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 PopInsight