What Mars Research does

Mars Research, Inc. is a privately held, Fort Lauderdale-based market research firm founded in 1982 that delivers custom qualitative, quantitative, sensory, usability, and online research services to enterprise and mid-market clients across 13+ industry verticals. It operates a single upscale focus group facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that can host up to 60 respondents and up to 20 client viewers simultaneously, supported by a custom usability testing lab, a Central Location Test (CLT) kitchen for sensory/taste testing, and live video streaming via Focus Vision integration. Its proprietary Mars Research Consumer Touch Software runs on Windows-based PCs or tablets for touch-screen survey administration, including advanced question types like constant sum and ranking, with remote administration over the internet. Respondent recruitment is handled by an in-house team drawing on a computerized panel database, a dedicated online community at marspanel.com, client-supplied samples, and random calling, with particular specialization in hard-to-reach audiences (Hispanics, seniors, children, baby boomers, physicians). Geographic reach spans the United States, Canada, and South America, with an extensive field department supporting national-level mystery shops, store audits, and exit interviews.

The company is led by founder/CEO Ronald Teblum, a 30+ year market research veteran who personally supervises all client work; the senior team averages over 20 years of experience. All client engagement is routed through a structured 'Request a Bid' intake form yielding a custom proposal — there are no published price lists, tiers, or rate cards. Revenue is project-based professional services, with engagements scoped per study across research design, recruitment, data collection, analytics, and reporting. Mars Research is a Microsoft Partner and a member of QRCA, and markets itself primarily through direct sales, its corporate website, and the marspanel.com community; there is no visible content marketing, paid media, or self-serve online purchase. The firm carries no disclosed funding, no parent company, no M&A history, and no institutional investors.

Name

Mars Research

Legal name

Mars Research, Inc.

Website

https://marsresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mars Research is a privately held, Fort Lauderdale-based market research firm founded in 1982 that delivers custom qualitative, quantitative, sensory, usability, and online research services to enterprise and mid-market clients across 13+ industry verticals in the US, Canada, and South America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Market Research & Consumer Insights (BPAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE), Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ), Qualitative Research (Focus Groups, IDIs, Ethnography) (MPAAALAE), Quantitative Research & Survey Analytics (Survey Design, Sampling, Statistical Modeling) (MPAAALAF), Syndicated Market Research (Panels, Omnibus, Tracker Studies) (MPAAALAB)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Focus group facilities
• Consumer panel recruitment
• Usability testing services
• Sensory research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Market Research Project Services: Project-based professional services revenue. Clients submit a "Request a Bid" with study specifications, Mars Research prepares a custom proposal, and engagements are scoped per project. Services span research design, recruitment, data collection (qualitative and quantitative), analytics, and reporting. Includes facility rental, sensory/CLT testing, usability testing, and focus group hosting at the Fort Lauderdale facility.
2. Panel Respondent Incentives & Sweepstakes: Operates a respondent panel (marspanel.com) with point programs, sweepstakes, and other promotions supporting ongoing respondent engagement; revenue flows indirectly via the projects that recruit panelists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mars Research delivers custom qualitative and quantitative market research services from a single Fort Lauderdale focus group facility, including research design, recruitment, data collection, statistical analysis, and reporting. Offerings span focus group hosting, usability testing, sensory/CLT research, online research, multicultural ethnic studies, and analytics, supported by a proprietary touch-screen survey software platform and an in-house respondent panel covering hard-to-reach audiences.

Product overview

Mars Research delivers a unified market research service offering built on a single integrated operational platform rather than a modular product architecture. The core offering is anchored by the Fort Lauderdale Focus Group Facilities (Main Conference Room, Large Conference Room, Client Lounge, Main Viewing Room, Conference Room 2, and kitchen/taste-test setups), which are supported by a portfolio of service modules: the Usability Testing Lab, Sensory Research (CLT Testing), Online Research, Multicultural Ethnic Studies, Analytics and Reporting, the in-house Recruiting Service, Quantitative Research, and Qualitative Research. The Touch Screen Survey Software is a proprietary software product used across projects, while the Mars Panel online community and the Focus Vision-powered FocusGroup Video Streaming extend recruitment and remote client observation capabilities. Research Design is the underlying methodological framework that ties these services together across the full research lifecycle — from research objectives and methodology design through data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Focus Group Facilities
• Usability Testing Lab State-of-the-art usability testing laboratory at Mars Research's Fort Lauderdale facility that allows clients to clearly observe and evaluate testing on any type of interactive product, including websites, interactive software, hand-held devices, paper prototypes, ATMs, kiosks, and automated voice response systems. For corporate clients commissioning usability studies.
• Sensory Research (CLT Testing) Central Location Test (CLT) sensory evaluation service for a wide range of clients. Testing is completed at Mars Research's CLT Testing facility, or respondents can be directly recruited to a client's location for sensory studies such as taste tests. For CPG, food service, and packaged goods clients.
• Online Research Online data collection service conducted via phones, tablets, or computers to fast-capture consumer insights as well as immediate feedback following a user's experience or transaction. For corporate clients running online quantitative or qualitative studies.
• Multicultural Ethnic Studies Ethnic research service that pinpoints consumer groups based on race, national origin, or distinctive cultural patterns, enabling clients to determine the best way to reach multicultural audiences. For corporate clients targeting Hispanic and other multicultural segments.
• Analytics and Reporting Reporting service that converts statistical findings into accessible and actionable insights using charts, graphs, infographics, and dashboards to convey data-heavy information. For corporate clients who need decision-ready deliverables rather than raw statistical outputs.
• Recruiting Service In-house recruiting team that designs comprehensive research plans utilizing client-supplied sample, computerized database, online communities, or random calling to deliver reliable data on consumers, professionals, and businesses across full target audiences including Hispanics, seniors, and children. For corporate clients who need qualified respondents for their studies.
• Touch Screen Survey Software Mars Research Consumer Touch Software that runs on any Windows-based PC or tablet with a touch screen monitor. Features a user-friendly graphical interface, easy response selection, advanced question types (constant sum, ranking), and supports tests locally or remotely over any internet connection. Used by Mars Research in client survey projects.
• FocusGroup Video Streaming Live internet video streaming service powered by Focus Vision technology, enabling clients to remotely view live video transmission of focus groups, in-depth interviews, and usability sessions from anywhere. For corporate clients whose stakeholders cannot attend in person.
• Quantitative Research Objective, fact-based research service using Internet, telephone, social media, and CLT methodologies, plus web-assisted telephone techniques. Covers taste tests, new product/service development, positioning, brand/customer satisfaction, segmentation, concept testing, tracking, pricing, advertising, and employee surveys. For corporate clients across verticals.
• Qualitative Research Subjective, interpretive research using focus groups, in-depth interviews, observation, and ethnography. Employs projective techniques (brand imagery and image association), free association, role playing, guided retrospection, and layout design to uncover motivations, attitudes, and emotions driving behavior. For corporate clients across verticals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35+ years of continuous service
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants Association)minorOthersQRCA logo is displayed on the Mars Research homepage, indicating membership in the Qualitative Research Consultants Association — an industry trade body for qualitative research professionals. No formal product, marketing, or commercial partnership terms are disclosed.
• Focus VisioncoreTechnology or IntegrationFocus Vision technology is integrated into Mars Research's Fort Lauderdale facility to provide live video streaming of focus groups, IDIs, and usability sessions over the internet to remote clients. This is a core operational capability referenced in both the Services page and the facility description.
• Broward County (Florida)minorOthersBroward County Small Business badge is displayed on the Mars Research homepage, indicating recognition/registration as a small business within Broward County, Florida. This is a local government or chamber-style recognition rather than a commercial alliance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Discuss.io: Enterprise qualitative research platform enabling remote focus groups, IDIs, and usability sessions via live video streaming. Comparable to Mars Research's Focus Vision-enabled remote focus group viewing and usability testing capabilities, but as a software-led platform rather than a facility-based operator.
• UserTesting: Digital-first usability and user experience research platform enabling remote moderated and unmoderated tests. Overlaps with Mars Research's Usability Testing Lab service, particularly for digital products, but competes via a scalable remote panel rather than a physical lab.

Direct peers

• Schlesinger Group: A large qualitative research field services and focus group facility operator with facilities across the US, UK, and Europe. Directly comparable to Mars Research in focus group hosting, recruiting, and qualitative research services, but at substantially greater scale.
• C Space: Custom market research and consumer insight firm specializing in qualitative research, online communities, and co-creation. Directly comparable to Mars Research's qualitative, recruiting, and analytics offerings, particularly for brand and customer loyalty work.
• Fieldwork Network: Operates a national network of focus group facilities and qualitative research services across the US, providing project-based qualitative recruitment and hosting. Closely matches Mars Research's focus group facility, recruiting, and qualitative service offering, but with broader geographic coverage.
• Plaza Research: US-based focus group facility and qualitative research firm with multiple locations. Directly comparable in services offered — focus group hosting, recruiting, and qualitative project management — with similar mid-market positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Toluna: Global online consumer panel and survey technology provider offering quantitative and qualitative research at scale. Overlaps with Mars Research's online research, panel recruitment, and quantitative capabilities, but operates a much larger technology-led platform.
• Ipsos: One of the largest global market research firms offering qualitative, quantitative, sensory, and consumer research worldwide. Comparable in scope of services (qual, quant, sensory) and enterprise client base, but at vastly greater scale and with global panel infrastructure.
• Qualtrics: Enterprise experience management and survey/research platform offering self-serve and managed research services. Comparable to Mars Research's online, quantitative, and analytics/reporting capabilities but as a broad software-led incumbent rather than a facility-based services firm.

Regional players

• Rose Research: Smaller regional focus group and qualitative research firm operating outside of South Florida. Comparable in service mix (focus group facility, recruiting, qual/quant) but in a different US geography, serving as a regional rather than direct Fort Lauderdale-area competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mars-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Mars Research