House of Research

What House of Research does

House of Research (legal entity: HoR House of Research GmbH) is a Berlin-based, owner-managed full-service research institute founded in 2000 by Dirk Martens, who serves as the sole managing partner. The firm delivers commissioned empirical research across four declared verticals — media, society, economy, and technology — with media research as the clear center of gravity. Clients span the German public-broadcasting system (ARD, WDR, rbb, SR, Radio Bremen, Deutschlandfunk), state media regulators (MAHSH, LMS, LFK, SLM, mabb, BLM, LFM, LMK), federal health and cultural agencies (BIÖG, BZgA, BKM), and a small set of private media and rights-holding enterprises (Sky Deutschland, GEMA, VUT, arte), plus tourism (visitBerlin) and NGOs (Diakonie Deutschland). The clientele is overwhelmingly German public-sector and institutional, with one noted international commission (Embassy of Canada).

The service portfolio is project-based and methodologically eclectic. Core deliverables include quantitative reach and usage studies (e.g., the ~5,500-interview Reichweitenerhebung Lokal-TV Sachsen 2024; the 2025 regional TV market evaluation for Baden-Württemberg), scientific program analyses (Saarland private radio program analysis 2023), mixed-methods evaluations of federal pilot programs (the ongoing "Trau dich!" school safeguarding evaluation for BIÖG), annual industry sentiment indices (medien.barometer for medianet berlinbrandenburg), and indicator systems (Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaftsindex for Berlin-Brandenburg). Methodologically, the firm combines classical social-science approaches — qualitative and quantitative — with technology-oriented methods including online surveys with differentiated filter logic, online focus groups, expert interviews, telephone surveys, and document/content analysis. No proprietary software platform, SaaS product, or AI/ML pipeline is disclosed; the offering is consulting-grade empirical research, not a technology product.

The business model is straightforward professional services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated on a per-project basis. The go-to-market is direct sales to institutional clients, supported by RFP-driven commissions, a corporate blog, LinkedIn presence, professional publications (e.g., Media Perspektiven), and selective industry-event presence (Lokalrundfunktage). The firm operates from a single Berlin headquarters (Hohenzollerndamm 152, recently relocated from Fischerhüttenstr. 81a), employs 1–10 people, has no parent company, no external investors, no funding history, and no disclosed revenue. Geographic scope is domestic Germany, with the noted Canadian exception. The model is a founder-led boutique — high domain specialization and long-tenured client relationships offset by meaningful key-person and small-team risk.

Name

House of Research

Legal name

HoR House of Research GmbH

Website

https://house-of-research.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

House of Research is a Berlin-based, owner-managed B2B research institute founded in 2000 that delivers commissioned empirical research — quantitative reach surveys, program analyses, and program evaluations — to German public broadcasters, state media regulators, and federal agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Market research services
• Media research
• Opinion research
• Evaluation studies
• Empirical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Research Project Contracts: Project-based research engagements commissioned by government agencies, media companies, public institutions, and healthcare organizations. Projects include reach surveys, program analyses, evaluation studies, and market research across media, society, economy, and technology sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

House of Research is a full-service, owner-managed research institute based in Berlin that delivers scientifically grounded empirical research projects in the areas of media, society, economy, and technology. The institute conducts commissioned studies for clients including public broadcasters, media regulatory authorities, federal and state health agencies, tourism boards, and cultural institutions, combining classical social-science methods (qualitative and quantitative) with technology-oriented approaches such as online surveys, focus groups, expert interviews, and content analysis.

Product overview

House of Research is a full-service research institute providing scientifically grounded empirical research services in the fields of media, society, economy, and technology. The company operates as a service-based research consultancy rather than a software product company, offering a portfolio of distinct research studies and evaluation services. Their offerings include quantitative reach and usage studies (such as the Reichweitenerhebung Lokal-TV Sachsen and regional TV market evaluations for Baden-Württemberg), scientific evaluations of federal pilot projects (including the Trau-dich! school safeguarding evaluation for BIÖG), annual industry sentiment surveys (medien.barometer for medianet berlinbrandenburg), program analyses (radio station program analyses for Saarland), specialized evaluation studies (digital services for children evaluation for BKM), and economic indicator systems (KKI index for Berlin-Brandenburg). Their methodological portfolio encompasses both classical social science approaches—qualitative and quantitative—alongside innovative technology-oriented research methods including online surveys, telephone interviews, focus groups, document analysis, and content analytics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Media Reach and Usage Studies Quantitative reach and audience-research studies for public and private broadcasters and media regulators (e.g., regional/local TV and radio reach surveys) using representative telephone and online interviews.
• Radio and TV Program Analyses Content-driven analyses of private radio and TV programs covering journalistic quality, musical and editorial diversity, and competitive positioning, commissioned by state media authorities.
• Scientific Program Evaluations Accompanying scientific evaluations of public-sector pilot and prevention programs (e.g., school safeguarding concepts) using mixed-methods approaches combining qualitative and quantitative modules.
• Annual Industry Sentiment Surveys (medien.barometer) Annual benchmark survey analyzing sentiment and economic conditions within the ICT, media, and creative industries in Berlin and Brandenburg, delivered for industry networks.
• Digital Media and Child Protection Studies Multi-method research on digital child-friendly offerings and media competence promotion, including evaluation of federal funding programs for cultural and media policy clients.
• Cultural and Creative Industries Index (KKI) Indicator system measuring the economic development of cultural and creative industries across Berlin-Brandenburg, including submarket and location-factor analyses for policy and chamber-of-commerce clients.
• Online Survey and Questionnaire Development Design, programming, and analysis of online feedback questionnaires with differentiated filter logic for various target groups, delivered as part of commissioned research engagements.
• Qualitative Focus Group and Expert Interview Research Design, facilitation, and evaluation of qualitative online focus groups and expert interviews involving stakeholders and professionals from relevant sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reichweitenerhebung Lokal-TV Sachsen 2024: Conducted with approximately 5,500 interviews, representative for Saxony and all eight 'Kulturräume'
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• medianet Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for the annual media.barometer survey analyzing sentiment in ICT, media, and creative industries in Berlin and Brandenburg. The company has produced this recurring research project for medianet berlinbrandenburg for multiple years, establishing it as a key industry benchmark.
• BVM Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association membership. House of Research operates under BVM professional standards for market and social research, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and professional codes of conduct.
• PROdigitalTV – Interessengemeinschaft Digitale MedienminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Dirk Martens serves on the board of PROdigitalTV. The organization focuses on digital media interests and provides networking within the digital media industry.
• Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad WolfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Dirk Martens serves as a lecturer (Lehrbeauftragter) in the Digital Media Culture program, maintaining academic connections and potential research collaboration opportunities.
• Extended Reality Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (XRBB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional network membership in the XR/AR/VR industry association for Berlin-Brandenburg, supporting knowledge exchange in immersive technologies.
• DeGEval – Gesellschaft für Evaluation e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association membership in the German Evaluation Society, supporting methodological standards and professional development in evaluation research.
• Clubcommission BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on discrimination and awareness in Berlin's club scene. Conducted study on awareness standards and discrimination prevention in cooperation with Clubcommission (320+ member clubs and event venues).

Scale indicators1 record

Emerging players

• Statista: Hamburg-based data and research platform that has shifted adjacent market-research budgets to on-demand data products. Comparable on market-research subject matter but operates a tech-enabled data business rather than bespoke mixed-methods fieldwork.

Broad incumbents

• IPSOS: Global market and public-opinion research firm with sizable German operations (formed in part via GfM-Getas, where House of Research's founder previously worked). Overlaps with HoR across public-sector and media research but is a much larger, multi-country generalist.
• Nielsen Germany: Global media-measurement firm with established German audience-research currency offerings (e.g., for broadcasters and advertisers). Comparable in media-reach and program-evaluation work, but at enterprise scale with syndicated panel assets.
• Kantar: International research and consulting group with German media-measurement and audience-research heritage. Overlaps with HoR's media audience and program-analysis work but operates at vastly larger scale with proprietary panels and syndicated products.

Direct peers

• Rheingold Institut: Cologne-based qualitative research institute delivering deep-psychological studies for German media, brand, and policy clients. Comparable as a boutique German qualitative research outfit focused on media and society topics rather than large-scale quantitative panel work.
• Sinus Markt- und Sozialforschung: Heidelberg-based market and social research firm focused on qualitative and mixed-methods projects for German public, health, and cultural sector clients. Highly comparable on methodology mix, German-only scope, and commissioned-project delivery model.
• Infratest dimap: Berlin-based social and political research firm commissioned by German public broadcasters (ARD) and federal institutions for representative studies. Closely comparable in client mix (public broadcasters, government), methodology (CATI/online), and German-only geographic footprint.
• Forsa: Berlin-based German market and social research institute; directly comparable given the same German-language social/political research mandate and overlapping media client base. Founder Dirk Martens was a former project manager at Forsa, underscoring operating-model similarity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/house-of-research
• Xx.com/houseofresearch

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 House of Research