National Center For The Middle Market

What National Center For The Middle Market does

The National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) is a nonprofit research center founded in 2012 and housed within The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business in Columbus, Ohio. NCMM studies U.S. middle market companies—businesses with annual revenues typically between $10 million and $1 billion, a segment it estimates accounts for roughly one-third of U.S. private sector employment and GDP. The center produces the quarterly Middle Market Indicator (MMI), an extensive library of research reports (including 'The DNA of Middle Market Growth,' built on a five-year panel of 20,000+ businesses, and 'The Tradeoff Economy'), expert perspectives, case studies, infographics, and the 'Market That Moves America' podcast. It also offers free benchmarking and self-assessment tools covering working capital, executive compensation, supply chain resiliency, performance benchmarking, cybersecurity risk, and company culture.

NCMM's underlying technology consists of survey-based research methodologies, data analytics, and Bayesian network analysis of company performance data rather than a software platform. Its business model is sponsorship-funded rather than product-sold: corporate sponsors including Truist (formerly SunTrust), Grant Thornton LLP, Cisco Systems, Chubb, and Visa provide financial support in exchange for association with the center's research and access to findings. All published research, podcasts, webinars, and tools are offered at no cost to users. The center reaches middle market executives through its website (middlemarketcenter.org), email subscriptions, podcast platforms, and partnerships with regional chambers of commerce in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, where NCMM produces localized research and events. Leadership includes Executive Director Tom Stewart and Managing Director Doug Farren.

Name

National Center For The Middle Market

Legal name

The National Center for the Middle Market

Website

https://middlemarketcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The National Center for the Middle Market is a nonprofit research center at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business that produces proprietary research, benchmarking tools, and podcasts on U.S. middle market companies, funded by corporate sponsors and offered free to users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Partnership Funding: NCMM operates as a research center funded by corporate sponsors including SunTrust Banks (now Truist), Grant Thornton LLP, Cisco Systems, Chubb, and Visa. Sponsors provide financial support in exchange for association with the center's research and access to findings relevant to middle market companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) produces and distributes free primary research, benchmarking tools, and educational content focused on U.S. middle-market companies. Its flagship output is the quarterly Middle Market Indicator (MMI) survey of approximately 1,000 mid-sized firms, supplemented by interactive benchmarking tools, self-assessments, company spotlights, and a podcast. All resources are made publicly available to executives, advisors, policymakers, and the broader business community.

Product overview

The National Center for the Middle Market operates as a research and knowledge organization rather than a product company. Its offerings consist primarily of research publications, benchmarking tools, and educational content. The core products include the quarterly Middle Market Indicator (MMI) reports providing economic performance data, the Knowledge Center with topic-organized content, the Cybersecurity Resource Center for security resources, and various assessment tools (Working Capital Tool, Executive Compensation Benchmarking, Performance Benchmarking, Cybersecurity Risk Self-Assessment, Company Culture Survey, Supply Chain Resiliency Assessment). The organization also produces podcasts, research reports like 'The DNA of Middle Market Growth' and 'The Tradeoff Economy,' company spotlights, and expert perspectives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Middle Market Indicator: Quarterly economic research report tracking middle market company performance and growth metrics.
• The Market That Moves America
• Cybersecurity Resource Center

Products and services

• Middle Market Indicator (MMI) Quarterly Research A quarterly primary-research survey of roughly 1,000 U.S. middle-market companies that produces proprietary indices on growth, hiring, investment plans, and confidence, published as free reports for executives, advisors, and policymakers.
• Knowledge Center An online Knowledge Center aggregating NCMM's articles, research, and educational content on U.S. middle-market trends, available free to executives and advisors.
• Cybersecurity Resource Center Curated collection of cybersecurity research, assessments, and educational content targeted at U.S. middle-market companies seeking to benchmark and improve their security practices.
• Working Capital Tool Interactive benchmarking tool that allows middle-market companies to compare their working capital performance against industry peers.
• Executive Compensation Benchmarking Tool Interactive tool that benchmarks executive compensation levels and structures against peer middle-market companies.
• Supply Chain Resiliency Assessment Self-assessment that helps middle-market companies evaluate supply chain risk, redundancy, and resilience practices against a peer benchmark.
• Performance Benchmarking Tool Interactive benchmarking tool allowing middle-market companies to compare overall firm performance metrics against peer respondents.
• Cybersecurity Risk Self-Assessment Self-assessment tool that scores a middle-market company's cybersecurity readiness and provides peer-relative context.
• Company Culture Survey / Assessment Self-assessment instrument enabling middle-market executives to measure company culture and compare results to peer benchmarks.
• The Tradeoff Economy Research Series of research outputs examining middle-market trade dynamics and associated investment/confidence trade-offs.
• The DNA of Middle Market Growth Original research identifying the characteristic drivers of growth in U.S. middle-market companies.
• Company Spotlights Editorial profiles of individual U.S. middle-market companies that illustrate how leaders apply NCMM's research and benchmarking.
• The Market That Moves America Podcast Audio podcast featuring conversations with middle-market executives and experts on the issues defining U.S. mid-sized companies.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Ohio State University Fisher College of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCMM is housed within and operated by Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. The center serves as the university's primary research initiative focused on middle market companies, leveraging academic resources and faculty expertise.
• Chicagoland Chamber of CommerceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCMM partnered with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to create a report on Chicago's middle market businesses, presenting findings to over 100 Chicago-area business and community leaders. The Chamber uses findings to gear programming toward middle market needs.
• Greater Cleveland PartnershipflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCMM has worked closely with GCP since the center's inception, helping design and launch the Greater Cleveland Middle Market Forum in 2012. NCMM's Managing Director holds a seat on GCP's Middle Market Action Committee.
• Chamber of Commerce for Greater PhiladelphiaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to design a research survey with McKinsey to define the middle market's importance to the Philadelphia region. The Chamber's Middle Market Action Team of 70+ stakeholders continues to leverage findings to raise awareness and support middle market growth.
• Brookings Metropolitan Policy ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCMM's research partner that listed organic growth as a key action for economic development, informing NCMM's research on local middle market companies and their role in community economic development.
• National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization cited in expert perspective article on inclusive procurement for Black-owned middle market companies. One of several organizations working to bridge the procurement/supplier relationship gap.
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization cited as working to bridge procurement/supplier relationship gaps for women-owned and minority-owned businesses in the middle market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Harvard Business Review: HBR is a business research and publishing outlet that produces research-backed insights, benchmarking content, and executive education for business leaders. Comparable to NCMM as a content-driven business research publisher, though HBR serves executives broadly rather than focusing exclusively on the middle market segment.
• McKinsey Global Institute: MGI is the research arm of McKinsey producing economic and business research reports. Comparable to NCMM as a research publication producing middle market and economic insights (NCMM has even partnered with McKinsey on Philadelphia research), though MGI is consulting-adjacent rather than university-affiliated.
• Deloitte Insights: Deloitte Insights publishes research and analysis on business and economic trends including middle market topics. Comparable to NCMM as a corporate-sponsored research publisher producing free executive-level insights and benchmarking content, though backed by a global consulting firm rather than a university.
• MIT Sloan Management Review: MIT SMR is an academic business research publication that produces research reports, articles, and executive insights from a leading business school. Comparable to NCMM as a university-affiliated business research publisher, though it targets a broader cross-size executive audience.
• Economist Intelligence Unit: The EIU produces business and economic research, country forecasts, and industry analysis for executive audiences. Comparable to NCMM as a subscription and sponsor-supported research publisher, though EIU focuses on global macro and country-level research rather than the U.S. middle market specifically.
• Brookings Institution: Brookings is a think tank producing economic and policy research including work on middle market firms and metropolitan economies. Comparable to NCMM as an academic/research organization producing economic research with policy relevance, though Brookings is policy-focused rather than middle market-focused.

Direct peers

• Vistage Worldwide: Vistage operates peer advisory groups and produces research and benchmarking content specifically targeted at middle market CEOs and executives. Directly comparable to NCMM in middle market focus, content/research offerings, and executive audience, though Vistage pairs research with paid peer group memberships.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses program produces research, education, and resources for U.S. small and mid-market business owners. Comparable to NCMM as a sponsor-funded initiative producing research and educational content aimed at the U.S. middle market growth audience.
• The Conference Board: The Conference Board is a nonprofit business research organization that produces economic indicators, executive surveys, and peer learning programs for member companies. Comparable to NCMM as a member/sponsor-funded business research institution producing proprietary indicators and benchmarking content for corporate decision-makers.
• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): NFIB is a membership-based small and mid-market business organization that produces research, surveys, and policy advocacy for U.S. smaller companies. Comparable to NCMM as a research and advocacy body serving the U.S. middle market, with overlapping content on growth, talent, and operational challenges.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MidMarketCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-center-for-the-middle-market

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 National Center For The Middle Market