Overview
Market and industry research answers decision-focused questions: How large is the addressable market for this product in these countries? Who are the main competitors and how do they position themselves? What regulatory, technological or demographic forces will shape demand over the next few years? Good research starts by making the question and the decision it informs explicit, because that determines which data matter.
We combine secondary research, from official statistics, trade data, company filings, industry associations and academic literature, with primary research where the gaps are important, such as a customer survey or expert interviews. Market sizing is built both top-down and bottom-up where possible, and the two estimates are compared rather than presented as a single precise figure.
Clients include businesses, startups, nonprofits, consultants and academic teams, as well as students who need a model of rigorous industry analysis. For graded coursework, we work as coaches and reviewers, helping you learn the methods and check your own analysis rather than producing a report you would submit.
Who it’s for and the problems it solves
This is for you if you are…
- Founders and small businesses assessing a new market, product or location
- Nonprofits and social enterprises needing evidence of demand for a program or service
- Consultants and research teams needing a documented evidence base for a client project
- Academic researchers requiring industry context for a study or grant application
- Business students learning how to structure industry analysis for capstone projects, with coaching rather than ghostwriting
Common problems we help with
- Published market size estimates for your sector vary widely and none explain their method
- You need data for a specific country, segment or niche that syndicated reports do not cover
- You have lots of information but no framework for turning it into a recommendation
- Investors or funders have asked for evidence behind your market assumptions
- You are unsure whether to run a survey, interviews or rely on desk research
What’s included — and what isn’t
Included
- Scoping of the decision, research questions, geography, segments and time horizon
- Desk research from official statistics, trade databases, company reports, industry associations, news and academic sources
- Market sizing using top-down and bottom-up approaches, with total, serviceable and obtainable market (TAM, SAM, SOM) where useful
- Industry structure analysis with Porter's five forces and value-chain mapping
- Macro-environment scanning with PESTEL (political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal)
- Competitor profiling and positioning maps from public information
- Customer research design: surveys, interviews or focus groups, with analysis if you collect the data or commission collection
- Scenario analysis or sensitivity tables for key assumptions
- A structured report with an executive summary, source list and assumptions register
Not included
- Invented market statistics or growth rates; every figure is sourced or shown as an explicit estimate
- Reselling or reproducing paid syndicated reports you have not licensed
- Investment, legal or financial advice; the report informs your decision but does not make it
- Writing graded assignments for students to submit; student support is coaching and feedback on your own analysis
- Collecting confidential competitor information through deception or other improper means
What you receive
- Research brief
- A one-page agreement of the decision, questions, scope, sources to be used and deliverable format, confirmed before research starts.
- Market and industry report
- An executive summary, market definition, sizing, industry structure, competitor landscape, trends and implications, with charts and tables.
- Sizing model
- A spreadsheet showing each input, source and assumption, so you can adjust values and see the effect.
- Source and assumptions register
- Every data point with its source, date accessed and reliability notes, plus a list of assumptions and their rationale.
- Primary research outputs
- Where included, the survey or interview instruments, summary of findings and anonymized data tables.
How it works
Define the question
We discuss the decision you face, the audience for the report and what 'good enough' evidence looks like, then agree a research brief.
Desk research
We gather and assess secondary sources, noting their dates, definitions and credibility.
Primary research (optional)
If gaps matter, we design a survey or interview program, and analyze the results once data are collected.
Analysis and sizing
We build the sizing model, apply the analytical frameworks and test key assumptions with sensitivity analysis.
Report and review
You receive a draft report and model, followed by a review call and one round of revisions.
Frameworks and methods
- Top-down sizing
- Starting from total market or population statistics and narrowing through segment shares, with each ratio sourced.
- Bottom-up sizing
- Building from units, prices, customers and purchase frequency, often more credible for niche or new markets.
- Porter's five forces
- Rivalry, threat of entrants, threat of substitutes, buyer power and supplier power, used to explain profitability and entry barriers.
- PESTEL analysis
- A structured scan of external factors, prioritized by likely impact rather than listed exhaustively.
- Competitor analysis
- Profiles, positioning maps and feature or pricing comparisons from public sources.
- Customer surveys and interviews
- Willingness-to-pay questions, conjoint-style trade-offs where suitable, and jobs-to-be-done style interviews for early-stage ideas.
Why sourced estimates beat precise-looking numbers
A single market-size figure quoted to the nearest million implies more certainty than the underlying data allow. We present ranges, show how they were derived, and compare top-down and bottom-up approaches. When the two estimates diverge sharply, that is useful information about which assumption deserves attention.
Every number in the report traces to a source or a named assumption. This makes the report more useful to investors, funders and managers, who can check the reasoning, and to you, when conditions change and the estimate needs updating.
Choosing between desk and primary research
Desk research is faster and cheaper, and often sufficient for established markets with good official statistics. Primary research is worth it when the key uncertainty is about customer behavior or preferences, the market is new, or published data do not cover your segment or country.
When primary research is needed, we design it to answer specific questions from the research brief rather than collecting general opinions. Instruments can be built with our questionnaire design team.
Common pitfalls we help you avoid
Several mistakes recur in market and industry analysis, from student projects to investor decks.
- Treating total market size as the revenue a new entrant can realistically capture
- Mixing currencies, years or definitions from different sources without adjustment
- Listing PESTEL factors without saying which ones actually matter and why
- Relying on press-release growth rates from report vendors without knowing the method
- Drawing conclusions about customer demand from a convenience sample of friends and colleagues
What the work can look like
Illustrative example — fictional data
Sizing a refill-station market for household cleaning products
A fictional social enterprise wants to know whether refill stations for household cleaning products are viable in three mid-sized cities, to support a funding application.
Sizing
Top-down, household spending on cleaning products from national statistics, multiplied by an eco-conscious segment share from a published survey, gave a serviceable market in the range of 3.1 to 4.6 million per year in local currency. A bottom-up estimate from footfall, visit frequency and basket size gave 2.4 to 3.8 million.
Industry structure
Five forces analysis identified strong substitute pressure from supermarket own-brands and low supplier power because several concentrate producers operate in the region.
Primary research
A short intercept survey of 210 shoppers suggested interest was highest among households with children, but stated willingness to pay a premium was modest, so the report recommended piloting one station before expanding.
Illustrative, invented scenario and numbers, shown to demonstrate the structure of our reporting. Real outputs depend on your market and data availability.
What you’ll need to provide
- The decision or question the research should inform, and who will read the report
- Product, service or sector definition, target geography and customer segments
- Any internal data, previous research or reports you already hold and may share
- Access to customers, experts or panels if primary research is planned
- Preferred format, length and deadline
You don’t need everything ready to ask for a quote — tell us what you have and we’ll say what’s missing.
What affects price and turnaround
Price depends on
- Breadth of scope: number of countries, segments and competitors
- Availability of data for your niche or geography
- Whether primary research is included and its scale
- Depth of the sizing model and scenario analysis
- Report length and design requirements
Turnaround depends on
- Scope and number of markets covered
- Time needed for primary data collection and participant recruitment
- Speed of your feedback on the brief and draft
Every project is quoted individually. How we price our work.
Questions people ask before starting
Can you give me the market size for my industry quickly?
We can produce a scoped estimate quickly if data exist, but we will always show how it was derived and how uncertain it is. For many niches, a credible answer needs some bottom-up modeling or primary research.
Do you use paid market research databases?
We use sources you are licensed to access, plus open official and public data. We do not reproduce paid reports you have not licensed, and we cite everything we use.
Can this support my investor pitch or grant application?
Yes. A documented report and sizing model give reviewers something to check. The decision and the claims you make remain yours, and we cannot promise any investment or funding outcome.
I am a business student. Can you help with my industry analysis assignment?
We can coach you through frameworks such as PESTEL and five forces, help you find sources and give feedback on your draft. We do not write the analysis for you to submit; see our business case study support for coursework help.
Is competitor information obtained ethically?
Yes. We use public information, such as websites, filings, press, product listings and reviews, and interviews with people who agree to take part. We do not use deception or seek confidential information.
Who owns the report?
You do, for your stated purpose. If you plan to publish or sell it, tell us at the start so sources and permissions can be checked for that use.