Toluna Buys Further's Tech to Launch Start Qual

Consumer insights provider Toluna has acquired the qualitative research technology platform developed by online MR specialist Further, for an undisclosed sum. This technology will be integrated into the end-to-end solution Toluna Start, to launch a new service called 'Toluna Start Qual'.

London-based Further (earlier known as Dub) was founded in 2017 by Stephen Cribbett (pictured), and developed proprietary device agnostic research technology to help clients gain access to consumers' lives 'anytime and anyplace'. This includes a wide range of online qual tools and techniques such as online insight communities, mobile ethnography and co-creation.

Through the deal, Further's tech becomes part of Toluna, the parent company of Harris Interactive, KuRunData and GutCheck, and integrated into Toluna Start, through which users can access Toluna's panel of more than 40 million respondents. The firm says Toluna Start Qual is already providing clients with a range of research services for diaries, discussions, focus groups, polls and surveys; and researchers can use the service to probe responses and dive deeper into motivations, while text analytics are available to explore and compare data.

As part of the deal, some of Further's team members have already moved to Toluna, while Cribbett will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations, but may continue in an advisory role. Frédéric-Charles Petit, CEO and founder of Toluna, says the combination of qual and quant solutions, combined with access to its panel and team of specialists, helps brands to engage with consumers on a deeper level.

Web sites: www.tolunastart.com and www.go-further.co .