OvationMR Buys AI-Driven Platform Qualibee

US-based insights agency OvationMR has agreed to acquire AI-driven qual platform Qualibee, for an undisclosed sum

OvationMR is headquartered in New York, was founded in 2016 and provides market research audiences and insights worldwide. Qualibee.ai is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and provides an AI-based platform for conducting qual research, from respondent recruitment to final reports, promising a combination of ease-of-use for novices and sophisticated options for the more experienced researcher.

The deal will combine Ovation's experience of full service market research with Qualibee.ai's proprietary technology, targeting what the firms describe as a market opportunity for rapid qual via innovative tools that leverage AI and machine learning 'in smart ways'.

Qualibee.ai CEO Erik Larsen will join OvationMR as SVP of Research & Product Development, while its CTO Roman Gorin continues to lead the AI/ML development team. Ovation CEO James Whaley (pictured) says Qualibee has 'made a splash' in the industry and comments: 'It's great to be working with Erik Larsen again. He and his partner, Roman Gorin, are innovators in the space ... We're excited to have them and their technology on the Ovation team'.

Larsen describes the move as 'a tremendous opportunity to further develop and apply our AI technologies in new and exciting ways', and adds: 'We are committed to this partnership and are excited to start helping clients add 'qual-at-scale' capabilities to their qualitative toolbox'. Gorin comments: 'Our focus remains on continuous innovation and development of AI technologies, and with this acquisition, we're equipped to do so on a larger and more effective scale'.

Web sites: www.ovationmr.com and www.qualibee.ai .