The Analyst Observatory has launched SSIA, a groundbreaking survey into the impact of analysts, and analyst relations, on tech startups and scaleups.
The research centre has already conducted an extensive study of scaleups with Gartner’s Cool Vendor designation, which I have presented at techUK’s Analyst Launchpad workshops with my co-director at the Observatory, Professor Neil Pollock, and our co-author Suwen Chen, a postdoctoral researcher at ESADE. SSIA, the “State of Startups with Industry Analysts” survey will be published in 2022 by Pollock, long-time Analyst Observatory survey researcher Robin Schaffer, and the initiator of the project, our new associate Chris Holscher, an analyst relations consultant serving startups.
Uniquely, this study aims to take three perspectives: that of analysts, of executives in scaleups and startups, and of VCs and accelerators. Sarah Shamouelean, the Analyst Observatory’s partnerships manager, shared her experience of accelerators and incubators with me in a CCgroup webinar. VCs increasing pressure startups to engage earlier with analysts, and some even have AR programmes to promote their growth.

The survey addresses the major pain-point for scaleups and startups found by our study of Cool Vendors: they think only larger firms can benefit from analyst relations.

Ludovic Leforestier summarised four of the benefits of analysts well in this September 2021 article. Much to our shame, a ghostwriter for this blog plagaried Ludovic’s article and sold a lightly reworked version to us. Many thanks to Ludovic for pointing the error.

The 2022 SSIA survey will give new perspectives on this study, especially by highlighting the impact of analysts on investors and incubators. Our Cool Vendor study already showed how that designation accelerated investment. Take part in the survey today to get insight into the 2022 findings.