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​​SSIA 2025

SSIA Research 2025

New groundbreaking findings:
  • Value experience is above expectations
  • The highest-rated use-cases
  • How intensely Investors use Industry Analysts
  • Which AR activities Startups and Investors recommend along funding stages
  • The most-used Industry Analyst firms

2025 Report

  • Available for download in October
  • free to share with attribution
Available soon

SSIA Research 2022

500+ Startups, VCs and Industry Analysts:

  • IAs engage specifically to identify startups to recommend to buyers who inquire
  • Startups that engage early and strategically have a 4-year advantage over rivals
  • What IAs want in briefings
  • Effective vs. ineffective AR ownership
  • AR investment & plans of Startups & VC

Get the 2022 Report PDF

  • 27 pages
  • Free to share with attribution
Download

The State of Startups with Industry Analysts Research Programme (SSIA)_

SSIA is an ongoing research programme at the University of Edinburgh Business School. Its purpose is to examine the interplay of emerging vendors in the b2b tech/services segment and the ecosystem of investors and accelerators with industry analysts. The programme aims to gather a holistic understanding of this rarely revealed part of the playing field, the needs and practices of its actors, and to identify success patterns and trends.


SSIA was initiated by Chris Holscher in 2021 and soon joined by fellow AR-expert Robin Schaffer. The programme is sponsored by Neil Pollock, Professor for Innovation and Social Informatics, and supported by volunteer PhD students.


Data-driven insights for the startup ecosystem

We define “emerging” vendors as companies that have been operating for no longer than 10 years. We don’t set regional limits to the research so that we can spot geographic differences and derive policy recommendations for governments and NGOs.


The research combines scientific surveys and the analysis of publicly available data and expert interviews with practitioners.


A unique quality of the SSIA research programme is that it brings together the different perspectives from the three perspectives of emerging vendors, their ecosystem and industry analysts, generating a 360° holistic understanding of the matter.


The SSIA research gathers views from both, people who have, and have no previous hands-on experience with the analyst relations function. This allows us to identify misconceptions, perceived hurdles, etc.


Instead of repeating the same questions every other year, we extend our knowledge by examining new aspects in every round of the research. This way we can sharpen the picture and add new pieces to the puzzle.


If you have ideas for research questions or any feedback, we'd love to hear from you!

Let's talk

The Insider's Book
2nd Edition

50 Industry analysts from 30 different industry analyst firms share their insider perspectives on all matters of AR management.

Now packed with startup-relevant insights about category creation, and the interplay with investors .

Other chapters share startup-relevant guidance on briefings, inquiries, evaluation reports, events, the impact of AI and more.

200 Pages, Softcover

ISBN -  979 885 669 5235

Buy on Amazon

Get the Startup Chapter (free) 

The Insider's book – 2nd Edition

50 Industry analysts from 30 different analyst firms share their insider perspectives on all matters of AR management.

Now packed with startup-relevant insights about category creation, and the interplay with investors .


Other chapters share startup-relevant recommendations on briefings, inquiries, evaluation reports, events, the impact of AI  and more.


200 Pages, Softcover, ISBN -  979 885 669 5235

Buy on Amazon

 Free Startup Chapter