The Venture Codex

Participated · Equity · Aug 2021

Atheneum provides a 'research-as-a-service' platform enabling companies to run and analyze primary research via virtual expert consultations, quantitative surveys and big-data products. The service combines cloud-based tools with human-sourced expertise to deliver tailored qualitative and quantitative insights. It is used by roughly 500 large enterprises and taps a network of about 680,000 experts and opinion leaders, having run hundreds of thousands of surveys and interviews. Founded in Berlin a little over a decade ago and now also based in New York, the company is already profitable and generates "well north" of $50 million in annual revenue. Atheneum grew nearly 50% in 2020 and about 80% this year. The company plans to use new capital to expand geographically, hire more staff and build out its technology. Atheneum provides a global intelligence platform serving investment firms, global corporations and professional service firms across sectors including Life Science & Healthcare, Energy & Utilities and Consumer Goods. The company offers tailored insight reports, expert calls, transcripts, surveys, expert-backed research, in-person workshops and placements. Its technology platform leverages a worldwide expert network to unlock access to industry specialists. Led by Ammad Ahmad, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Atheneum is based in Berlin and employs 180 people across ten offices including London, Munich, New York, Santiago, Lahore, Shanghai, Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The company raised $10m in funding to support growth. It plans to use the funds to further advance its technology, grow the team to over 250 staff globally, and enter new markets.