Best Innovation: Streetbees

Founded in 2015 by Tugce Bulut and Oliver May, Streetbees captures market research data from around the world by inviting its network of users to share information about their lives and behaviour through a mobile app.

The network currently has one million users – or ‘bees’. The user submits qualitative data through photos, videos and open text, as they are carrying out their activities, for example, having a cup of coffee. Natural language processing (NLP), machine learning algorithms and geo-location technology are then used to derive insights from this unstructured data.

In 2018, after raising $12m in Series A funding, Streetbees developed its machine learning technology to offer clients continuous access to a stream of consumer insights from the platform, a service it calls ‘Always On’.

The new subscription service can be accessed in three different ways: ‘inspire’, which offers bitesize stories based on data insights from the platform; ‘discover’, a report of category or market findings; or ‘explore’, which gives access to a real-time dashboard of consumer photos and videos.

Obtaining consumer insights in this way removes the need for respondents to recall behaviour and can overcome issues around cost, participant engagement and lengthy timelines. It can also be used to identify emerging trends and help companies conduct research in regions where data sources are limited or can’t be relied upon.

In one recent project, TES worked with Streetbees to research opinions from students at 1,000 universities in the States, to understand more about their learning engagement and relationship with their university. “We were looking to launch a new rankings of US colleges and we wanted a unique data set,” said Madeleine Evans, director of business development at TES. “The difference the data has made to our business has been transformational,” she added.

Tugce Bulut, founder of Streetbees, said: “We’re delighted at this award, as it represents validation from the industry of all of the work we’ve put in over the last four years to create a dynamic solution that brings big brands closer to their consumers.

“2018 has been a banner year for Streetbees – we’ve secured a substantial funding round from some of Europe’s leading investors, scaled the company and improved our tech solution. Now, we need to make sure that the innovation we’re bringing to the table makes a substantial impact for our clients by enabling them to understand the true complexity of customer decision making and what influences it.”

The Research Live awards judges said: “Tech start-ups are fast becoming a driving force for innovation within the research sector and Streetbees is a prime example.”

Pictured: Streetbees’ Vidisha Gaglani; Quirk’s Media’s Dan Quirk; host Shappi Khorsandi.

The full list of MRS Awards winners can be found here.