German insights startup Horizon secures investment and hires Adidas exec

Founded in 2021 by Daniel Putsche and Lutz Petrean, Horizon offers testing software that integrates consumer behavioural data. The software allows businesses to use landing page tests to analyse user behaviour in response to questions.

The company’s pre-seed financing came from investors including Catapult Analytics and Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz.

Alongside the funding, Horizon has appointed Annie Melnic (pictured), formerly of Adidas, as head of data analytics and insights. Melnic joined the sports brand in 2016 and has led consumer insights for outdoor sports since 2019.

Daniel Putsche, chief executive at Horizon, said: "Annie will be instrumental in helping us ensure that clients across all industries can generate valuable insights for their strategic product decisions. Her experience in the analytics and consumer acquisition space combined with her consumer insights expertise represents a ‘best blend’ for us."

Henry Piney, formerly managing director of MarketCast International and now a director at Catapult Analytics, said: "As a software-as-a-service company at the intersection of consumer insights, research technology and artificial intelligence, Horizon offers companies clear added value: brands can validate at a very early stage which products and what characteristics in value proposition, pricing or features will resonate with target groups."