We first met Colin White, co-founder of Sumo Insight at our #MeetandEat for AdTech startups back in January. Here’s the business spotlight on his mobile market research app.

What’s the elevator pitch for your startup?

Sumo Insight is a ‘designed for mobile’ market research platform disrupting the consumer insight sector. We bring brands closer to their consumers by using the power of the smartphone to engage with consumers at the right time, and in the right place, for richer, deeper insight in traditional question format and multimedia responses such as video answers.


What were you doing before you launched your startup?

20 years working for blue-chip enterprises such as Toshiba and Orange.  However, I had a busy 12 months prior to starting Sumo Insight as part of the core team that re-branded Orange to EE and launched the first 4G network in the UK. The deadlines were tough but what we achieved under NDA conditions was huge for the industry, bringing forward the introduction of 4G in the UK by at least 12 months.  

If you have co-founders, where did you meet them?

A mutual friend introduced us. She knew we were both looking to do the same thing!


What’s your biggest ‘hindsight’ moment?

So many to choose from! In hindsight though, I think we would have brought our technology to market in smaller steps. Our MVP was quite developed and some of the functionality could have been brought to market in smaller stages. It’s a better process to focus the mind one step at a time!
What will 2015 bring?

2014 was about early adoption of our tech by brands and agencies eager to benefit from introducing mobile in their market research mix, which has brought in revenues, but, more importantly, has allowed us to work closer with real clients in real scenarios and introduce these learnings in to our business. We’re working on a Proof of Concept now which will evolve our product based on client feedback and we’re looking to launch as a MVP later this year (learning from our hindsight!). We’re also just starting to raise further investment under the SEIS scheme following our initial investment round through Collider.io last year.  

One piece of advice for someone starting a business in your sector?
Look to the USA for guidance. The market research sector is innovating faster in the US.

Convince someone to use your product/service in under 50 words.

Traditional research doesn’t add context to consumer insight and it’s often slow. Capturing consumers’ stories, emotions and feedback, in-the-moment they are made via a consumer’s personal smartphone, captures a level of raw honesty you don’t get from other methodology. Faster, deeper consumer understanding! Try us with a brief!


What’s your favourite startup in your sector (not including your own)?

Mfour – doing similar great stuff in the USA.


What’s your favourite London restaurant?

Well, if you’re going to treat me, it’s Hakkasan. Big bold tastes of Asia with an electric atmosphere. If you’re not, then it’s a Pulled Pork Burger with an egg on top from The Joint, Brixton Market.


What’s your favourite meal?
One word, Pizza!

Find more of our #BusinessSpotlights here.