Dynata
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Market research |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Tom Danbury, Beverly Weiman |
| Headquarters | Shelton, Connecticut , United States |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Gary Laben (CEO), Rich Lawson (Chairman) |
Number of employees | 3300+ (2015) |
Dynata LLC is a U.S.-based firm focused on conducting survey research for both consumer and business-to-business markets.
History
SSI was established in 1977 by founders Tom Danbury and Beverly Weiman. The company broadened its reach into the European market in 2005 by acquiring Bloomerce bv, a Netherlands-based online sampling enterprise. SSI operates proprietary online panels such as SurveySpot, Opinion Outpost, OpinionWorld, and Choozz.
In 2009, SSI played a pivotal role in creating Research Voice, an industry platform designed to foster cooperation among suppliers, researchers, clients, and survey participants to advance opinion research methodologies.
July 2011 marked SSI’s merger with Opinionology, a Utah-based company, after which it continued functioning under the SSI name as an international sampling and data collection organization.
On December 17, 2014, HGGC, a private equity firm focused on middle-market investments, acquired a controlling interest in SSI. Providence Equity Partners and Sterling Investment Partners maintained minority stakes. HGGC’s CEO Rich Lawson assumed the role of SSI chairman, while Steve Young, former NFL quarterback and HGGC partner, joined the company’s board of directors.
By February 2015, SSI maintained 25 offices in 18 countries with its main headquarters located in Shelton, Connecticut. The workforce exceeded 3,300 employees and the client base included over 3,000 entities such as market research agencies, Fortune 500 corporations, and academic institutions.
In December 2017, a fire devastated SSI’s Davao City office in the Philippines, tragically resulting in the deaths of 37 employees. SSI’s CEO Gary Laben pledged to provide counseling services and support to the families affected by this incident.
On December 20, 2017, SSI combined operations with Research Now to create Research Now SSI. Subsequently, on January 15, 2019, the company adopted the Dynata brand name.
In May 2024, Dynata initiated a prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing aimed at cutting up to 40% of its outstanding debt with an anticipated plan confirmation targeted for July 2024.