Understanding the Complex World of Specialist Research
When most buyers think about analyst research, they default to a handful of familiar names but this represents just the tip of the iceberg. Our latest market mapping reveals a rich ecosystem of specialist expertise that exceeds what most research buyers realise exists, writes Edwin Bailey, COO of Content Catalyst.
The analyst research industry has always been diverse and specialised, but its true scope and depth often remains hidden from buyers who default to familiar names.
Rather than being a simple marketplace of a few large players, the research ecosystem comprises hundreds of specialist firms, each with deep expertise in specific industry verticals.
Our comprehensive mapping has identified approximately 100 leading specialist analyst research firms across 12 key industry sectors – a scale that demonstrates the abundance of available expertise and the challenge facing research buyers.
This complexity creates both opportunity and challenge for organisations seeking insights. The opportunity lies in accessing world-class expertise that far surpasses what generalist coverage can provide. The challenge is understanding which firms excel where, and how to navigate a landscape that includes everyone from established sector leaders to emerging specialists.
Market map of leading, specialist analyst research firms that publish syndicated research or data products. © Content Catalyst 2025
Our research shows that organisations are increasingly adopting portfolio approaches, working with multiple specialist firms to ensure access to best-in-class insights across different areas.
Edwin Bailey COO Content Catalyst
We built this market map using four evaluation criteria designed to highlight analyst research firms that excel in their market coverage and industry verticals. Together, they capture what makes a top analyst research firm.
Established Market Expertise: Firms must be well-established in their specific areas of market expertise. This means demonstrating sustained presence, authority and recognition within their market areas.
Syndicated Research Publication: This was our most critical differentiator. Only firms that publish syndicated research or data products made the map were included. This condition separates ‘true’ analyst research firms from consultancies, which typically provide bespoke advisory services. Syndicated research demonstrates that firms have developed intellectual property and market-validated insights that multiple enterprises find valuable enough to purchase.
Analytical Scale and Depth: Inclusion in the map requires evidence of substantial analytical capability through numbers of analysts and volume of publication. This ensures firms have the resources to maintain deep sector expertise rather than superficial coverage.
Subscription Business Models: Firms need to offer ongoing subscription access to their research. This demonstrates sustained market validation and the ability to continuously deliver value to customers.
The IT/Technology sector shows the highest concentration of specialist firms, reflecting both market size and the rapid pace of technological change. From established players like Gartner and IDC to focused specialists like Tech Market View and CCS Insights, this sector demonstrates how specialisation creates value.
Electronics and Telecoms show similar patterns, with firms like GSMA (telecoms) and YOLE (electronics) becoming essential resources for understanding complex technology ecosystems.
Aerospace/Defence/Transport specialists like Janes have built irreplaceable databases and analyst expertise over decades. These sectors demonstrate how regulatory complexity and long product cycles create sustainable competitive advantages for specialised firms.
Energy/Utilities research reflects the sector’s current transformation, with firms like Wood Mackenzie and LCP Delta providing essential intelligence for navigating the energy transition.
Finance sector research has become increasingly specialised as fintech disruption and regulatory change demand deep sector knowledge. Firms like Datos Insights and Lafferty Group represent this trend towards focused expertise.
Professional Services research, whilst a smaller segment, shows how even service industries benefit from specialised analytical attention.
The Multi-Sector category includes firms like GlobalData and Forrester that have successfully maintained relevance across multiple verticals. These firms demonstrate that scale and cross-sector insight remain valuable, particularly for organisations seeking comparative analysis across industries.
Traditional procurement approaches focused on consolidating research spend with a few large vendors. Our research shows that organisations are increasingly adopting portfolio approaches, working with multiple specialist firms to ensure access to best-in-class insights across different areas.
Whilst working with multiple specialist firms requires more vendor management, the quality advantages are substantial. Specialist firms often provide insights that simply cannot be obtained from generalist providers.
Different industries show varying levels of research specialisation:
The analyst research industry shows two parallel trends:
Emerging Specialisations: New research areas are emerging around sustainability, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, creating opportunities for new specialist entrants.
Strategic Consolidation: Established firms are acquiring complementary specialists to broaden their vertical coverage whilst maintaining depth.
Technology Enhancement: Investment in AI and data analytics is enabling specialist firms to offer more sophisticated analysis whilst maintaining their focus advantage.