Top 5 Market Research Firms in Kansas City (That Know More About Your Customers Than You Do)
Helping businesses make informed decisions through data, insight, and strategic research
Strong marketing starts with strong understanding. Whether you're testing a new product, refining your messaging, or entering a new market, reliable research is essential. These Kansas City-based market research firms help organizations gather real insights—so they can move forward with confidence.
This list highlights five firms known for delivering thoughtful, accurate, and actionable research for clients across a range of industries.
1. SMARI — Overland Park, KS
Focus: Data-driven research for strategic planning and brand development.
SMARI is a well-established firm that provides custom market research services to organizations in both the public and private sectors. Their work helps guide decision-making in branding, messaging, and customer experience strategy.
Offers qualitative and quantitative research, from surveys to in-depth interviews.
Works with municipalities, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and corporations.
Known for clarity in data presentation and insight-based recommendations.
Why they stand out: Their balanced approach to qualitative and quantitative work makes them a trusted source for both high-level strategy and detailed feedback.
2. The Martec Group — North Kansas City, MO
Focus: Global market intelligence with a strong B2B focus.
The Martec Group provides custom research solutions to companies seeking insight into complex or highly specialized industries. Their B2B expertise includes industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and finance.
Specializes in customer segmentation, brand health, and competitor analysis.
Offers global reach with local service capabilities.
Supports innovation planning and go-to-market strategy.
Why they stand out: Their ability to tackle niche markets and technical audiences sets them apart for enterprise-level insight work.
3. Illuminas — Downtown Kansas City, MO
Focus: Strategic research that informs marketing, product development, and CX.
Illuminas works with brands to uncover the customer behaviors and motivations that drive real impact. Their insights support branding, pricing, and product positioning decisions for national and international clients.
Offers brand perception studies, usability testing, and segmentation models.
Works with Fortune 500 and mid-market clients alike.
Emphasizes clear reporting and collaborative planning.
Why they stand out: Their ability to turn complex data into actionable strategies makes them a valuable partner at both the CMO and product team level.
4. Insight Lab — Plaza District, Kansas City, MO
Focus: Consumer and stakeholder research for mission-driven organizations.
Insight Lab blends traditional market research with a storytelling approach that helps organizations better understand the communities they serve. Their work often supports branding, fundraising, and internal alignment.
Offers stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and message testing.
Frequently works with nonprofits, educational institutions, and advocacy groups.
Known for making research relatable and actionable.
Why they stand out: Their focus on empathy and clarity helps values-based organizations make data-backed decisions without losing their human voice.
5. ThinkVine Research — Westport, Kansas City, MO
Focus: Behavioral insights and predictive modeling for marketers.
ThinkVine supports marketing and innovation teams with forward-looking research tools that forecast consumer behavior and campaign effectiveness. They blend behavioral science with marketing analytics to support smarter investments.
Provides predictive modeling, segmentation, and media planning research.
Uses proprietary tools alongside custom research.
Ideal for companies managing large media budgets or product portfolios.
Why they stand out: Their emphasis on predictive accuracy and marketing ROI makes them a go-to for brands looking to scale intelligently.
