Vision Critical
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Software and market research |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Andrew Reid (Founder and Chief Product Officer), Angus Reid (Executive Chairman), Scott Miller (Group CEO) |
| Products | VC Insight Communities, VC Surveys, VC Discussions, VC Voice of Market, add+impact, VC IdeaScreen, and VC IdeaHub |
Number of employees | 700 |
| Website |
www |
Vision Critical provides a cloud-based customer intelligence platform that allows companies to build engaged, secure communities of customers.[1] Based in Vancouver,[2] the company was founded by Andrew Reid in 2000 [3] and as of 2013 has worked with over 650 brands around the world.[4] Vision Critical is Canada’s 16th-fastest-growing software development company, according to PROFIT magazine’s PROFIT 500.[5] The company is also one of the top five SaaS companies in Canada, according to Branham300.[6]
History
After going to film school and working with interactive companies, Andrew Reid realized that the research industry was behind in technology and started Vision Critical in 2000.[4]
In 2004, Angus Reid, Andrew Reid’s father, joined the company.[7] Wellington Capital, a privately held bridge financing and venture debt fund, invested in Vision Critical in October 2006.[7]
In 2009, Vision Critical won the Forrester Groundswell Award with customer NASCAR for the Official NASCAR Fan Council.[8] And in 2011, the company installed its 500th online community.[9]
The company announced that it raised $20 million in funding from OMERS Ventures, the venture capital investment arm of Canadian pension funds company OMERS, in August 2012.[10] In September of the same year, 'Scott Miller was appointed to group CEO, while Andrew Reid became the Chief Product Officer.[11] Later that year, Vision Critical made the Deloitte Fast 50 for the fifth year in a row.[12]
Vision Critical had about $80 million in revenue in 2012.[13]
In May 2013, Research Now, a leader in market panels, joined Vision Critical’s global partner program to deliver Vision Critical Insight Communities to Research Now clients and prospects.[14] In the same year, Vision Critical hired Donna de Winter as its chief financial officer,[15] Kobi Ofir as its chief technology officer,[16] and Ryan Merkley as managing director and senior vice-president, Public Affairs.[17] In 2014, Derek Smyth joined the company as its chief revenue officer.[18]
The company has employees globally.[19] Customers include Banana Republic, Discovery [19] and NASCAR.[20]
Business
Vision Critical’s products include:
- Insight communities: online communities where companies gain feedback from their customers and stakeholders.[21]
- IdeaHub: a co-creation tool that taps into the ideas of customers, employees or other stakeholders for innovation and new product development.[22]
- Voice of market: proprietary general population panels in Canada, US and UK, including Angus Reid Public Opinion, an international public affairs organization under the Vision Critical umbrella that conducts regional, national and multinational public opinion polls.[23][24]
The company has won numerous awards, including being named a Gold winner in the Most Customer Friendly Company of the Year category in the Best in Biz Awards 2013 International competition.[25]
References
- ↑ Joseph Czikk (17 July 2014). "Vision Critical Gets $16 Million From Georgian Partners, More". Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ El Akkad, Omar (2013). "Vision Critical Communications Inc.". Profit Guide. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ↑ "Vision Critical". Financial Post. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- 1 2 "How Vision Critical sees the future of brand engagement". Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ↑ "Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies: Software development". Profit Guide. 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ↑ "Top 5 Canadian Software as a Service Companies". Branham Group, Inc. 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- 1 2 "The Poll Position: Angus Reid". Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ↑ "Winners of the 2009 Forrester Groundswell Awards". Retrieved 2013-06-06.
- ↑ "Vision Critical reaches milestone with 500th Community Panel". Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ↑ "Vision Critical raises $20m investment from OMERS Ventures". Retrieved 2013-06-06.
- ↑ "Vision Critical promotes Scott Miller to group chief executive". Retrieved 2013-06-06.
- ↑ "Deloitte's 2012 Technology Fast 50: Ontario Dominance and RIM's Surprising Acension [sic]". Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ "Hong Kong: Gateway to half the world for Canadian businesses". Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ↑ "Research Now joins Vision Critical's partner program". 8 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
- ↑ "Vision Critical Names New CFO". 5 February 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-15.
- ↑ "Kobi Ofir joins Vision Critical as chief technology officer". 7 November 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ↑ "Vision Critical hires Merkley". 5 September 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ↑ "Vision Critical Hires Derek Smyth, Former Managing Director of Omers Ventures, as CRO". 15 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- 1 2 "2013 Entrepreneur of the Year Runners-Up". 7 October 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ↑ "Q&A: Brian Moyer, Director of Market and Media Research for NASCAR". 19 August 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ↑ "Vision Critical Transforms Marketing Research Methods in Japan". Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ↑ "Vision Critical Launches IdeaHub Co-Creation Tool". 22 October 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ↑ "Daily Research News Online no. 10692 - Angus Reid and Vision Critical to Merge". Mrweb.com. 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
- ↑ "Pollster bragging rights". thestar.com. 2008-10-16. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
- ↑ "Best in Biz Awards 2013 International winners". Retrieved 2014-02-05.