MARU Group Buys Survey Tech Platform Usurv

In the UK, insight firm MARU Group has acquired survey technology platform Usurv for an undisclosed sum. The latter will now be known as Maru/Usurv, and founders Martin Bysh and Guy Potter will continue to oversee its development.

Formed last year, MARU Group is led by former Synovate/Ipsos Global CEO Ged Parton, and backed by private equity finance company Primary Capital Partners. Its first acquisition was of Hampshire-based eDigitalResearch (now known as Maru/edr), and it later bought Vision Critical's North American Research Consulting division (rebranded to Maru/Matchbox). MARU says the latest deal will give it proprietary technology to enhance the service offering of its operating companies.

Usurv, founded in 2011, is a survey platform giving immediate access to respondents from a network of third party partner web sites and sample providers, via online or mobile recruitment. The platform automatically fields short form surveys to those respondents, collecting, analysing and reporting the responses in hours, without the need for human intervention.

In a statement, MARU Group said it is 'actively pursuing its acquisitive growth strategy', and consolidating its position by further extending its capabilities. Parton adds: 'The ability to analyse data quickly and efficiently is of real importance to our clients and their business strategies. We're excited about the strategic benefits this transaction will deliver to MARU Group, enabling us to provide our clients with an enhanced range of technologies, to complement our excellent advisory services'.

Web sites: www.marugroup.net and www.usurv.com .