GLG positions itself as the pioneer of the expert network category and one of the largest global platforms for first-hand professional insight. The firm says it works with approximately 1.2 million professionals across industries, roles, and geographies, serving investors, consulting firms, corporates, law firms, and other institutions through a broader stack that includes Calls, Surveys, Events, Library, Placements, Qualitative work, and Integrated Insights. Recent product evolution has pushed GLG further into AI-assisted workflow and research synthesis through myGLG and interactive transcript tooling.
AlphaSights is a global expert network founded in 2008 in London by Max Cartellieri and Andrew Heath. The firm connects decision-makers at investment funds, consultancies, and Fortune 500 corporations with domain experts for primary research. Unlike competitors that emphasize static database size, AlphaSights positions its custom-sourcing model — recruiting experts fresh against each brief — as a deliberate differentiator. The firm has grown to 2,000+ employees across nine offices worldwide, raised $400 million in September 2024 at a reported $4.2 billion valuation (led by Carlyle and TA Associates), and increasingly invests in AI-augmented workflows via AlphaGPT, AlphaGraph, and AlphaNow.
Dialectica is a fast-growing B2B information services firm founded in 2015 by George Tsarouchas and Frederick Corkett. The company started in Athens with a small London sales office and has grown to 1,400+ employees across six offices on three continents, crossing $100 million in annual revenue. Dialectica differentiates through its Athens-based operational model (which the firm positions as enabling competitive pricing relative to London/NYC-based peers), aggressive AI investment ($25M+ in tech, 50+ GenAI tools, Dialectica IQ knowledge graph), and its Origin deal-sourcing platform for private equity. Named to the FT 1000 (Europe's fastest-growing companies) for five consecutive years (2021-2025). The company is entirely bootstrapped and founder-owned.
Third Bridge is an analyst-led expert network founded in 2007 as Cognolink and rebranded in 2015. The firm differentiates from access-model competitors through in-house analyst moderation of its core expert calls, producing structured, comparable, and reusable content. Third Bridge operates across 12 offices on four continents and serves 1,000+ clients, with particular strength in private equity due diligence. Its Library (formerly Forum) contains analyst-led interview transcripts covering 65,000+ companies, and its Maps product provides visual value-chain intelligence on 100,000+ companies. The firm has pursued an open distribution strategy for its content, partnering with Anthropic/Claude, Aiera, Hebbia, and other AI platforms in 2025.
Guidepoint is a research enablement platform and one of the largest expert networks globally, founded in 2003 by Albert Sebag. Originally launched as Clinical Advisors to match cancer patients with clinical trials, the firm pivoted to the broader expert-network model and now connects more than 5,000 client organizations with 1.75 million+ advisors across 150+ industries. Guidepoint differentiates through breadth of coverage, flexible pricing, healthcare data products (Qsight), and its 2025 launch of Guidepoint360 — an AI-powered platform merging expert knowledge with generative AI via its AskGP interface.
AlphaSense is an AI-powered market intelligence platform that entered the expert network space through its $930 million acquisition of Tegus in 2024. The combined platform integrates 500M+ premium business documents, the Tegus Expert Transcript Library (240K+ transcripts), live expert calls, AI Interviewer-led Channel Checks, and structured financial data via Canalyst. With over 6,500 enterprise customers and $500M+ in ARR as of late 2025, AlphaSense is the largest player by revenue in the expert intelligence category, though its expert network is still being integrated post-acquisition.
Asia-focused expert network with global reach, providing expert consultations, industry reports, and primary research across major markets. Note: Most publicly available operational data (call volumes, expert count, employee numbers) predates the May 2023 Chinese state security investigation; current operational scale is uncertain.
proSapient is a London-headquartered expert network founded in 2017 that positions itself as a technology-first alternative to traditional expert networks. The firm offers an AI-powered self-serve platform where clients can source experts, schedule calls, and access transcripts with minimal manual intervention. With a network of 50,000+ experts and 200+ employees, proSapient targets consulting firms, private equity, and venture capital teams that value speed, platform transparency, and competitive pricing over the white-glove service model of larger incumbents.
AI-powered B2B research platform using a proprietary Knowledge Graph to find and verify professionals across 1.1 billion candidates for surveys, interviews, and custom research projects.
Atheneum is a Berlin-founded Research-as-a-Service platform connecting investment funds, consulting firms, and corporations with over one million industry experts across 40+ languages. Founded in 2010 by former management consultants, the firm has grown to 400+ employees across 11 offices and differentiates through its Athena One AI matching platform and a Nikkei partnership providing access to 500,000+ Japan-based experts. Third-party sources estimate revenue at approximately $95 million, backed by a $150 million growth equity round from Guidepost Growth Equity in 2021.
The world's first AI-driven expert network, using NLP and machine learning to autonomously scan 280 million+ professional profiles in real time. Specializes in healthcare and life sciences with 25M healthcare profiles covering 5M specialisms. Features ECHO Ask generative AI assistant.
Asia-focused expert network founded by former Accenture Strategy and YCP Solidiance consultants. Deep coverage across Japan, Southeast Asia, China, and India with 250+ employees across 8 offices and a Bloomberg Terminal-integrated Expert Transcript Library.
India-based expert network launched as a division of Astute Analytica, combining data analytics expertise with expert consultations. Serves 500+ global clients across 100+ countries with AI-enhanced expert matching.
One of the original expert network pioneers, founded in 2003 and now operating as VISASQ/COLEMAN after its $102M acquisition by Japan's VisasQ in 2021. Provides expert consultations, custom research, and survey services with a global footprint spanning 7 offices.
Institutional expert network founded in 2017 by a former Morgan Stanley investment manager, operating with a fully distributed workforce. Serves the world's largest PE funds, hedge funds, and sovereign wealth funds with a 97% engagement success rate and 65% client referral rate.
Global knowledge marketplace and microconsulting platform with 1M+ experts across 200+ countries. Pioneered self-service expert access with transparent pay-as-you-go pricing starting at $150/call, plus B2B/HCP sample services and white-label consultant management platform.
Asia's largest expert network and the only publicly listed pure-play expert network company (Tokyo Stock Exchange). Co-founded in 2012 by Eiko Hashiba, Tatsuya Aizawa, and Soshi Hanamura, VisasQ pioneered spot consulting in Japan and went global through its $102M acquisition of Coleman Research in 2021.
The leading expert network marketplace and aggregator, enabling clients to access 170+ expert networks through a single platform with centralized compliance, spend analytics, and workflow management.
Expert network specializing in two niche markets: frontier/emerging markets (100+ countries across Latin America, Africa, MENA, and Asia) and U.S. federal government contracting (17,000+ vetted federal SMEs). Official Expert Platform Partner of GPCA/EMPEA.
Private equity-focused strategy consulting firm combining expert calls with commercial due diligence and market studies. Founded in 1994 and now operating as Grant Thornton Stax after acquisition by Grant Thornton Advisors in September 2025.
Southeast Asia specialist expert network providing deep regional expertise across ASEAN markets, with particular strength in healthcare, technology, and consumer sectors.
European specialist expert network serving UK and Continental European investors with curated expert access, bespoke research projects, and deep regional market knowledge.
Greater China-focused expert network providing Hong Kong and mainland China market expertise, cross-border research capabilities, and industry events for Asia-focused investors.
AI-native expert network leveraging LLMs and automation to deliver sub-hour expert matching and technology-driven research workflows with industry-leading turnaround times.
The AI and data consulting unit of Emerton Group, combining traditional expert calls with advanced data analytics, technology due diligence, and AI consulting. Founded by former BCG, Bain, and McKinsey directors, with offices in Paris, London, Munich, New York, and Hong Kong.
Healthcare specialist expert network providing deep clinical and life sciences expertise to investors, pharmaceutical companies, and consultancies for due diligence and primary research.
Media and entertainment-focused expert network providing specialized insights into digital marketing, brand strategy, and media industry trends for investors and corporate clients.
Asia-Pacific focused 'Knowledge-as-a-Service' platform with 840,000+ experts, using machine learning to match clients with regional specialists across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and global markets. Raised $35M+ in venture funding.
Boutique expert network specializing in private equity due diligence across European mid-market transactions, offering bespoke research and curated expert access with a white-glove service model.
Primary research-focused expert network serving hedge funds, asset managers, and sell-side analysts with channel checks, expert consultations, and proprietary research insights.
Technology sector specialist expert network focused on SaaS, cloud infrastructure, and growth equity due diligence, serving PE firms and growth investors with deep tech expertise and benchmarking capabilities.
Pioneer of the self-service expert network model, offering both DIY marketplace access and full-service support at 30-75% lower cost than traditional networks. Founded by serial entrepreneur Stuart Lewtan with 1M+ expert profiles.
Next-generation expert network leveraging AI-powered matching to connect venture capital and growth equity investors with startup founders, operators, and technology specialists.
About expert network companies
Expert networks connect investors, consultants, and corporate teams with subject-matter experts for paid consultations. The industry has grown from a handful of providers in the early 2000s to more than 33 tracked companies in 2026, spanning global leaders, regional specialists, technology-first platforms, and boutique research firms.
The market is led by four major providers: GLG (the largest by expert count and revenue), AlphaSights (known for fast turnaround and project management), Third Bridge (differentiated by its Forum and Interviews content library), and Guidepoint (offering flexible, high-volume expert access). Together they serve the majority of institutional investors and management consulting firms globally.
Key trends shaping the industry in 2026 include AI-powered expert matching and transcript search, increased regulatory scrutiny around compliance and information barriers, consolidation through M&A (including the AlphaSense–Tegus merger), and the rise of self-service marketplace models that challenge traditional managed-service approaches. Use the filters above to explore providers by pricing model, geography, compliance posture, and AI capabilities, or compare providers side-by-side.