Hootology’s AI Platform HOOQZ Gains Momentum with Top Hires, Major Wins

NEW YORK, NY – January 16, 2026 – In the competitive landscape of market research, where understanding the “why” behind consumer behavior is paramount, New York-based Hootology is emerging as a significant force. Since the July 2025 launch of its AI-powered platform, HOOQZ, the company has experienced a remarkable growth surge, marked by strategic senior hires from across the industry, major new client acquisitions, and rapid product advancements. This momentum signals a strong market appetite for its innovative approach: delivering the nuanced, deep understanding of qualitative research with the speed and scale of quantitative analysis.

Founded in 2016 by CEO Stefanie Francis, Hootology has positioned itself at the intersection of trusted research methodologies and cutting-edge technology. The company’s recent trajectory, fueled by a $1.1 million pre-seed funding round announced last summer, underscores a pivotal shift in how major brands are seeking to connect with their audiences.

The AI-Powered Shift in Market Research

For decades, the insights industry has operated on a divided premise. Quantitative methods like large-scale surveys could deliver statistically significant data quickly but often missed the rich context of human emotion and motivation. Conversely, qualitative methods such as focus groups and in-depth interviews provided that depth but were time-consuming, expensive, and limited to small, often unrepresentative sample sizes. Hootology’s flagship product, HOOQZ (pronounced “hooks”), was engineered to dissolve this dichotomy.

The platform leverages artificial intelligence to host dynamic discussions within simulated digital environments. This allows researchers to observe and analyze participant interactions, decision-making processes, and emotional responses in a more naturalistic setting than a traditional survey or a moderated group discussion might allow. By automating the facilitation and initial analysis of these sessions, HOOQZ enables companies to engage with hundreds or even thousands of participants, gathering rich, qualitative data on a massive scale. This ability to capture human insights with both depth and breadth is what the company refers to as “qualitative insights at a quantitative scale.”

This technological leap arrives as industries from consumer packaged goods to financial services are grappling with the limitations of their existing data. Big data can reveal what consumers are doing, but it often fails to explain why. Hootology’s approach aims directly at this gap, providing a more holistic view of consumer psychology, brand loyalty, and the subtle factors that drive purchasing decisions. The platform is designed not to replace human researchers, but to empower them with a tool that can handle the logistical heavy lifting of large-scale qualitative work, freeing them to focus on higher-level strategic analysis.

Validation Through Capital and Clients

The most concrete indicators of Hootology’s successful market entry are its recent financial and commercial achievements. The $1.1 million in pre-seed financing secured in July 2025, led by JAD Family Revocable Trust, provided the necessary capital to accelerate the development of the HOOQZ platform and expand the team. According to the company, those funds have been instrumental in rapidly advancing the platform’s operational speed and analytical depth since its launch.

This technological promise has quickly translated into commercial trust from some of the biggest players in the economy. In the last six months, Hootology has added a Fortune 100 financial services company, a Fortune 200 healthcare brand, and a team from the National Football League (NFL) to its client roster. The diversity of these new clients is particularly telling. A financial services giant relies on deep-seated consumer trust, a healthcare brand must navigate complex patient and provider sentiments, and an NFL team thrives on profound fan engagement. The adoption of HOOQZ across these varied sectors demonstrates the platform’s broad applicability and the universal need for more nuanced consumer understanding.

These client wins serve as powerful validation, suggesting that Hootology’s solution is not just a theoretical innovation but a practical tool that solves a pressing business need for large, sophisticated organizations. It indicates a growing recognition that in a crowded marketplace, a deeper connection with the consumer is a critical competitive advantage.

Assembling a Veteran Team of Industry Insiders

Perhaps the most compelling endorsement of Hootology’s vision is the high-caliber talent it has recently attracted. The company has successfully recruited a team of seasoned professionals, each bringing decades of experience and industry recognition, who are leaving established roles to be part of what they see as the future of market research.

New hires include:
* Jennifer Holland, Head of Growth: With over 30 years of experience in business development for leading brand and marketing teams, Holland will spearhead Hootology’s sales and marketing strategy, leveraging her extensive network and expertise to drive adoption.
* Katrina Noelle, Strategic Growth Director: A well-known industry thought leader, Noelle is so convinced of Hootology’s potential that she is transitioning to an advisory role at the successful insights agency she founded to join the team. Her move is a significant signal to the industry, reflecting a belief that HOOQZ is uniquely positioned to move the field forward.
* Anirban Ghosh, PhD, Data Scientist: Ghosh’s expertise in data science is poised to elevate the analytical power of HOOQZ, refining the algorithms that turn complex human interactions into clear, actionable insights.
* Sangdi Chen, Client Strategist: A former strategist at Bain with a Master’s degree in Social Psychology from The University of Chicago, Chen brings a rare combination of business acumen and deep understanding of human behavior, ensuring that the platform’s findings are translated into impactful client strategies.

For founder and CEO Stefanie Francis, attracting this level of talent is as meaningful as the new client contracts. “I am ecstatic to have attracted the caliber of talent we have in Jennifer, Katrina, Anirban, and Sangdi,” Francis stated. “To have true industry insiders get as excited about HOOQZ as we’ve been from day one–and who can see the power of what we’ve built from an outside lens–is as meaningful an endorsement as the new client wins. Our new hires are all people who care deeply about the psychology of human insights at scale, and are excited about modernizing the participant experience.”

This influx of expertise not only enhances Hootology’s internal capabilities but also sends a clear message to the market: seasoned veterans believe the company has built something transformative. With plans to bring on additional researchers to meet demand, the team's expansion is set to continue. Francis expressed her excitement for the company’s trajectory, adding, “I am thrilled for where we are headed in 2026 with this team.” Hootology continues to develop its platform with an eye toward the evolving needs of modern strategists and marketers, with a larger product update anticipated later this year.