ASC / MRS Best Technology Innovation Award Finalists Announced
The long-standing ASC / MRS Best Technology Innovation Award celebrates outstanding and innovative applications of software and technology that have made a demonstrable difference to the effectiveness of research and insights. Over more than two decades, the award has provided a showcase for the technologies helping to move our industry forward, and this year’s four finalists once again demonstrate the breadth of innovation taking place across the sector.
The four finalists have been selected by ASC’s expert panel of judges, who reach their decision after a rigorous technical examination of each entry. This means that to make the shortlist alone is recognition that the software or technology is innovative, is relevant to the field of research and insights, and has been developed to a very high standard.
For 2026, the finalists are:
Bolt Insights Ltd – Bolt Intelligence
Bolt Intelligence brings AI-moderated qualitative and quantitative interviews, UX testing and social listening together on a single platform. Its shared infrastructure is designed to help researchers gather, analyse and connect insights across projects, markets and methodologies, while significantly accelerating research turnaround.
ZK Analitics – Sypher Survey Intelligence
Sypher is an end-to-end survey platform that combines agentic AI with sophisticated research methodologies, taking researchers from questionnaire creation through fieldwork to analysis. Its extensive capabilities include advanced research techniques, multilingual studies, accessibility features and AI-assisted survey programming, while retaining human oversight.
Rep Data – Quality-First Insights Engine
Rep Data’s technology integrates survey design, sampling, fieldwork, fraud prevention, quality control and analysis, with its Research Defender technology evaluating more than 130 signals to identify suspicious respondents. Continuous behavioural and quality checks, together with adaptive sample-source controls, are designed to tackle both agentic and human-led fraud throughout the research process.
Simpson Carpenter – Quasai
Quasai is an AI avatar interviewing platform that enables real participants to take part in natural, spoken qualitative interviews with animated avatar moderators. The technology can probe, clarify and adapt conversations within researcher-defined guardrails, allowing hundreds of interviews to be conducted simultaneously while retaining the depth of conversational research.
ASC Director and lead judge AJ Johnson comments: “For 24 years, this award has given us an opportunity to recognise some of the technology helping to move research and insights forward. One of the most enjoyable parts of the judging process is meeting the finalists, seeing their technology in action and understanding the thinking behind it. This year’s finalists once again show just how much innovation is happening across our industry.”
The judges will continue their deliberations over the coming months, with the winner of the award announced at the MRS Awards Dinner on 7 December.