Founded in 2020, Rep Data has since grown its team to 60 people and raised $6.5m in Series A funding in November 2022. The business offers full-service data collection for primary researchers.

Research Defender (previously SampleChain until 2021 ) was established in 2018. It develops tools aimed at preventing sample
fraud and duplication and excluding professional survey respondents, analysing responses for negative attributes and preventing bad actors from joining panels.

The companies said in a joint press release that the deal would create ‘a one-stop shop for research sampling and data fraud prevention technology’.

Both businesses are headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Patrick Stokes, founder and chief executive at Rep Data, said: “Our acquisition of Research Defender is happening at a time when our industry is struggling with research data quality.

“As AI and other threats continue to infiltrate research, our goal will always be to stay ahead of it, react quickly, and safeguard primary research data from current and future threats. We’ve been partnering with Research Defender to do this since 2020. Our shared cultures, vision, and dedication to delivering the highest quality data make this acquisition the perfect next step along our growth journey.”

The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

As part of the deal, Research Defender’s founder and chief executive Vignesh Krishnan will become Rep Data’s chief technology officer.

In other role changes, Matt Gershner, previously Research Defender’s chief strategy and revenue officer, will become Rep Data’s chief marketing and strategy officer, and Dan Fletcher, formerly Research Defender’s vice-president of operations, takes on the role of vice president of client success.

Krishnan said: “Through a long history of intersecting careers and relationships, it was clear our teams had similar visions for where our industry needed to go.

“We are excited for the future of data quality as we combine our resources, thinking, and capabilities with the Rep Data team.”