Overview
Highlight is a leading in-home product testing platform designed to streamline the complete testing process, covering everything from recruitment to data collection. Founded in 2020 by Dana Kim and Ethan Kellough, the platform aims to innovate the product intelligence sector by offering outstanding data within accelerated timelines. This is especially crucial for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies that contend with swift innovation cycles. Highlight is both woman-owned and minority-owned, and has attracted partnerships with top brands, including Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Mars. More details about their platform, including features like concept, package, claims, and sensory testing, can be found on [Highlight's website](https://www.letshighlight.com/).
Core Capabilities
Highlight's platform excels in distribution and data collection, achieving a 90% survey completion rate with live data available in less than a week. It has collaborated with over 100 brands to gather actionable insights quickly and effectively. Supporting various stages of the product lifecycle—from concept to sensory and usage testing—the platform accommodates industries such as food and beverage, personal care, and household goods.
Notable Clientele
Highlight has garnered interest from numerous global brands like Nestlé, Estée Lauder, Colgate, P&G, Target, Sakara, and Hanes. The platform’s utility is recognized by senior managers at these companies who appreciate its comprehensive data collection and real-time analytics that significantly enhance R&D efforts.
Leadership
Highlight is steered by a dynamic leadership team:
- Dana Kim, CEO & Founder, leverages a rich market research background, having worked with industry leaders like Coca-Cola and Nike.
- Priyanka Carr, President & COO, possesses expertise in scaling SaaS businesses from her tenure at SurveyMonkey.
- Calista Corley, Chief Revenue Officer, brings two decades of experience in insights and analytics, focusing on customer value delivery.
Funding and Growth
Through dynamic growth, Highlight has tripled its revenue, workforce, and customer base. Recent funding rounds have raised $18 million in Series A financing led by Acre Venture Partners and HearstLab, totaling $30 million. This financial influx is intended to enhance Highlight's product offerings and improve user experience, positioning the company as a trailblazer in the product intelligence domain.
Mission and Vision
Highlight is committed to reducing product innovation waste by connecting brands with consumers for valuable feedback. The company's objective is to refine traditional research methodologies to suit contemporary demands, thereby boosting the success rates of consumer product launches.
Competitors
In the competitive landscape, several key players provide alternative solutions for product validation and consumer insights:
1. Prelaunch
Prelaunch offers market validation services, helping businesses test market demand, pricing, and business models pre-launch. The platform aims to create pre-launch buzz and generate launch-critical data insights.
2. TestedHQ
TestedHQ focuses on user experience-driven product development, providing unbiased feedback that helps refine product features prior to market launch. The platform includes services such as product testing and both quantitative and qualitative feedback.
3. Watchful
Specializing in AI and data-centric methodologies, Watchful contributes competitive intelligence and product development insights by analyzing A/B tests and feature releases, focusing on user flow and market strategies.
4. UserTesting
Providing real-time feedback solutions, UserTesting allows companies to gain insights into target user experiences. The platform amplifies customer-centric decision-making through video-first, enterprise-grade SaaS capabilities.
5. User Interviews
User Interviews facilitates swift user research recruitment by connecting researchers with study participants. It offers scalability through an automated system for participant scheduling and panel management.
Insights and Implications
Highlight’s position in the in-home product testing market is reinforced by its integrated platform and inclusive ownership model. Collaboration with leading global brands underpins its effectiveness in providing consumer insights that spur product innovation. The competitive environment demands Highlight to frequently enhance its platform scalability and user engagement methodologies. Maintaining leadership in this niche requires vigilance in monitoring competitors who refine customer engagement through technological advancements.
