From $3.6M/yr Service Business to the Future of Market Research: How Brainactive is Changing the Game

From $3.6M/yr Service Business to the Future of Market Research: How Brainactive is Changing the Game

When innovation meets experience, big changes happen. Daniel Dunose, co-founder of Brainactive and CEO of DataDiggers, turned 18+ years of market research expertise into two powerful platforms. What began as a $3.6M/year success story with DataDiggers has evolved into Brainactive, an AI-powered solution redefining how businesses access insights.

Featured on Indie Hackers, Daniel’s story highlights a bold pivot: building an AI-driven product that complements rather than cannibalizes his thriving service business.
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The Market Research Problem: High Costs, Slow Results, Missed Opportunities

For many businesses, market research remains inaccessible:

• High Costs: In-depth insights often cater only to corporations with large budgets.
• Slow Processes: Traditional methods deliver results too late for fast decision-making.
• Missed Signals: Static data buries opportunities instead of uncovering trends.
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“The real challenge in developing Brainactive wasn’t just building a better tool, it was convincing businesses to break habits and embrace a faster, more powerful alternative.”
– Daniel Dunose, Co-founder of Brainactive
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Brainactive was born to tackle these issues. Leveraging AI automation transforms market research into a seamless process that is faster, cheaper, and smarter.

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Why Brainactive Works: A Blend of Experience and Innovation

Daniel’s journey with DataDiggers laid the foundation for Brainactive. Bootstrapped into a $3.6M/year success, DataDiggers thrived by solving real-world challenges:

• Relevance: Flexibility, custom solutions, and bulk pricing set it apart in a crowded market.
• Global Reach: Starting in Central and Eastern Europe, DataDiggers expanded globally, leveraging access to 300+ million verified respondents across 100+ countries.
• Proven Quality: Rigorous data integrity ensured every insight was accurate and actionable.

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Brainactive scales this expertise through AI-powered technology:

• End-to-End Automation: It simplifies the entire process from research goals to actionable reports.
• Accessible Insights: Businesses of all sizes, startups, agencies, and enterprises, can access advanced tools.
• Real-Time Action: Results arrive as trends emerge, not after opportunities pass.

🔗 Read Daniel’s full Indie Hackers feature here.

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From Nike to Niche: The Power of Timely Insights

When done right, market research doesn’t just inform, it drives growth and creates a competitive edge.

Take Nike as an example:

• The Insight: AI-driven tools uncovered surging consumer demand for sustainable materials and at-home fitness solutions during the pandemic.
• The Result: Nike launched its “Move to Zero” sustainability campaign and expanded its app-based workout offerings, leading to a 25% increase in digital sales.

What does this prove? Actionable insights enable businesses to:

• Spot trends early.
• Adapt strategies faster.
• Turn data into measurable growth.

This is exactly what Brainactive delivers. By making AI-powered insights accessible, Brainactive gives businesses, whether startups or global brands, the tools to act with Nike-level agility.

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DataDiggers: Scaling a Vision

Before Brainactive, Daniel Dunose built DataDiggers into a $3.6M/year market research leader by addressing fundamental industry challenges:

• High Costs → Flexible pricing models made insights accessible.
• Narrow Reach → Global coverage across 100+ markets expanded opportunities.
• Quality Gaps → Verified, double opt-in panels ensured trusted, authentic data.

Together, DataDiggers and Brainactive complement each other:

• DataDiggers delivers custom, human-driven insights for businesses needing in-depth research.
• Brainactive offers AI-powered, automated research, ideal for agile teams seeking fast, affordable results.
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Why Market Research Matters: Driving Business and Societal Impact

Market research isn’t just for businesses, it uncovers the trends driving consumer behavior, policies, and cultural shifts. Here’s why it matters:

• Product Development: Validate ideas and align products with real customer needs.
• Audience Insights: Craft campaigns that resonate with the right audiences.
• Global Adaptation: Understand regional nuances for market expansion.

Brainactive bridges these insights with DIY accessibility and AI precision, empowering startups and enterprises.

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What’s Next for Brainactive?

With a proven vision at DataDiggers, Daniel Dunose’s ambition for Brainactive is clear: to scale the platform to $100M in revenue over the next 10 years. By combining AI technology with market expertise, Brainactive isn’t just adapting to industry changes, it’s leading them.

Take the next step with us.

Break free from slow, expensive research methods. Whether you’re a startup, agency, or enterprise, Brainactive and DataDiggers provide the tools to unlock smarter decisions and faster growth.

👉 Start exploring actionable insights today with Brainactive. Sign up for free.

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