Competitive and market intelligence sizes the opportunity behind a technology and maps the companies competing for it. It combines market data, competitor capabilities, pricing structures and technical positioning into a picture a management team can act on: where demand is real, where a competitor is genuinely ahead, and what differentiation is defensible.
The typical starting point
A technology works, but nobody can say reliably what it is worth. Internal estimates diverge by an order of magnitude, competitor claims are taken from marketing material, and the business case rests on assumptions that have never been tested against outside evidence.
Questions we answer
- How large is the addressable market for this technology, and how fast is it developing?
- Which companies compete here, and what are they technically capable of?
- Where exactly is our technical advantage — and is it defensible?
- What price levels does the market currently accept?
- Which customer segments have the strongest need and the shortest sales cycle?
- Which regulatory or standards developments will change this market?
How we work
- Define the marketWe delimit what counts as the market for this technology — the step where most internal estimates already diverge.
- Size itTotal, serviceable and obtainable market are derived from traceable sources, with the assumptions stated openly.
- Map competitorsRelevant competitors are profiled on technical capability, patent position, product range and market presence.
- PositionYour technology is placed against that field to identify where the difference is real and defensible.
- Translate to decisionsThe findings feed pricing, go-to-market and prioritisation — with the reasoning documented.
Sources and data we use
- Industry and association statistics, trade registers and public filings
- Competitor product documentation, pricing and technical specifications
- Patent portfolios as an indicator of technical capability
- Standards and regulatory developments affecting market access
- Trade-fair intelligence and manufacturer disclosures
- Our own network of industrial decision-makers and suppliers
What we assess
- Market size and growth dynamics
- Competitive field and technical capability
- Pricing structures and accepted price levels
- Customer segments and demand drivers
- Regulatory and standards environment
- Differentiation and defensibility
What you receive
- Market sizing with stated assumptions and traceable sources
- Competitor profiles covering technology, patents and market presence
- Positioning of your technology against the competitive field
- Assessment of price levels the market currently accepts
- Prioritised customer segments with reasoning
- Business-case inputs ready for internal or investor discussion
Who this is for
Managing directors, corporate development, product management, sales leadership and innovation teams preparing a market entry, a pricing decision or an investment case.
Industries
- Manufacturing
- Automotive & Mobility
- Robotics & Automation
- Chemicals & Advanced Materials
- Renewable Energy & Energy Storage
How this differs from a consultancy or a database
| thinver | Classic consultancy | Data platform / database | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis of market size | Traceable sources with stated assumptions | Often a purchased market report | Aggregated figures without context |
| Competitor view | Technical capability plus patents | Mostly commercial positioning | Company records only |
| Depth of technology | Assessed by engineers | Usually surface level | Not assessed |
| Result | Decision inputs for pricing and go-to-market | Strategy document | Data extract |
| After the analysis | We support commercialization | Engagement typically ends | No support |
Frequently asked questions
How do you size a market for a technology that barely exists yet?
By building it bottom-up rather than quoting a top-down figure. We identify who would realistically buy, what they currently spend on the problem, and what substitution would mean — then state every assumption openly so your team can challenge each one. A market size whose assumptions are hidden cannot be argued with internally.
Do you buy standard market reports?
Only as one input among several, and never as the answer. Purchased reports rarely match the specific technical delimitation an industrial question requires. We use them for orientation and build the actual sizing from primary sources.
Can you assess competitors technically, not just commercially?
Yes, and that is the point of combining this with patent intelligence. A competitor's patent portfolio and product documentation reveal technical capability far more reliably than their marketing material.
How does this differ from technology scouting?
Technology scouting asks which technical solutions exist. Market intelligence asks whether there is a business behind them. Most decisions need both, which is why the two are frequently commissioned together.