GLG, AlphaSights, and Third Bridge lead expert networks by scale. Compare top players by market share, expert count, global reach, and fit.
GLG, AlphaSights, and Third Bridge stand as the three largest expert networks globally, commanding the majority of market share through massive expert databases, extensive geographic reach, and billions in combined client transactions. These global leaders have shaped how private equity firms, consulting firms, and corporate strategy teams access industry professionals for critical decision-making.
The expert network industry has seen 16% compound annual growth over the last decade, surpassed $2.1 billion in revenue in 2022, and is estimated to reach about $2.5 billion by the end of 2024. The industry has continued to grow through multiple economic cycles and crises.
This analysis covers the largest expert network companies measured by revenue, expert database size, geographic footprint, and client base. The expert network industry is characterized by consolidation and competition among providers. Key players include GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group), Third Bridge, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Tegus, and Inex One. Boutique expert network providers and specialized regional players fall outside this scope, though some expert networks focus on particular regions or sectors, offering unique value in those areas. The content serves investment professionals, management consultants, and business leaders evaluating which leading expert network providers match their scale requirements.
The largest expert networks are GLG with over 1 million experts across 19 offices, AlphaSights operating globally across 9 offices with 1,200+ employees, and Third Bridge serving 1,000+ investment firms with access to 1.5 million subject matter experts.
Key outcomes from this analysis:
The expert network industry has rapidly evolved into a cornerstone of modern business intelligence, with the global market projected to reach $2.5 billion by the end of 2023. This surge is driven by the growing need for expert insights among private equity firms, consulting firms, and corporate strategy teams seeking a competitive edge in fast-moving markets. Expert networks act as a bridge, connecting industry professionals with organizations that require specialized knowledge for primary research, expert interviews, and market research.
Leading expert network providers such as AlphaSights, GLG, and Third Bridge have set the standard by offering a comprehensive suite of expert network services. These include expert calls, transcript libraries, and AI-driven search tools that streamline the process of finding and engaging with subject matter experts. As strategy teams and investment professionals increasingly rely on direct access to industry expertise, the expert network industry continues to expand its reach and capabilities, ensuring that clients receive timely, relevant, and actionable intelligence to inform their most critical decisions.
The expert network industry has grown into a $2.5 billion global market, expanding at approximately 16% annually over the past decade. The expert network market returned to growth in 2024 after a few slow years. Demand for expert networks is rising due to shrinking diligence windows and increasing complexity. Expert networks are increasingly used by corporate strategy teams to inform their decisions. The expert network market is driven by increased supply and demand for qualified B2B respondents. This growth reflects intensifying demand from hedge funds, asset managers, and institutional investors who require rapid access to expert insights beyond what public financial reports provide.
Market leadership in expert network services is measured through multiple dimensions: revenue generation, expert database size, geographic presence, technology capabilities, and client retention across the wider financial industry. Expert networks connect businesses with industry specialists, former executives, and technical experts, enabling companies to obtain firsthand insights for investment, market research, and competitive analysis. Some expert networks differentiate themselves by focusing on a specific industry segment as their core market niche within the broader global expert network industry.
Revenue figures among top expert network companies range from $150 million to over $400 million annually, with the three largest players controlling an estimated 45-50% of total market share. Expert databases vary significantly, ranging from 360,000 to over 1.5 million industry specialists available for expert calls and written reports.
Geographic footprint serves as a critical scale indicator. The largest networks maintain 8-19 offices globally, offering global services across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. This presence enables direct access to relevant experts in any particular region, supporting clients conducting investment due diligence or competitive intelligence across emerging markets.
The expert network market evolved through distinct generations, each expanding capabilities and client reach.
First generation networks (2000s) established the foundational model. GLG pioneered connecting clients with vetted industry experts in 1998, followed by Guidepoint and Coleman Research. These traditional expert networks built the compliance frameworks and operational infrastructure that defined industry standards.
Second generation expansion (2006+) brought AlphaSights and Third Bridge, which focused specifically on reaching private equity firms and consulting firms with white-glove service models. This era emphasized custom sourcing and rapid expert matching tailored to investment research timelines.
Third generation technology driven networks (2010s) introduced AI powered search tools and machine learning capabilities. Tegus, NewtonX, and Dialectica differentiated through data driven research platforms, expert transcript libraries, and automated matching systems that transformed research processes.
Understanding these generations reveals how today’s market leaders combine scale with technological sophistication a foundation essential for evaluating specific players.
Expert networks deliver a diverse array of services designed to provide clients with rapid access to industry specialists and subject matter experts. The core offering is the expert call, where clients engage directly with relevant experts to gain deep, qualitative insights on specific topics. In addition to live conversations, many expert networks maintain extensive transcript libraries and provide written reports, allowing clients to access a wealth of expert knowledge on demand.
Custom expert matching is another hallmark of leading expert network companies, ensuring that clients are connected with the most relevant experts for their unique research needs. This tailored approach supports investment research, market research, and competitive intelligence initiatives, empowering clients to make informed decisions based on actionable intelligence. Whether seeking insights for due diligence, market entry, or strategic planning, expert networks offer a reliable, efficient way to tap into the expertise of industry leaders and specialists worldwide.
Building on this market context, the largest expert networks divide into three tiers: global giants with revenues exceeding $200 million, major regional players with strong geographic concentrations, and technology enhanced networks leveraging AI driven capabilities.
GLG maintains its position as the undisputed market leader with over 900,000 vetted experts (some estimates exceed 1 million) across 19 global offices. The network serves Fortune 500 companies, leading private equity firms, and top consulting firms through its myGLG platform, which streamlines expert searches and transcript generation. GLG’s industry expertise spans all sectors, making it the default choice for clients requiring comprehensive global coverage.
AlphaSights has achieved remarkable growth with 1,200+ employees across 9 offices worldwide. The network differentiates through rapid expert matching often connecting clients with industry specialists within hours. AlphaSights serves management consultants, corporate executives, and investment professionals through a custom sourcing model that prioritizes speed and relevance over database size alone.
Third Bridge serves over 1,000 investment firms globally with access to 1.5 million subject matter experts. With approximately 1,000 employees across 8 offices, Third Bridge combines expert interviews with proprietary data feeds and transcript libraries, creating integrated research processes for asset management and private equity clients.
Guidepoint maintains a network exceeding 1 million experts through 14 offices across three continents. The company differentiates through flexible engagement options and competitive pricing, appealing to cost conscious hedge funds and consulting firms requiring high-volume expert calls without premium pricing.
Capvision dominates the Asia-Pacific expert network market with 360,000 experts and a Hong Kong stock listing. For investment professionals focused on China and broader Asian markets, Capvision provides unmatched regional depth and local industry insights unavailable through Western headquartered networks.
Atheneum maintains 800,000 experts with particularly strong European presence. The network emphasizes multilingual support and deep coverage across European industry segments, serving clients requiring localized expertise in markets where global giants may have thinner coverage.
AlphaSense (incorporating the Tegus expert transcript library following its July 2024 acquisition) combines expert network services with AI powered search tools across millions of documents. This integration serves institutional investors seeking both live expert calls and searchable transcript databases.
NewtonX leverages machine learning for custom expert matching, scanning markets beyond pre-vetted databases to find precise matches for B2B research in technology, finance, and healthcare. The AI driven approach prioritizes verification and relevance over database scale.
These technology enhanced players demonstrate how the best expert network companies increasingly compete on matching precision and workflow integration rather than raw expert count alone.
The best expert network companies distinguish themselves through their commitment to delivering high-quality expert insights and actionable intelligence. These organizations boast robust networks of industry experts and subject matter experts, ensuring clients have access to the most relevant and up-to-date knowledge. A strong focus on compliance and risk management is essential, providing clients with confidence in the reliability and integrity of the information they receive.
Top expert network companies leverage advanced technology, including AI powered search tools and machine learning algorithms, to enhance expert matching and personalize the client experience. This data-driven approach ensures that clients are paired with the most suitable experts for their specific needs, maximizing the value of each engagement. By combining deep industry expertise with innovative technology and rigorous compliance standards, the best expert network companies consistently deliver reliable, relevant, and actionable insights to their clients.
Industry experts are the backbone of the expert network industry, providing the specialized knowledge and expert insights that clients depend on. These professionals are typically seasoned industry veterans with extensive experience and a deep understanding of their respective fields. Their expertise spans a wide range of sectors, including finance, healthcare, technology, and more, enabling them to offer valuable perspectives on market trends, investment opportunities, and competitive intelligence.
By participating in expert interviews and calls, industry experts help clients navigate complex business challenges, assess risks, and identify emerging opportunities. Their real-world experience and nuanced understanding of industry dynamics make them invaluable resources for organizations seeking to make informed, strategic decisions. In the expert network model, the ability to connect with these industry professionals is what sets leading providers apart and drives the value of expert network services.
Expert networks cater to a diverse client base, including:
These clients utilize expert network services to:
Overall, expert networks play a critical role in supporting the strategic objectives of investment professionals and corporate leaders alike.
With market positioning established, deeper analysis reveals how the largest networks compare across specific operational dimensions critical for enterprise partnerships. Expert networks also support business development by providing on-demand access to experts in areas such as marketing and strategic planning, helping clients drive growth and execute strategic initiatives.
Evaluating the top expert network companies requires examining multiple factors: expert database scale, revenue generation, geographic reach, primary industry focus, and service delivery models. The following comparison synthesizes available market intelligence:
The largest expert networks vary significantly in scale, revenue, geographic presence, and industry focus. GLG stands out with over 1 million experts across 19 global offices and generates revenue exceeding $400 million, serving all sectors comprehensively. AlphaSights operates with more than 500,000 experts, nine offices worldwide, and revenues over $300 million, primarily focusing on consulting and private equity. Third Bridge boasts the largest expert count at 1.5 million, with eight offices and revenue surpassing $250 million, catering mainly to investment firms. Guidepoint offers a network of over 1 million experts through 14 offices, specializing in healthcare and technology sectors. Capvision focuses on the Asia-Pacific region with 360,000 experts, four offices, and revenues exceeding $150 million. These figures reflect 2024-2025 projections based on industry analysis, with actual numbers subject to variation as most networks remain privately held.
GLG’s comprehensive platform approach centers on myGLG technology, providing clients with self-service expert discovery, project management, and automated transcript generation. This model suits clients conducting high-volume primary research who value operational efficiency alongside human support. GLG’s premium pricing reflects full-service delivery with rigorous compliance training and quality infrastructure.
AlphaSights’ white-glove custom sourcing model prioritizes personalized matching over platform self-service. Dedicated project managers source industry experts specifically for each engagement, delivering reliable insights within tight timelines. This approach commands premium pricing but provides qualitative insights with higher relevance than database-only matching.
Third Bridge’s transcript library and data feeds integration creates a hybrid model combining live expert interviews with searchable historical insights. Investment firms gain actionable intelligence from both fresh expert knowledge and accumulated transcripts, reducing redundant calls while maintaining access to current perspectives.
Clients seeking maximum scale and self-service efficiency typically align with GLG. Those prioritizing custom matching and rapid turnaround gravitate toward AlphaSights. Investment firms requiring integrated data feeds alongside expert calls often select Third Bridge.
Scale creates distinct operational challenges that clients should anticipate and address proactively when engaging leading expert networks.
Large databases can dilute expert relevance when quantity overshadows precision matching. Networks maintaining over 1 million experts inevitably include professionals with varying currency and depth across specific topics. This risks creating situations where clients receive generic market research rather than actionable insights.
Solution: Request custom screening criteria beyond standard database matching. Specify recency requirements (e.g., left role within 18 months), verify experts’ specific experience with relevant companies or technologies, and establish feedback loops to refine future matching based on call quality assessments.
Enterprise relationships with multiple networks create pricing complexity across different models, hourly rates, subscription tiers, per-call fees, and transcript access charges vary significantly. Without careful management, organizations risk receiving too many identical requests across networks or paying premium rates for commodity insights.
Solution: Negotiate enterprise contracts with transparent pricing tiers aligned to anticipated volume. Establish primary research budgets by project type, centralize network coordination through procurement or research operations, and regularly benchmark pricing against market rates using platforms like Inex One.
The largest expert networks operate across multiple regulatory jurisdictions with varying requirements for material non-public information, conflict screening, and expert verification. Inconsistent compliance protocols across office locations create legal exposure for clients in financial services.
Solution: Establish global compliance protocols specifying required screening procedures, documentation standards, and AI monitoring capabilities that must function consistently across all locations. Require compliance training verification for experts participating in sensitive industries and demand audit trails for all engagements.
GLG, AlphaSights, and Third Bridge lead the global expert network by scale metrics, expert counts exceeding 500,000, revenues above $200 million, and geographic presence spanning major financial centers. Guidepoint and Capvision complete the top tier with strong regional positioning and competitive differentiation.
Immediate actionable steps for selecting large-scale network partners:
Emerging trends will reshape this landscape. AI driven expert matching continues improving precision, geographic expansion into emerging markets creates new coverage requirements, and transcript library integration increasingly differentiates leading expert network providers from traditional expert networks focused solely on live calls.
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