Escalent

Escalent is a strategic advisory firm that sells primary research and data analytics to large industrial corporations. It does not manage outside capital or take equity positions in clients. Its revenue comes from project-based and retainer engagements where it delivers consumer insights, competitive analysis, and product development guidance.

Escalent was created in 2018 through the merger of three legacy research firms: Morpace, Market Strategies International, and Flamingo. Melissa Sauter leads the combined entity as CEO. The merger brought together complementary sector expertise, with Morpace strong in automotive, Market Strategies in energy and financial services, and Flamingo in consumer and qualitative research.

Escalent concentrates on automotive and mobility — particularly EV transition research — along with energy, healthcare, technology, and consumer goods. Its automotive practice is among the most established in the industry, having tracked buyer behavior across multiple powertrain shifts. The firm also runs a healthcare practice studying digital health adoption and an energy practice focused on renewables and grid modernization.

Escalent operates from offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and India, with project teams deployed across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The Detroit-area headquarters reflects the firm's deep automotive roots, while its London office supports global consumer products work and its Portland presence anchors energy sector research.

Escalent positions itself as a research-first strategic advisor, closer to a specialized data vendor than a full-service consultancy. It delivers primary research and recommendations but does not implement the operational changes it advises. This distinguishes it from firms like McKinsey or Deloitte, which layer implementation and restructuring on top of strategy work.

Escalent builds its datasets through a mix of qualitative ethnography, quantitative surveys, and advanced analytics on consumer and B2B populations. The firm maintains proprietary panels and runs longitudinal studies — such as tracking EV buyer intent over multiple years — that give it persistent benchmarks. These datasets are refreshed continuously and feed into client deliverables across the automotive, energy, and health sectors.

Escalent does not invest client capital or operate as a fund. It is an advisory firm whose output is intellectual property, not portfolio construction. While its recommendations influence how clients allocate capital, Escalent itself has no known investment portfolio or AUM.