proSapient

proSapient entered the expert network market in 2017 with a specific mission: to bring automation and artificial intelligence to the research and advisory space. Founded by Margo Polishchuk and Jordan Shlosberg in London, the platform grew quickly enough to raise £7.3 million in a Series A round in 2021, backed by venture capital investors including Smedvig Capital. The company now operates offices across London, Kyiv, Lisbon, Toronto, and Raleigh, positioning itself as a European-originated but globally distributed research infrastructure. Its tagline, "Expert Intelligence on Demand," captures the core value proposition: access to specialized knowledge faster than traditional consultant hiring, with the matching and coordination handled by software rather than human researchers. The platform has built a particular strength in connecting institutional clients like investment firms, management consultancies, and corporate strategy teams with industry experts who can validate hypotheses, explore market dynamics, or stress-test investment theses in real time.

The platform operates on a fundamentally different model than older expert networks. Rather than emphasizing human coordinators who manually match experts with requests, proSapient centers on AI-powered expert search and automated scheduling. When a client needs an expert, the platform's matching algorithm surfaces relevant professionals based on their background, current role, industry knowledge, and historical availability. Experts communicate their availability in the system, and proSapient handles the back-and-forth logistics of scheduling calls. Once a call is booked, it typically happens via Zoom, a browser-based session, or phone, depending on the expert's preference and the client's requirements. The platform records and transcribes calls automatically, with proSapient advertising 99% transcription accuracy. This automation reduces friction for both experts and clients, eliminating the email chains and calendar juggling that older platforms require. For clients, this means turning a research request into a scheduled expert call in hours rather than days. For experts, it means less administrative overhead and more time actually conducting the consultation.

Beyond one-off expert calls, proSapient offers surveys deployed to expert panels. A client might have a specific market hypothesis and want quantitative validation from fifty or a hundred verified professionals across an industry. The platform lets clients design survey questions, and proSapient handles distribution to a targeted panel of experts, collection of responses, and delivery of aggregate results. These surveys run on the same pool of industry experts as the call service, so the quality bar is consistent. The platform also enables follow-up messaging and call-backs, allowing clients to build ongoing relationships with particularly valuable experts rather than treating each interaction as a one-off. This flexibility supports both quick due diligence projects and longer-term market intelligence relationships.

What sets proSapient apart from competitors like Dialectica, GLG, or Third Bridge is its emphasis on technology-enabled speed and the transparency of its matching process. The company markets the speed advantage explicitly, framing the platform as a way to compress research timelines from weeks to hours. The 99% transcription accuracy is another differentiator, since clients receive word-perfect records of expert conversations without paying for manual transcription services. The AI-powered search means the platform can match experts on nuanced criteria beyond simple industry classification: a client might find experts who managed specific product lines, operated in particular geographies during certain periods, or held roles in particular functional areas. This precision reduces the cold-call feeling that sometimes accompanies expert networks and connects clients with truly relevant specialists. From a user interface perspective, proSapient has also built integration capabilities, allowing clients to pipe expert responses and survey data into their own research tools and dashboards rather than exporting reports manually.

Experts joining proSapient participate in a straightforward process. The platform invites industry professionals to "Connect with opportunities that shape your industry" by sharing insights with clients. Upon signing up, experts provide employment history and background, which proSapient uses to build a profile that clients' AI matching can discover. Unlike open-signup platforms, proSapient screens applicants to maintain data quality and ensure experts have genuine, current industry knowledge. Once accepted, experts access the platform's portal to view incoming research requests and schedule calls. When a client requests a consultation with an expert matching their profile, a notification arrives with details of the research topic and time availability. The expert can then accept, decline, or propose alternative times. Payment for calls is processed after the engagement concludes, with proSapient handling invoicing. The site confirms that experts receive compensation for every client engagement and that payment is typically deposited within seven to ten days into the expert's bank account in their chosen currency.

The work itself tends to be qualitative research calls rather than pitch-for-contracts bidding. A typical engagement might be a 45-minute or 60-minute call with a client who has prepared specific research questions. The expert shares their knowledge and perspective, the call is recorded and transcribed, and that is the engagement. Unlike longer advisory projects that some platforms offer, proSapient calls are generally transactional and time-bounded. However, clients often reach back out to experts they found valuable, so individual experts may conduct multiple calls over months or years. The compensation for a single call is not published on the site; rates are determined between the expert and the platform based on expertise level and market demand. Given the venture-backed positioning and the emphasis on premium expertise, proSapient generally targets higher-value engagements than bulk survey platforms, which typically implies stronger per-call compensation for experts compared to open-signup marketplaces.

Compared to larger networks, proSapient is positioned as nimble and technologically sophisticated rather than attempting to be everything. The platform does not position itself as offering executive advisory boards, equity placement, or other services outside of expert calls and surveys. This focus means the technology stack is purpose-built: the AI matching is optimized for call research, not general freelance matching. The rapid transcription is designed specifically for research documentation, not generic call recording. This vertical focus is a strength if your expertise maps to the research questions institutional clients ask: competitive intelligence, market entry analysis, product validation, customer research, organizational dynamics in portfolio companies, regulatory landscape assessment. If your knowledge is more specialized or niche, your call volume might be lower compared to generalist platforms. Geography also influences opportunity flow; experts in North America and Western Europe (where the client base is concentrated) likely see higher call frequency than those in other regions.

The onboarding timeline is quick. Upon application, proSapient typically screens and responds within days, and approved experts can start receiving call requests within a week or two of profile completion. The platform does not require a minimum availability commitment or minimum call volume, giving experts complete freedom to participate as much or as little as they want. Many experts use proSapient alongside full-time employment, accepting calls that fit their schedule. The platform's calendar integration and automated scheduling mean you are not managing back-and-forth emails; availability is set in the system and calls populate your calendar automatically. This reduces administrative burden compared to platforms where experts must manually coordinate each engagement.

Strengths of proSapient for experts include the clean technology, transparent matching, rapid payment processing, and the genuine demand from institutional clients who value research quality. The venture-backed status also suggests the platform has resources to invest in product improvement and marketing, reducing the risk that it is a short-lived startup. Drawbacks include that you cannot set your own rates; compensation is determined by the platform rather than negotiated by the expert. The focus on call-based research also means income can be variable depending on market demand and your profile's relevance to current client research priorities. Certain industries and seniority levels may see steadier work than others. Geographic bias toward English-speaking Western hubs also means experts in other regions may see fewer opportunities.

proSapient is an excellent fit for mid-career professionals and senior specialists with current industry knowledge who want to turn expertise into income with minimal hassle. If you are a product manager who has launched several products and can articulate lessons learned, a sales leader who has run enterprise sales teams, an engineer who has architected complex systems, or a strategy consultant with deep market knowledge, proSapient offers a channel to share that expertise with serious research teams. The platform appeals to experts who want reliable, vetted, professional work without the sales effort or business management required on fully self-directed platforms. The automation and speed make it particularly attractive for busy professionals who do not want to negotiate terms or chase payments. For early-career professionals or those seeking highly flexible, custom-rate consulting, other platforms may be better. For established experts seeking a straightforward platform to conduct valuable research calls, proSapient delivers a polished, efficient experience.