Internet of Things Market Research
Internet-of-Things businesses sit at the intersection of hardware, connectivity, software and services — any one of which can sink a deal if researched in isolation. Meraki Research works with IoT platform vendors, device makers, connectivity providers and industrial operators on primary research that respects the full stack, with particular strength in the African and Middle Eastern deployment contexts.
Why Internet of Things Research Matters
- IoT decisions involve five or more functions (operations, IT, OT, finance, security) and generic B2B research frameworks flatten important distinctions.
- Total cost of ownership dominates vendor selection, but is rarely researched rigorously — upfront CAPEX is not the real decision variable.
- Connectivity economics (cellular, LPWAN, satellite) vary enormously by geography and use case, and African deployments have specific constraints.
- Security and data-governance obligations, including POPIA, are a first-order buyer concern rather than a compliance afterthought.
- Industrial IoT and consumer IoT look similar on paper but have completely different buyer journeys and evidence requirements.
Our Internet of Things Research Services
Use-Case and Deployment Research
Primary research with operators who have deployed IoT in production, covering actual ROI, operational friction and the gap between vendor claims and reality.
Buyer Journey and Decision-Committee Research
Structured mapping of the IoT purchase process across operations, IT, OT, security, finance and executive stakeholders.
Connectivity and Network Economics Research
Total-cost modelling across LTE-M, NB-IoT, LoRaWAN, Sigfox and satellite options for specific deployment geographies and use cases.
Platform and Ecosystem Research
Research into platform preference, integration patterns and partner ecosystem dynamics.
Security and Governance Research
Research on IoT security and governance obligations that are actually slowing deals, including POPIA and sector-specific requirements.
Industrial IoT Operator Research
Deep qualitative work with plant managers, maintenance leads and OT engineers — audiences rarely researched well by conventional agencies.
How We Approach Research in This Sector
IoT research requires researchers who can move between a board-level TCO conversation and a technical discussion about MQTT brokers without losing the audience. We pair commercial researchers with technical reviewers on every engagement, and we design fieldwork for the full decision committee rather than any single persona.
Why Choose Meraki Research for Internet of Things?
- Hands-on familiarity with South African and African IoT deployment context, including cellular, low-power and satellite connectivity realities.
- Technical reviewers on every engagement — we hold credible conversations with OT and IT engineers.
- Strong access to industrial, mining, agriculture and utilities operators in SA and across the continent.
- Willingness to research and report the failure modes, not only the success cases.
What We Deliver
| Deliverable | Format | Typical Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Use-Case Viability Report | PDF + workbook | Week 5 |
| Buyer Journey Map | Figma + PDF | Week 6 |
| Connectivity TCO Model | Workbook + memo | Week 7 |
| Platform Landscape Teardown | Slide deck | Week 8 |
| Deployment Case-Study Library | Notion workspace | Week 8 |