CrowdTwist hauls in $9M for SaaS data intelligence

CrowdTwist, a Manhattan-based SaaS intelligence data platform, has taken in $9 million in venture cash, the company announced today.

CrowdTwist focuses on collecting data intelligence, which it then buttresses with analytics so its clients can better understand their customers’ buying behavior. The company was launched in 2009 and has raised $20 million in total venture funding to date.

Providing data intelligence for enterprise brands is a huge business. Companies want details on their customers and their spending behavior in order to better launch targeted ad campaigns. Good back-end data analytic firms are numerous. The space is crowded.

No matter. At least to CrowdTwist chief executive and founder Irving Fain, who told VentureBeat his SaaS solution has multi-channel functionality that some of his competitors lack.

Another cornerstone for CrowdTwist is helping clients with their increasingly important loyalty rewards programs. Loyalty is a huge deal not just for big enterprises but for smaller service-industry companies too.

“In the last 12 months there’s been lots of buzz about customer retention. In other words, ‘how do I keep my clients?'” Fain said.

Current customers include Pepsi, Purina, VIZIO, and Zumiez.

StarVest Partners led the new round. Fairhaven Capital and SoftBank Capital also participated.