HFS Research
{{Short description|Global research and advisory firm}}
{{Infobox company
| name = HFS Research
| logo =
| type = Private
| traded_as =
| foundation = 2010
| location_city = Cambridge
| location_country = United Kingdom
| key_people = Phil Fersht
| industry = Market Analysis, Strategic Research
| products =
| revenue =
| num_employees =
| homepage = [http://www.hfsresearch.com.com www.hfsresearch.com.com]
}}
HFS Research is a global research and advisory firm focused on IT, technology, and business operations. Established in 2010, and headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom,{{cite web|url=https://leadiq.com/c/hfs-research/5a1d7f5c24000024005a8bed |title=HFS Research |accessdate=21 June 2025}} HFS provides market analysis and strategic consulting on digital and operational business topics.
HFS is noted for its "Vendor Ranking" frameworks, which have been contrasted to the 2x2 grid models used by large advisory firms and research organizations.{{cite web|url=https://diginomica.com/will-vendor-rankings-replace-magic-quadrants-hfs-research-thinks-so |title=Will vendor rankings replace magic quadrants? HfS Research thinks so |author=Howlett, Den |date=12 August 2018}}
History
HFS Research was founded by industry analyst and author Phil Fersht. The firm's origins include Horses for Sources, a blog Fersht started in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.horsesforsources.com/about-this-blog/ |title=Horses for Sources About this Blog |accessdate=2 July 2025}}
Research and commentary by HFS Research and its analysts, as well as the reports it publishes, are cited in various business and technology media. Reported topics include artificial intelligence,{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-ai-big-tech-regulations-deepseek-workplace-artificial-intelligence-2024397 |title=Trump Admin Working With Venture Capital, Big Tech to Inform AI Policy |author=Kidwai, Aman |date=3 February 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/why-enterprise-ai-requires-a-digital-transformation-redesign |title=Why enterprise AI requires a digital transformation redesign |author=Bijlani, Varun |date=29 January 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/garydrenik/2025/03/25/guardrails-for-ai-governance-in-todays-shifting-regulatory-landscape/ |title=Guardrails For AI Governance In Today's Shifting Regulatory Landscape |author=Drenik, Gary |date=25 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://supplychaindigital.com/digital-supply-chain/exploring-ai-enabled-future-of-supply-chains |title=Exploring the AI-enabled Future of Supply Chains |author=Chapman, Tom |date=17 January 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://newsletter.cxotalk.com/p/cxotalk-872-agentic-ai-in-the-enterprise-what-it-means-for-you |title=Agentic AI in the Enterprise: What it Means for You |author=Krigsman, Michael |date=4 March 2025}} blockchain,{{cite web|url=https://www.netnetweb.com/content/blog/top-5-technology-research-services-firms-for-2022 |title=Top 5 Technology Research Services Firms for 2022 |author=Zolman, Stephen |date=21 January 2022}} trends in IT,{{cite web|url=https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-it-fads-and-trends |title=How to Tell the Difference Between IT Fads and Trends |author=Edwards, John |date=4 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.information-age.com/hfs-research-how-are-businesses-coping-with-the-covid-19-paradigm-shift-15852/ |title=HFS Research: how are businesses coping with the Covid-19 paradigm shift? |author=Ismail, Nick |date=8 April 2020}} semiconductor manufacturing,{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2024/04/19/tech/us-chips-act-analysis/ |title=Latest Biden chip deal highlights U.S. semiconductor successes |author=Beattie, Elizabeth |date=19 April 2024}} supply chain,{{cite web|url=https://supplychaindigital.com/digital-supply-chain/exploring-ai-enabled-future-of-supply-chains |title=Exploring the AI-enabled Future of Supply Chains |author=Chapman, Tom |date=17 January 2025}} banking & financial services,{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomgroenfeldt/2023/07/31/financial-firms-should-develop-ecosystems---broad-partnerships---to-upgrade-their-technology/ |title=Financial Firms Should Develop Ecosystems — Broad Partnerships —To Upgrade Their Technology |author=Groenfeldt, Tom |date=31 July 2023}} and big data in business.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtinsights.com/executives-dont-trust-data/ |title=75% of Executives Don't Trust Their Data |author=Curry, David |date=22 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2022/02/07/data-imperative-analytics-technology-media-telecoms-customer-service-kpmg/ |title=The Data Imperative: How companies can capitalize on the data they've collected during COVID |author=Holt, Alex |date=7 February 2022}}
Practice areas
HFS Research, as a "tech analyst" firm, focuses on "...data products on the future of operations and IT Services across industries."{{cite web|url=https://www.netnetweb.com/content/blog/top-5-technology-research-services-firms-for-2022 |title=Top 5 Technology Research Services Firms for 2022 |author=Zolman, Stephen |date=21 January 2022}} They publish various market research reports,{{cite web|url=https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/ |title=HFS Research Research and Insights |accessdate=3 July 2025}} and consult firms with research and advisory services.{{cite web|url=https://www.hfsresearch.com/enterprise-research-advisory-services/ |title=HFS Research Enterprise Research and Advisory Services |accessdate=1 July 2025}}
Frameworks
HFS ranks vendors using an "Enterprise Innovation Framework"{{cite web|url=https://www.dbta.com/Editorial/News-Flashes/Increasing-the-Time-to-Value-of-Data-at-Data-Summit-2022-152994.aspx |title=Increasing the Time to Value of Data at Data Summit 2022 |author=Simone, Stephanie |date=17 May 2022}} and publishes these rankings in reports that evaluate vendors{{cite web|url=https://www.workfellow.ai/blog/workfellow-named-oneoffice-tm-hot-vendor-by-hfs-research |title=Workfellow named OneOffice™ Hot Vendor by HFS Research |author=Konderla, Josef |date= 2022}} "...based on their offerings' distinctiveness, ecosystem robustness, client impact, financial position, and impact in the HFS OneOffice Framework."{{cite web|url=https://www.latentbridge.com/reports/latentbridge-recognised-as-hot-vendor-by-hfs-research |title=LatentBridge recognized as Hot Vendor by HFS Research |date=12 April 2023}} Other noted HFS frameworks include OneEcosystem,{{cite web|url=https://www.workfellow.ai/blog/workfellow-named-oneoffice-tm-hot-vendor-by-hfs-research |title=Workfellow named OneOffice™ Hot Vendor by HFS Research |author=Konderla, Josef |date= 2022}} Generative Enterprise,{{cite web|url=https://www.genpact.com/insight/hfs-positions-genpact-as-a-market-leader-in-generative-enterprise-services |title=Genpact Named a Leader in Generative Enterprise Services |author=Vashisht, Riju |date= 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://ai-techpark.com/hfs-research-names-brillio-an-innovator-in-generative-services/ |title=HFS Research Names Brillio an Innovator in Generative Services |date= 2025}} and Services-as-software.{{cite web|url=https://chronicleclub.in/storage/uploads/1745298765-et.pdf |title=The AI Wave Sweeps IT |author=Roy, Annapurna and Lohchab, Himanshi |date=22 April 2025}}