Meet the Research Got Talent 2026 Finalists

Four finalists. Four charities. One winner heading to the world stage. 

The Australian Data and Insights Association (ADIA) and Esomar are delighted to announce the following finalists for the Research Got Talent (RGT) Award Competition 2026 (in alphabetical order): 

• Anastasia Spratt and Emi Hemphill (Starburst Insights) – Hidden in Plain Sight: Exploring Attitudes towards Smart Glasses, Consent and Tech-facilitated Abuse, partnering with Teach Us Consent
• Georgia Mcfarland and Emily Hendry-Follows (Verian) – The Last Hurdle to Elimination: Understanding the decline in HPV vaccination among Australian parents and adolescents, partnering with Cancer Council
• Tara Forde (Painted Dog Research) – The Invisible Barrier: Why Parents Still Don’t Seek Help When Every Practical Barrier Has Been Removed, partnering with The Kids Hub
• Hans Buddhasiri and Hannah Scholes (Fiftyfive5) – Work Doesn’t Work – Redesigning workplace support for the loneliness epidemic, partnering with Friends for Good

ADIA and Esomar also extend a special thank you to the employers of our finalists -  Starburst Insights, Verian Group Australia, Painted Dog Research and Fiftyfive5 Part of Accenture Song - for backing their staff’s participation and giving them the time and support to bring these projects to life. Research Got Talent is as much a platform for these organisations as it is for the individuals involved, showcasing the calibre of talent they’ve nurtured and the value they place on developing the next generation of researchers.

Sally Joubert, CEO of Luma Research and Australia's Esomar Representative, said: “The judges were genuinely impressed by the high calibre of entries we received this year. Each project tackled a real social issue with rigour, creativity and heart, and it’s clear this competition keeps going from strength to strength. I want to thank all of our ADIA and Esomar member employers for supporting this valuable industry initiative”.

Our finalists go through to the next round of judging on Thursday 13 August 2026, where a winner will be selected and entered into ESOMAR's global competition. The winner will conduct their project from August to December, receive $4,000 in prize money (towards airfares) plus complimentary registration to attend the ESOMAR Congress in September 2027. Winners are also invited to next year’s Leaders Forum being held in Melbourne.

Sarah Campbell, CEO of ADIA, said: “Research Got Talent continues to uncover incredible young talent for our industry, and it’s a privilege to see these emerging researchers put their skills to work for causes that matter. I want to congratulate all of our entrants and our finalists and thank everyone for the passion and professionalism they brought to their submissions. A huge thank you to our judges and our sponsors – without whom this project wouldn’t be possible”.

With special thanks to our sponsors

Research Got Talent was launched in Australia in 2020 and encourages young professionals to use market research and insights to support local charities and NGOs in overcoming pressing social issues. Entries were required to reflect a relevant, innovative, and impactful research design project that assesses and solves a specific issue.