Stefanie Francis is a curious innovator with a mission: to do market research better. As the Founder and CEO of Hootology, she's brought that vision to life with HOOQZ, a GenAI-powered market research tool that hosts dynamic discussions in simulated environments to quantify qualitative information, allowing for a deeper understanding of the "whys" behind consumer decision-making at scale.

As an award-winning speaker, a 'Forty Under 40' honoree, and a former graduate-level professor of Global Market Research at NYU, Stefanie is most proud of her ability to ask "how could we do it better?"—a question that led to her founding Hootology.

​In her spare time, Stefanie loves wandering through Central Park, finding inspiration in the oddballs of life, meditating, and throwing pottery to stay connected with her art school days.