With Crash Test Media, Soutar aims to help publishers of all sizes to develop and test print and online products prior to their launch, and to relaunch existing titles.
Depending on the scale of the project, the company aims to offer consumer research, market data, media planning advice and plans on how to integrate print and digital platforms. One of its key aims will be to help publishers new to the magazine market, or to a particular sector, to understand the demand within their chosen area.
Soutar said the move was inspired by the scale of recent magazine launches, with publishers ploughing ever greater sums into new titles. Recently, Emap put £12m into its news-led women's weekly First, and Bauer has put £10m behind In The Know.
Even so, he added, more than two-thirds of titles fold in the first year. "Launching a magazine now has far more in common with the opening box office for a Hollywood movie - you need that big hit straight away," said Soutar.
"Gone are the days when you would launch a magazine and evolve it on the news-stand, with investment from time to time.
"Advertisers don't have the patience and nor do retailers or consumers. You have to make your mistakes before you launch."
The company will begin trading next month and Soutar is in the process of hiring a managing partner and plans to appoint full-time and freelance staff.
Soutar has overseen the launch and relaunch of some of the biggest magazine brands, including Emap's successful repositioning in the mid-1990s of For Him Magazine as FHM and, at IPC, the launch of Nuts and Pick Me Up. He has also edited Smash Hits! and had a spell as editor-in-chief of the US edition of Dennis' men's magazine Maxim.
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