The market research industry, valued at $90 billion globally, has long been dominated by traditional firms offering comprehensive but expensive and time-consuming services. For many smaller businesses, accessing professional market insights has remained out of reach—until now. Calgary-based startup Cashew Research is revolutionizing this space by leveraging artificial intelligence to make market research faster, more affordable, and accessible to companies of all sizes.
Bridging the Gap Between AI and Traditional Research
Cashew Research, founded in 2023 by market research veteran Addy Graves and COO Rose Wong, occupies a strategic middle ground in the research landscape. While large language models (LLMs) can generate insights based on existing internet data, and traditional firms provide custom research at premium prices, Cashew offers something different: AI-accelerated research that still incorporates fresh human feedback.
The platform uses artificial intelligence to design research plans and create surveys based on clients’ specific information needs—whether measuring brand recognition, testing marketing messages, or gathering customer feedback. What sets Cashew apart is that these AI-designed surveys are then distributed to real people, with AI subsequently analyzing and summarizing the responses.
From Impossible Timelines to Industry Recognition
Graves’ inspiration came from her decade-plus experience in market research, where clients frequently requested comprehensive research projects with impossibly tight deadlines. Before recent AI advancements, delivering quality research in days rather than weeks or months simply wasn’t feasible.
The company’s innovative approach has already earned significant industry recognition. Cashew was selected as one of 200 startups for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield competition in 2025 and emerged victorious in the enterprise stage pitch competition at TechCrunch Disrupt—validating their position as a disruptive force in the market research sector.
Making Professional Research Accessible to SMBs
By automating significant portions of the research process while maintaining human data collection, Cashew dramatically reduces both cost and turnaround time. This opens professional market research to small and medium-sized businesses that previously couldn’t afford traditional services.
The company initially focused on consumer packaged goods, particularly food and beverage brands, but is expanding its reach. Unlike fully automated AI marketing tools, Cashew’s hybrid approach delivers fresh human data with each project, supported by market research expertise.
Building a Proprietary Data Advantage
Cashew’s competitive edge extends beyond its current technology. The company anonymizes and aggregates data from all client projects into a proprietary database. This growing repository enhances future research projects with additional insights while maintaining client confidentiality.
This data-driven approach creates a virtuous cycle—each new client not only receives custom research but also indirectly contributes to strengthening the platform’s overall capabilities, creating a widening competitive moat as the company scales.
Future Growth and Expansion Plans
Having secured C$1.5 million in pre-seed funding, Cashew is preparing to launch its seed round in early 2026 with a target of raising up to $5 million. These funds will primarily support continued technological development of the platform.
The company has identified two strategic priorities for the coming year: expanding its presence in the U.S. market and developing its B2B research capabilities. While the existing market research customer base represents a substantial opportunity, Graves sees even greater potential in serving businesses that have never purchased research before due to cost or time constraints.
As Graves explained,