By blending AI automation with real-world data, Cashew aims to make market research faster, cheaper, and accessible to brands of all sizes.
Making Market Research Faster, Smarter, and More Affordable
Market research is a $90 billion global industry, essential for brands seeking to understand their audiences, refine messaging, and validate product-market fit. But traditional research firms are expensive, slow, and often out of reach for small and midsize businesses.
Cashew Research, a Calgary-based startup, is stepping into that gap with an AI-powered platform that combines automation with real-time human data to deliver high-quality insights — fast and at a fraction of the cost.
“Cashew exists in the middle,” said co-founder and CEO Addy Graves. “It gives you custom, fresh data — not just AI regurgitating what’s already online.”
How Cashew Works
Cashew streamlines the market research process from start to finish:
- AI designs tailored surveys based on the brand’s specific questions (e.g., brand recognition, tagline effectiveness).
- Surveys are sent to real consumers, not bots or simulated panels.
- Cashew’s AI then analyzes the data and formats it into reports, saving clients weeks of manual effort.
This hybrid model allows brands to get custom research-grade results in days, not weeks, and at a much lower price point than legacy research firms.
Built by Industry Insiders for a New Era
Graves, a market research veteran with over a decade in the field, co-founded Cashew in 2023 alongside Rose Wong, the company’s COO. The idea stemmed from a recurring pain point: Clients wanted fast insights without compromising on rigor — something existing tech and agencies couldn’t deliver.
“It wasn’t until the onset of AI that we were actually able to automate core research workflows and best practices,” said Graves.
The automation not only speeds up the process, it also brings costs down, unlocking access for smaller brands previously priced out of professional-grade research.
What Sets Cashew Apart from Other AI Tools
Cashew is entering a crowded AI marketing landscape, but its human-in-the-loop approach is what makes it unique.
- Each project pulls fresh, real-world data, not recycled web content.
- The platform integrates human insights with automated workflows, preserving the depth of traditional research.
- Over time, Cashew anonymizes and stores this data to create a proprietary insights engine that makes future projects even smarter.
In short, Cashew is not just another AI tool — it’s a new category of research platform.
Traction and What’s Next
Cashew is already gaining momentum. It was one of 200 startups selected for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 2025, and it won the Enterprise Stage pitch competition at TechCrunch Disrupt.
The company has raised C$1.5 million in pre-seed funding and plans to open a $5 million seed round in early 2026 to further develop its tech and scale operations.
Key growth priorities for 2026:
- U.S. market expansion
- B2B segment development, targeting businesses already investing in research
- Growing a new category of buyers — marketers who want data but lack time or budget
“We’re creating a new category,” said Graves. “There’s a whole group of marketers who couldn’t access this level of insight before. Now they can.”
